Question: Evaluate the reasons why you decided to become a scientist?

Mark Hill answered on 17 Mar 2011:

Hello again Bones, I’m wondering if I am logged in only to the ‘Bones zone’ instead!

I have always had a keen interest in science, from year 7 onwards, and I hoped to become a doctor. However, for some reason, I cannot remember why, I became a police officer.
I have always been interested in investigating crashes, so found my way onto Traffic. The science behind collisions is fascinating and links the dry and sometimes dull maths and physics at school, with the world around us. Now, the more I look in to what the causation factors of a collision are, the more that I find science, in many forms, can help me explain it, from vehicle speeds, injuries, reasons why people drive the way they do, why they don’t see motorcyclists sometimes, and other matters.
Particularly the last factor – seeing, or not seeing other road users has led me to look at how the eye works, in relation to the brain. I now understand it to be, not a camera, but a data collection device, from which the brain interprets data according to what it expects to see in many instances e.g. schemas (or schemata). I am sure that our science teacher can explain this further. If not, then send me another question and I will try and explain in a simple way.
So that is why I wanted to follow science – to make some sense of real world events.
This allows me to explain crash scenarios in court, for the benefit of defence, prosecution, judge and jury, so that with a better understanding of the facts, the innocent are found not guilty and the guilty are brought to justice.
Thank you,

Mark