Forensic scientist
Sarah Moss
In a nutshell: Analyses seized drugs to provide evidence in criminal cases
Why: 鈥淢y work is an integral part of many convictions, and that gives me a real sense of accomplishment.鈥�
It may not have the glitz, glamour and five-hour hairdos of the US TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation but a career in the UK鈥檚 Forensic Science Service (FSS) can be just as exciting.
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Real-life forensic science is often a high-speed race to process evidence and single out a suspect, says 24- year-old Sarah Moss. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a deadline-driven job,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen the police need to build a case quickly before they can act, we often have to get evidence in, analysed and reported on within the space of an hour.鈥�
Sarah analyses and identifies drugs seized in criminal investigations 鈥� everything from a wrap of heroin weighing less than a gram to hauls of cocaine of up to 10 kilograms. 鈥淭he really interesting cases are the big ones where there鈥檚 a lot of evidence and a large number of suspects,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e more challenging, as you might have to prove the provenance of a drug, linking it to a suspect or place. With a larger case you can really get your teeth into the job of narrowing down the field to just one person.鈥�
Sarah won her job on the team without a forensic science degree. The diverse work within the FSS means that there are jobs available for graduates from a variety of science and engineering backgrounds. 鈥淭he processes and analytical techniques used in forensic science were unlike anything I had done on my neuroscience degree,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut having a research-based science degree with lab experience did help me get the job. And once I was in, there was a period of intense on-the-job training to get me up to speed.鈥�
Later this year Sarah will move into the fingerprints department, where she will retrain and increase her range of skills. The move will take her closer to her goal of becoming a reporting officer 鈥� a fully-trained forensic scientist, responsible for a team and required to attend crime scenes and stand up in court. Real-life forensic science may not live up to the TV hype, but for Sarah, reality is definitely better than fiction.
Laura Deeley
Volunteer science teacher
Peter Jurd
In a nutshell: Helping to rebuild Rwanda鈥檚 education system after the genocide
Why: 鈥淭eaching is a varied, challenging and stimulating job, even more so in Rwanda where better education standards and well-trained teachers will help shape the country鈥檚 future.鈥�
Two-thirds of Rwanda鈥檚 teachers were killed or exiled during the 1994 genocide. Following the terrible events, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) began working to rebuild the education system, and teachers like Peter Jurd are a vital part of that process. Peter鈥檚 role is not only to teach science but to impress on his students the importance of a good education after years without adequate teaching. 鈥淓veryday life here is full of difficulties,鈥� he says, 鈥渟o things like homework and turning up on time can go to the bottom of the list. It鈥檚 often frustrating, but that鈥檚 part of the reason why I鈥檓 here.鈥�
After graduating in 2000, then working in a UK school, Peter decided in 2003 to join VSO and continue his career abroad. 鈥淚 felt a strong desire to help others in the world, and wanted to do it while I was still young and had few ties or responsibilities in Britain. The VSO allowed me to fulfil these goals.鈥� VSO volunteers offer their professional skills in education, health, social development, engineering and environmental management in 35 countries around the world.
Peter now teaches physics, biology and chemistry to A-level standard as well as training new science teachers. Becoming a volunteer may seem daunting, but it is well worth it, he says. 鈥淟eaving behind home comforts can be harder than you think, but you shouldn鈥檛 let that put you off. My time in Rwanda has been an extremely rewarding experience.鈥�
聯Leaving behind home comforts can be harder than you think聰
Laura Deeley
Exhibition manager, the Science Museum, London
Emily scott
In a nutshell: Puts together exhibitions dealing with breaking science and technology news
Why: 鈥淚 love seeing the gallery lights go up on a new exhibition, when a few days before, we didn鈥檛 know what the story would be.鈥�
We don鈥檛 usually associate museums with the fast-paced life of the news journalist, but Emily Scott deals with the latest, breaking developments, from bird flu to the Beagle landing.
Emily works at Antenna, an exhibition space devoted to science news at the Science Museum in London. Antenna comprises two types of exhibition: the longer-running 鈥淔eatures鈥� deal with wider issues in contemporary science and technology, while the 鈥淩apids鈥� deal with breaking science news and have the fastest turnaround of any exhibition in the museum. Emily manages the Rapids team.
Emily graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology in 1995, then went on to do a PhD at the University of Cambridge, before spending three years working as a postdoc researcher at the Marie Curie Research Institute in Oxted, Surrey.
