• Question: Do you prefer working alone to discover any findings or in a group of other scientists who could help you?

    Asked by jobai to Anouk, Chris, Judith, Leisha, Seyyed on 19 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Judith Sleeman

      Judith Sleeman answered on 19 Jun 2012:


      It’s always much more fun (and more productive) to get together with other scientists and share results and research ideas. That’s why conferences can be so useful, although you sometimes have to be careful what you give away to your competitors….

    • Photo: Chris Kettle

      Chris Kettle answered on 19 Jun 2012:


      I like working alone – when you are working as a team people can hold you back. Trust no one!

      But when you are part of a good team then the work can feel more rewarding and you’ll be more productive.

      Maybe my answer was harsh before but sometimes you’ll want to just ignore other people and get on with it.

      Ladder please!

    • Photo: Anouk Gouvras

      Anouk Gouvras answered on 20 Jun 2012:


      Chris! What are you trying to teach us exactly! I like working alone in the lab as I can concentrate, also when I am collecting my parasite samples with the microscope and pipette. But I am part of a team and I really enjoy that. I can get advice and encouragement from other scientists which is very important especially as I am at the start of my career. When doing fieldwork I would be lost without the local team there. They know the area, how to talk to people, how to get things done and solve things when problems occur (which they always do in fieldwork, car breaks down in the middle of no-where, herd of cattle block our way, fishermen want to know what we are doing in their lake, school teachers go on strike the day you arrive at a school etc) and they also make the trip so much more interesting as we talk about our different cultures, different food, prices, education all that. I consider myself someone who likes working and traveling alone but only because I know I have a team (at work or my family) to fall back on should any problems arise or if I feel a bit lonely.

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