• Question: What is the most interesting thing you have ever done?

    Asked by eleenahaigh1 to Freya, Katy, Louise, Pamela on 17 Mar 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Pamela Docherty

      Pamela Docherty answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      Do you mean in science or in general? In general, I went on a round-the-world trip a couple of years ago, which was very interesting! I saw lots of new places and I did a skydive and a bungee jump!

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      I once scuba dived on a WWII ship when I was about 16. The ship wreck, called the Inverlain, is in Scapa Flow in the Orkney, Scotland. The “flow” was used as a natural harbour for the UK fleet and the Inverlain is a “block ship” which was used to stop Axis’ submarines entering the harbour and torpedoeing the British fleet.

      Now, the interesting part about this ship is that it is half in and half out of the water. This means you have to climb on the creaking wreck with all of your dive gear (fins, cylinders, mask etc) and then kit up on the ship before you jump straight into the ships hold.

      Not only was it really, really exciting (would the wreck collapse on me!, would I be able to find my way out again?) but it was really interesting because I swam _through_ a ship.

    • Photo: Louise Pendry

      Louise Pendry answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      Hi Eleena,
      Sorry that it has taken a few hours to reply but I wasn’t sure how to reply. I was trying to think what I find most interesting and I think that is a hard one. I think the thing I like best is thinking about new questions to ask and searching the scientific literature to see if anybody has asked the question before. You always find out so many different random facts along the way that sometimes loads of time goes by and I realise I have gone off completely in the wrong direction just because something else took my interest. So I think I find finding out loads of really interesting things in quick succession most interesting – this is what I like about going to conferences. Loads of scientists all talking about their research – which is usually really fascinating!

      I have always been like that though – my mum used to send me up to clean my bed as a kid and then come up and find me with my nose in a book!

    • Photo: Katy Milne

      Katy Milne answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      That is quite hard. I think it was probably working as a science advisor in parliament last year. I was at Westminster when the expenses row broke and I saw some of the Members of Parliament (MPs) being stalked by journalists. I even met one of the members who later resigned.

      The most interesting part of the placement was seeing how we make laws based on science in this country. Nowadays the government tries to make ‘evidence-based policy’. That means that they look at scientific research to back up their decisions. For example, they are currently looking at a legal drug called Mephedrone. Government and parliament will consult senior scientists to decide whether it should be made illegal or not. They look at scientific evidence on climate change, on the best methods for teaching reading and writing, on obesity and on telecommunications before they make their decisions. Large numbers of people are involved in informing laws here. I worked for this office:

      http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_offices/post/pubs.cfm

      If you ever want to know about a science subject, their publications are a very good place to start.

      A science advisor for the government in Uganda was there at the same time as me. He was finding out how our system worked and was amazed at the number of people that the politicians have aiding them to help them make the best decisions. In Uganda, he was one of the only government advisors and he was the only one who gave advice on science.

      The thing I liked best about the placement was walking through the Houses of Parliament. In the turmoil of central London, its corridors were always calm and thoughtful. It is one of the most amazing places that I have ever been and it made me feel very proud of our democracy, despite the behaviour of some of the Members of Parliament. I was still very happy to go back to my career in Engineering though.

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