Working on the Rapids means the team needs to be ready to pull an exhibition together at breakneck speed. 鈥淲e have been known to create an exhibition in under 48 hours,鈥� says Emily. 鈥淲hen news broke in May this year that Korean scientists had cloned the first human embryo tailor-made for stem cell therapy, we wrote the content in a day, had panels printed overnight, and were installing the exhibition early in the morning before the museum opened.鈥�
聯We have been known to create an exhibition in under 48 hours聰
The turnaround is usually a little longer, at eight days on average. But that鈥檚 still a tall order for an exhibition that will include not only text, images and video but often inventions, scientific equipment or even a panel of experts. For instance, during the Cassini-Huygens mission, scientists were answering visitors鈥� questions before the spacecraft entered Saturn鈥檚 orbit.
鈥淭he great thing about the Antenna exhibitions is that unlike print or television news, we鈥檙e able to tell a story in three dimensions,鈥� says Emily. 鈥淲e can put the story into greater context and so add a new level of understanding for our visitors.鈥�
Laura Deeley
Investment-banking analyst
Camilla Richards
In a nutshell: Advises high-powered clients on their financial options for business deals
Why: 鈥淚t was the most challenging sort of career I could have done.鈥�
Camilla Richards would be the first to admit that she works tough hours. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual to work until six in the morning,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou have no social life and you can never plan anything, as you never know when you鈥檙e going to have to spend the whole weekend in the office.鈥� There are few people that could cope with this, but Camilla has always enjoyed a challenge.
Her job as an investment-banking analyst with US financial services giant Citigroup is stressful by anyone鈥檚 standards. She spends up to 20 hours a day analysing complex financial information, valuing businesses and assessing investment options for high-powered clients. The role is certainly taxing, but she says her master鈥檚 in physics from Imperial College London has come in surprisingly useful since she graduated in 2004.
鈥淗aving a physics degree helps fundamentally as it teaches you to break things down into their constituent parts,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou can apply theories to anything. Physics students are good at problem-solving, and have analytical brains. And maths is important for understanding information. Some people who haven鈥檛 got a maths background can find it a struggle.鈥�
Camilla did a Citigroup internship at university in 2003. She says that business skills can come in handy for all graduates, even if they pursue a career in academic research, by helping them win funding more easily. 鈥淚 went back to university with lots of new skills. Learning about banking helps with the administration and research side of science,鈥� she says. 鈥淪cience and business are definitely mutually beneficial. I would recommend an internship to any scientist thinking about going into banking.鈥�
And despite the long hours and stress, scientists like Camilla who choose a banking career can expect some fine rewards. The median starting salary for investment banking trainees is 拢35,000, according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters. 鈥淭he money is good, though that鈥檚 not why I do it,鈥� says Camilla. 鈥淏ut it is nice to be able to pop out at lunch for a pair of Jimmy Choo鈥檚.鈥�
Sarah Warwick
NHS microbiologist
Albarah El-khani
In a nutshell: Analyses patient samples to diagnose infections such as MRSA or hepatitis, and suggest how doctors should treat them
Why: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great working hand in hand with doctors to benefit patients. Knowing someone got better because of us is incredibly satisfying.鈥�
Most lifesavers expect praise and glory, but not Albarah El-khani. As a biomedical scientist in the NHS, his job is to analyse and diagnose patient infections 鈥� but few people realise how important his role is. 鈥淲e鈥檙e only in the background, most people don鈥檛 ever think of us at all,鈥� says Albarah. 鈥淏ut doctors often don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 causing an infection and are treating patients blindly without our input.鈥�
When doctors and nurses in the local NHS trust suspect an infection, they send patient samples such as blood, urine or tissue to Albarah鈥檚 lab in Epsom, Surrey, for diagnosis. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e squeamish it鈥檚 not the best job to do,鈥� says Albarah. 鈥淢ost people would hate handling the samples 鈥� particularly tissues such as uterus or foetus.鈥� The most memorable sample he received was a gangrenous human foot in a bucket.
聯The most memorable sample he has received was a human foot in a bucket聰
The infections most frequently diagnosed are hepatitis, HIV, MRSA, UTIs (urinary tract infections) and food poisoning. 鈥淢RSA is the biggest thing at the moment. We get about 100 samples a day and it has really increased our workload.鈥�
After a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical science, Albarah applied to the NHS in 2001 and has since trained on the job. In 2004, he picked up a master鈥檚 degree in medical microbiology, and without it he would not have won his present role as a senior scientist, he says. Albarah is now responsible for running his section of the lab, authorising results and overseeing testing.
Though he is not on the front line of the NHS, Albarah still feels the pressure. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 just turn off the computer at the end of the day and go home,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f we miss deadlines then patients don鈥檛 get their results and can鈥檛 be treated. The worst case scenario is that the patient dies as a result.鈥�
And while patients might not realise Albarah is helping them, this remains his favourite aspect of the job. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great working hand in hand with doctors to benefit patients,鈥� he says. 鈥淜nowing someone got better because of us is incredibly satisfying, even if we do lack the gratitude we deserve!鈥