• Question: Hi I'm Saira and I'm a huge fan of science, I just wanted to ask what is you're favourite thing about you're job? Why? Thank you x

    Asked by sairahussain to Amy, Grant, Martin, Shawn, Usman on 9 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Grant Kennedy

      Grant Kennedy answered on 9 Mar 2013:

      You’re right Saira, science rocks!

      For me I like the freedom my job gives me. I work really hard but I mostly get to work on what I think is interesting, and I don’t have to be at work bang on 9am or leave at 5pm cos there’s noone checking up on me (I’m normally there before 9 and leave after 5!). I also get to travel a fair bit when I go to telescopes and meetings too, and sometimes I’ll take a few extra days for a holiday (last year I went to the Grand Canyon, it’s awesome). We don’t get paid heaps as scientists, but I think it’s worth it.
      g

    • Photo: Amy Tyndall

      Amy Tyndall answered on 10 Mar 2013:

      My favourite part of my job is being able to travel the world to do what I love! I’ve been given amazing opportunities to go to fantastic places that I wouldn’t have gone to otherwise: South Africa, Mexico, Spain, Poland… and I’ve lived in the Canary Islands (La Palma) and now Chile as part of my work, too. My passport has certainly acquired a few more stamps in recent years!

      With all this travelling, I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people – some of whom have become life-long friends. Astronomers are definitely some of the most friendly people I know, and I love nothing more than catching up with them in some other new location during a conference or observing trip. I wouldn’t swap this job for anything 🙂

    • Photo: Shawn Domagal-Goldman

      Shawn Domagal-Goldman answered on 12 Mar 2013:

      My favorite thing is I get to study the stuff that I thought was super-cool when I was a kid. There are a lot of ways I’d be a disappointment to the kid-version of myself. I don’t play enough video games, and my music probably isn’t loud enough… but the kid-version of myself would definitely be giving the adult-version of myself a high-5 for working at NASA on lots of cool space missions. Can’t beat that. 🙂

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