Question: What's your tip for someone that might consider working in the same sort of field as yourself? (if that makes any sense) :D

Zena Hadjivasiliou answered on 10 Mar 2015:

I think it is very important to be brave and not be scared of thinking differently or challenging things that are being taken as granted. Of course to challenge ideas it is also important to understand what they are about so reading and thinking about other people’s work and respecting it is also important. I also think that persistence and patience are valuable skills to have as a scientist (if not essential!). Sometimes things don’t make sense and you need to keep thinking about them until you figure out what it is that does not make sense, why it doesn’t make sense and what you can do to understand it.

The process that got me to working as a scientist is kind of hard to single out if this is what you are asking. I think trying to be methodical in your studying at school, and asking a lot of questions helps! Don’t be scared to admit if you don’t understand something and ask your teachers for clarifications! All knowledge starts from questioning, or from realising that there is something we do not know!

I am personally a mathematical biologist so having a strong understanding of maths certainly helps my work and thinking :). I know a lot of people don’t like maths a lot at school but once you get into mathematics there is a really fascinating world to explore, and a different way to see things around you (such as patterns and beautiful structures in animals and plants).