A scientist studies how the universe or one or more parts of it works. Scientists start from preliminary observations to formulate hypotheses that they will test through further data analysis and experiments, which allow to verify the results of the scientific investigation or possibly refute the starting hypotheses. Scientists mostly work in a university, commercial or government setting - if you want to become a scientist, here's where to start.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Prepare yourself from a scholastic and educational point of view since high school
Take advantage of every opportunity to take extracurricular courses. Starting from high school, you might try to take lessons that can help you acquire the critical-analytical skills necessary for the study of science.
- You will need to have excellent math skills. In physics, various branches of mathematics are widely used, in particular algebra, calculus and analytic geometry, unlike biology where mathematics is used to a lesser extent. In all scientific fields, however, it is important to have a good knowledge of statistics.
- During the summer, consider attending optional courses that your institution offers. If you are in the last years of high school you can also follow some university lessons of the faculty you are interested in; some universities also organize preparatory courses for future freshmen.
Step 2. Enroll at university
Before you can specialize in a particular discipline, you will need to take courses in biology, chemistry or physics to get a good foundation in each branch of science and learn how to apply the scientific method of experimental observation, formulating hypotheses and testing them through experiments. You can also choose courses to deepen other areas of interest, to better focus on what you want to specialize.
You will also need to be able to speak and write well in English to be a scientist. English is the language of the international scientific community. As a scientist you will need to be able to write well both to obtain funding for your research projects and to publish your results in articles in specialized journals
Step 3. Choose which field of science appeals to you the most
Once you have completed a three-year general degree, you can specialize in a specific field of research such as astronomy, medicine, psychology, genetics or agriculture.
If the university you attend does not have the faculty of your interest, you can evaluate a rather broad subject, such as physics or chemistry, which will give you a solid foundation for a future specialization
Step 4. Do some internship
It is always a good thing to start developing working relationships as soon as possible. Contact your professors to arrange a practicum: your name could end up among those of the collaborators in an important publication!
This also allows you to gain laboratory experience, which is very useful for accessing masters, PhDs and for finding a job. It also shows that you have taken your college career seriously and that you are aware of what is expected of you
Step 5. Hone your writing skills
As a scientist you will need to be able to write well for your research to be considered worthy of publication in scientific journals. So he also attends some Italian and English courses to improve these skills.
Always read scientific journals to stay up to date. It is very likely that, in the future, you too will be featured in these newspapers. Pay attention to the structure of the articles and how good scientific pieces are to be written
Part 2 of 3: Education
Step 1. Continue your training with graduate schools
While a degree is sufficient for some commercial and industrial positions, most scientists have one or more specializations and doctorates. Postgraduate programs are more oriented towards research and development of new theories, you will have the opportunity to work with other scientists and professors, as well as having access to cutting-edge technologies. Most of these schools have a duration of 4 years, but it all depends on the branch you have chosen.
At this point you will practically be forced to make a choice to narrow down your field of interest in science. If you want to be a profitable scientist you need to focus your field of expertise
Step 2. Find a research internship
During the specialization you will need to look for internships that match your area of interest. The professors who are working on some projects and who will want to talk about it with you will be quite few, this means that you will have to go elsewhere to carve out your space.
Your teachers and school are, in general, great tools for finding research projects. Build friendly relationships to get this information
Step 3. Take a postdoctoral course
This experience will allow you to advance further in your training in whatever discipline you have decided to specialize. Originally these research projects lasted around 2 years, but can now last up to more than four years, depending on the research scope and other factors.
You will need to engage in postdoctoral research for about three years. If you do some math, you realize that you will study at least 4 years for a general degree, another 5 for the specialization and about 3 for postdoctoral research. This means that you will need to be able to support yourself for about 12 years without working. This is a factor that you absolutely must take into consideration
Step 4. Keep up to date
During the 10+ years of training (and career development) you will also need to worry about keeping up with new discoveries in your field of interest and other branches of science. You will need to attend conferences and read your colleagues' publications. Science is an ever-changing discipline and you can be left behind in the blink of an eye.
