What skills do you use every day in your job?
Obviously, I write: I wouldn’t be a very good science writer if I couldn’t. So communication skills are vital. Recently, for example, Qruise launched a new magnetic-resonance product for which I had to write a press release, create a new webpage and do social-media posts. That meant co-ordinating with lots of different people, finding out the key features to advertise, identifying the claims we wanted to make – and if we have the data to back those claims up. I’m not an expert in quantum computing or magnetic-resonance imagining or even marketing so I have to pick things up fast and then translate technically complex ideas from physics and software into simple messages for a broader audience. Thankfully, my colleagues are always happy to help. Science writing is a difficult task but I think I’m getting better at it.
What do you like best and least about your job?
I love the variety and the fact that I’m doing so many different things all the time. If there’s a day I feel I want something a little bit lighter, I can do some social media or the website, which is more creative. On the other hand, if I feel I could really focus in detail on something then I can write some documentation that is a little bit more technical. I also love the flexibility of remote working, but I do miss going to the office and socialising with my colleagues on a regular basis. You can’t get to know someone as well online, it’s nicer to have time with them in person.
What do you know today, that you wish you knew when you were starting out in your career?
That’s a hard one. It would be easy to say I wish I’d known earlier that I could combine science and writing and make a career out of that. On the other hand, if I’d known that, I might not have done my PhD – and if I’d gone into writing straight after my undergraduate degree, I perhaps wouldn’t be where I am now. My point is, it’s okay not to have a clear plan in life. As children, we’re always asked what we want to be – in my case, my dream from about the age of four was to be a vet. But then I did some work experience in a veterinary practice and I realized I’m really squeamish. It was only when I was 15 or 16 that I discovered I wanted to do physics because I liked it and was good at it. So just follow the things you love. You might end up doing something you never even thought was an option.
The post Ask me anything: Kirsty McGhee – ‘Follow what you love: you might end up doing something you never thought was an option’ appeared first on Physics World.
