Question: what aspect of your job would you find most enjoyable

Andy Norton answered on 14 Jun 2011:

Heya!

In terms of experimental work, my favourite aspect is probably the microscopy stuff that I do. I do a lot of transmission electron microscopy (or TEM). So, this is like a normal microscope that you’ve probably used before, but rather than using light it uses electrons. So these electrons come down a big chamber, and through my sample. When they go through my sample, they get bent a bit (it’s like when you’ve been swimming. Ever noticed when you have your head outside the water, that when you try to grab something that it is in the water you miss? It’s because the light is shifted a little bit. It’s sort of like what happens in this microscope). They electron then come down, and I can see my image. I get to see stuff which is 300, 000 or 400, 000 times bigger than it is in reality, meaning that I get to look at some pretty tiny bits of deformation! So, that’s probably my favourite technique. But my favourite overall aspect is when everything sort of comes together – when I can tie together all my different techniques and results, and end up with an answer. That’s very exciting.

Other bits that I find enjoyable are doing the Open Days for students – we always seem to have lots of very interested, hard working young people to do our experiments. It’s always really nice chatting to them about the things that they enjoy and seeing their faces light up when you show them something really exciting! I also enjoy teaching the undergraduate students, who are always full of excellent questions and comments.