• Question: Do you get to choose what research you study? If not, do you like what other people pick for you?

    Asked by charlottedavies to Daz, Cat on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Cat O'Connor

      Cat O'Connor answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Hi Charlottedavies

      As a PhD student you normally start your research with a goal or research plan in mind, mine was to research into the ecology of bovine tb. But I’ve kinda been given free rein about what sort of stuff I research from then on in! But my boss is great, he gives me great help on what stuff I should be researching! I really love the freedom of a PhD because if you find something interesting, you can look into it. Like just today I was looking at some data that brought up some interesting information so I spent the rest of the day looking into that! And when I told my boss I wanted to know why badger culling brought about different results in Ireland and Great Britain, he told me to go and research it! And this little question lead me to presenting this research in New Zealand and South Africa 😀

      Hope this answers your question!

      Cat

    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi Charlotte!

      Well, it depends a lot on your supervisor/s. I was lucky because both of my supervisors give me freedom in my study, and my project has been flexible on that basis. Some projects will be very tight and without flexibility.. But mostly it is down to your supervisor (who is kind of like a boss, but not precisely).

      I therefore do get to choose the majority of what I do, but my supervisors have some good input into it! As do the guys who pay me……

      Hope that helps 🙂

      Daz

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