• Question: How do you get to do this work?

    Asked by #Dragonkillertomatorecoleitor@yesAmanda to Anthea, Chloe, Kevin, Michel, Sean on 14 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Chloe Kinsella

      Chloe Kinsella answered on 14 Nov 2014:


      I studied science in UCD for four years. In the final two years of the degree you specialise in an area. This could be astronomy, or biochemistry, but I chose zoology and botany. After I graduated with the degree I applied and got accepted for a PhD position that one of my lecturers told me about. In case you dont know, a PhD is a three or four year paid research position where you carry out experiments and write up your results as reports in one big book called a thesis. At the end of a PhD, you earn the title “Doctor”. Right now, I am in the final year of my PhD. After this I could stay in university and look for a grant off the government to do more research or I could work somewhere like the Marine Institute or The Environmental Protection Agency.

    • Photo: Anthea Lacchia

      Anthea Lacchia answered on 14 Nov 2014:


      Hi there,
      It’s good to hear you are considering this kind of work! I studied science in college at Trinity College Dublin and decided, after second year, to specialize in Geology. During your time in college, studying for your degree, you can see whether you really like the idea of doing research and working with animals, plants, fossils, you name it! If you do- and who wouldn’t?;)- you can do a Masters or a PhD that will help you get some experience. All you need is passion for the subject and a lot of hard work and patience! Hope this helps! 😉

    • Photo: Michel Dugon

      Michel Dugon answered on 17 Nov 2014:


      I was a French language teacher working in schools in south east Asia (Vietnam and Malaysia). My hobby was to look for snakes and other venomous creatures in the jungle. After a few years, I dropped my teacher’s job to take over a reptile park in Malaysia. I spent lots of time studying snakes and looking for them with villagers and tribesmen (in Malaysia, they are called the Orang Asli). That way, I found a new species of lizard and many new populations of snakes. I invited researchers from the UK to study them, and they proposed me to do a Masters in Ecology. I did my masters working on giant centipedes and the following year, I was proposed a PhD in Ireland… and voila! So my advice is: find your passion, and try to turn it into a profession. It’s the best thing ever!

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