Question: what do you thing of science and how did you become so successful

Elliot Jokl answered on 24 Jun 2016:

Thanks for the question, and the compliment it brings!

I think science is really interesting. Or at least, I find some parts of science interesting. It is kind of like music in that way – some stuff you love, some stuff you hate – it can be a matter of taste. That is why I think it is important that people try and look at a broad range of different subjects in science when they are in school, because that increases the chance you will find something in science that really grabs your attention and interest. For me, science is like a puzzle, and when you figure out answers, sometimes the new stuff you learn can help people lead better lives and make our would a little bit better! What’s not to like about that?

I think it is also very important to be able to think critically about scientific issues – the fancy term for this is scientific literacy – but essentially what I mean by this is that as technology gets more and more advanced, people are going to have to decide what things are a good idea, and what things are a bad idea. You can only really do that if you understand the topic, so science is going to be a very important thing for you to be able to think about in the future. You don’t need to be an expert on everything, but knowing how to think carefully about the issues and understand information that people tell you will let you be able to have an informed say on how the world progresses.

As to how I’m so “successful”, to be honest I feel like I’ve only just begun! I think I’ve been very lucky to have some excellent science teachers, and some great support from my parents growing up. I think once you develop the enthusiasm for a topic, it becomes easier to work at it and do well.