In niche science fields (and some big ones) you will probably get to know everyone who publishes in scientific journals personally. Reading their writings will also help you know who to turn to when you need to ask for favors and help with your research
Step 5. Keep doing scientific investigations while looking for a full-time job
Scientists are always working on a project or a theory. Regardless of which step of the hierarchy you occupy in the scientific community, this is a certainty. However, after your postdoc you have to find a job; here are some outlets you have available:
- Science teacher. It is a career that does not need explanations and does not require a very high school curriculum (depending on the type of school you want to teach). In some fields, however, you will also need to have taken exams as an educator.
- Clinical researcher. Many scientists work for the state or for pharmaceutical multinationals. To begin, you will do clinical practice in hospitals to evaluate the effects of new therapies and medicines. You will need to make sure that the research protocol is respected by the health professionals who collaborate in the research, and that they strictly follow the procedures. Then you will perform analyzes on the object of the research, on the development of a new product (such as vaccines), or you will be assigned to contact patients and collaborate with doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians.
- Teacher. Many scientists, sometimes by chance, manage to become professors and get a tenured position at the university. This is a well-paid and safe job, which affects the lives of many other people. However, be aware that it takes decades to get this position.
Part 3 of 3: Mental Attitude
Step 1. Be curious
Scientists choose this career because they are fundamentally driven by an innate curiosity about the world around them. This curiosity leads them to investigate the how and why of everything they see, regardless of whether it may take years for their research to yield results.
It is important that in addition to being curious you have the ability to reject preconceived notions, to be open to new ideas. Often a preliminary hypothesis does not arise from experimental observation or from subsequent experiments, and it is therefore possible that it must be modified or abandoned in the course of scientific investigation
Step 2. Be patient regarding your career
As already mentioned above, it takes a lot of time to be a scientist. There are very few professions that take longer to develop. Even when you have finished your formal studies, you will need to keep updating and learning. If you are someone who needs instant gratification, this is not the job for you.
Some job positions require only a three-year degree and sometimes a master's degree. If you can't afford to study for many years without earning, these careers might be for you
Step 3. Be thorough and consistent, as you will have to go through hard work
It is well known that the research sector is one of the most underpaid in Italy and, "taking into account the intellectual value of those who carry it out, the necessary skills and the hours of work required", we can say that we are almost at the level of exploitation. The fact is that to stand out in the scientific field it takes years of hard work that is not always immediately recognized financially, so you will have to live in a particularly modest way for quite a while.
You will also have to meet deadlines, most of the time not determined by the number of hours worked, but by the results obtained. You will need to be ready to work according to the needs of the research you are developing and those who pay for your experiments. All this makes a career as a scientist quite challenging
Step 4. Remember that you must always update and learn
What a scientist seeks is knowledge. Your learning is continuous, whether it's reading your colleagues' publications, attending seminars or working to publish your research. Does all this match your job idea? Then you have what it takes to be a scientist.
Step 5. Be patient, observe and think outside the box
The work of a scientist does not end in a day, in a week, in a month or even in a year. In many cases, such as in clinical trials, you won't get any results for years. This could be very frustrating, which is why patience is the first quality.
- Observation skills are also essential. During the years of study and experimentation, as you wait for results you will have to look for even the smallest changes and notice the smallest differences between what happens and what you expected. Your eyes must be constantly focused and alert.
- As for "thinking outside the box", consider the apple that fell on Newton's head or the water that came out of Archimedes' tank when he immersed himself in it. Most people do not notice and pay no attention to these trivial events, but some individuals read about them. To advance in human knowledge, you have to think differently.
Advice
Centro Fermi offers scholarships and a logistical structure that allows young scientists to develop their own insights
Warnings
- Due to the increasing number of people with PhDs applying for teaching professorships and jobs in the industrial and commercial sector, today those who intend to work in the scientific field often find themselves having to apply and accept one or more positions as a precarious researcher before getting a permanent job.
- Being a scientist takes a lot of patience. The chances of success are equal to those of failure, so be prepared to accept the results as they come.
