Solar Scientist

A solar scientist is a type of astrophysicist who studies the Sun and it’s interactions with the Earth. They make detailed measurements of our nearest star using observations from solar satellites. Solar scientists study the impact of the sun on the Earth and on our technology. They are working on ways to capture solar energy more effectively which could slow down global warming.

Attributes: resilient, curious and observant

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Immunologist

An immunologist studies the immune system which protects the human body from infection and disease such as autoimmunity, allergies and cancer. They can work in a laboratory focusing on research or on the diagnosis and management of autoimmune diseases and allergies. A new area of research for immunologists is the contributions of immune responses to the development of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

Attributes: observant, imaginative, communicator

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Sports Scientist

Sports scientists require the ability to analyse physical and sporting performance alongside the ability to apply scientific ideas and principles. They work with sports coaches and sports therapists to improve the performance of individuals and teams, work with doctors to help people improve their health through exercise and work with hospitals and other health organisations in areas such as cardiac rehabilitation. When they are not directly working with athletes, sports scientists work on research projects to gather new information on a wide variety of sports-related topics. They use specialist equipment to measure the effects of things such as sports shoes, clothing and nutrition on an athlete’s body and offer advice on the design and manufacture of sports equipment.

Attributes: collaborative, resilient, communicator

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Geneticist

Geneticists study genes and the science of inherited traits passed down through generations. They study living organisms, from human beings and animals to crops and bacteria. Research is a major part of a geneticist’s job. They conduct experiments to determine the origins of particular inherited traits, such as medical conditions and seek and use this information to adjust genetic material to modify existing traits and create new ones.

Attributes: observant, creative, curious

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Ecologist

Ecologists are concerned with ecosystems as a whole, studying the numbers and distribution of people, plants and animals and how these organisms interact within their habitats. Ecologists usually specialise in a particular environment such as terrestrial, marine or freshwater. They use surveys to identify, monitor and record organisms within an ecosystem and may study the affects of the removal or return of predators over time.

Attributes: collaborative, organised, resilient

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Network Engineer

Network engineers are involved in the installing, maintaining, servicing and repair of computer data and communication systems. They can be involved in installing new software and hardware as well as creating user accounts and dealing with permissions and passwords for networks.

Attributes: committed, patient, collaborative

Nuclear Engineer

Nuclear engineers design, build, maintain and decommission nuclear power plants. Their work involves measuring and monitoring radiation levels, ensuring the plant meets legal requirements for safety and security, supervising power station technicians and planning safe methods of nuclear waste disposal. They maintain the systems which transfer the electricity from the generators to the outside world and design ways to improve the efficiency of nuclear power plants.

Attributes: committed, patient, resilient

Chemist

Chemists study chemicals and matter on atomic and molecular level. They investigate and measure reaction rates and other properties of substances in order to understand more about those substances. They experiment with simple forms of matter to understand how elements join together to form different substances. Chemists typically specialise in one of the sub disciplines of chemistry such as biochemistry, neurochemistry, nuclear chemistry or forensic chemistry- see the variety of examples below.

Attributes: creative, observant, organised

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Solid State Physicist

Solid-state physicists study rigid matter, or solids using quantum mechanics, crystallography, electromagnetism, and metallurgy. They study how the large-scale properties of solid materials result from their atomic-scale properties. Solid-state physicists study the mechanical and thermal behaviour of solids including the thermal conductivity, the amount of energy that must be absorbed by a solid to produce a given change in temperature and the melting points of crystals. It is the electrical properties of a solid that are of most interest, in particular its electrical conductivity. This knowledge is used in the production of transistors and semi-conductors.

Attributes: committed, resilient, imaginative

Particle Physicist

A particle physicist is someone who looks at subatomic elements of matter, radiation and subatomic particles to discover how they exist, interact and shape the natural world. They seek to identify the most simple objects of which matter is composed of, and to understand the integral forces that drive their interactions and combinations. Experimental particle physicists design, build and develop the technology required to discover new particles beyond the Standard Model such as sensors, detectors and superconducting magnets. They use machines such as the Large Hadron Collider to find particles such as the Higgs boson. Theoretical particle physicists develop the advanced mathematical quantum theories which underpin the observed physics.

Attributes: imaginative, patient, resilient