• Question: If its not too personal to ask, how does your job affect your social life (do people consider you nerdy)?

    Asked by acidvirain to Ben, Jony, Katharine, Mark, Peter on 16 Nov 2011. This question was also asked by aoifemoffatt.
    • Photo: Peter Williams

      Peter Williams answered on 16 Nov 2011:

      yes, but i don’t care!

    • Photo: Ben Still

      Ben Still answered on 16 Nov 2011:

      I think it is a plus! I am amazed when I meet new people at how many of them think being a scientist is a cool job – I just thought i was nerdy. I always get asked questions about science, much like the ones you guys are asking.

      Plus I can leave science in the office if I need too.

    • Photo: Katharine Schofield

      Katharine Schofield answered on 16 Nov 2011:

      My job doesn’t affect my social life, I make sure I find plenty of time for it. I don’t think people consider me nerdy, but even if they do I’m not bothered…aren’t nerds kind of cool now? When I meet people they are usually surprised if I tell them that I have a phd in particle physics, so maybe that means I am breaking down whatever stereotype they have in their heads.

    • Photo: Jony Hudson

      Jony Hudson answered on 16 Nov 2011:

      Yeah, like Ben I’d say it affects it, but in a good way! People always think I have a really interesting job/life and always want to know more about it. Makes it really easy to talk to new people too, as they’re usually interested.

      I think you can choose how nerdy you want to be. I’m definitely a scientist, but I’m often not very nerdy.

    • Photo: Mark Basham

      Mark Basham answered on 16 Nov 2011:

      I think a lot of the traditionally geeky things like gaming and technology are quite mainstream now so its really not such a big deal anymore. I also agree with the others in that almost everyone is interested in science or knows something about it so its always a good icebreaker when meeting new people.

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