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Research Councils UK (RCUK) has today published further research career case studies, designed to inspire young people to think about pursuing a career in research.
Each case study tells their own personal story of how they got involved in research, what it takes to be a researcher, and their rewarding experiences from their chosen career paths. There are now 75 case studies in total, covering a wide range of disciplines including arts and humanities; maths; biology; social sciences; and physics.
The case studies highlight the opportunities research skills can give, not only in academia but also in the wider world of business, industry and commerce. The skills gained from a research career are highly sought after by increasing numbers of national and international companies working with UK researchers.
Dr Stephen Potter heads the astronomy division of the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town, despite having failed his fair share of exams and experienced unsuccessful job interviews. He said: “I’ve had an obsession with anything to do with space, science fiction and computing since very early childhood. I never excelled academically, however, I always knew that I wanted to be an astronomer and have managed to stay on this career path through persistence rather than any unusual choice or events.”
Work involves developing statistical models to predict who might develop diabetes, heart attacks or strokes for Dr Rebecca Simmons, an Investigator Scientist at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge. She then tries to develop and evaluate ways to prevent these things happening.
“Research can be fun, intellectually stimulating, challenging, and can contribute to improving human health and society”, she says. “I have been lucky enough to find a discipline that I love. I don't actually consider myself to have a job. I am just amazed every day that someone is employing me to write and play with numbers, and I can use these skills to try and contribute to a healthier society.”
New case studies will continue to be added to the site to promote the wide variety of careers available in research as well as demonstrating the multitude of routes to those careers that young people can pursue. We would like to encourage anyone with an interesting research career story to get in touch with us to be considered as a case study. Please email communications@rcuk.ac.uk.
RCUK believes that inspiring the next generation to consider the value of a career in research is vital to ensure that the UK maintains its world-leading position, providing critical contributions to the economy and the pressing challenges facing society.
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Contact:
Katie Clark
Press and Communications Manager
Tel: 01793 444592 or email: Katie Clark
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils who annually invest around £3 billion in research. We support excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. To maintain the UK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public with research. To maximise the impact of research on economic growth and societal wellbeing we work in partnership with other research funders including the Technology Strategy Board, the UK Higher Education funding bodies, business, government, and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk.
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