-
Asked by joss532gran65 on 21 Jan 2026.
Question: Is problem solving one of the most important skills of a scientist
- Keywords:
-
Daisy Pickup answered on 21 Jan 2026:
It’s definitely up there! A lot of scientific research is based on new ideas and/or new technologies which means being able to diagnose issues and come up with solutions is a key skill.
-
Lorelei Robertson answered on 21 Jan 2026:
It’s definitely a very important one to have! As a scientist I’m presented with lots of different scenarios on a daily basis and have to figure out what to do, either figuring out what equipment isn’t working and why, how to analyse a sample that’s being particularly difficult, or just trying something completely new.
Problem solving, being open minded and being able to work in a team, as a scientist are the key skills to make you a very successful and adaptable person in the science world! -
Eliza Karlowska answered on 21 Jan 2026:
Absolutely, curiosity to find an answer is what makes a good scientist. It is not always the easiest, sometimes it takes a lot of tries to figure something out, but when you get it, it is incredibly satisfying 🙂
-
Christina Higgins answered on 21 Jan 2026:
That’s an interesting question. I consider myself an engineer and a scientist, and these two roles overlap, but they are also different. I think problem solving is the most important skill of an engineer, whereas for scientists, investigating and being curious are perhaps a little more important. But you will be able to do a lot more as either a scientist or an engineer if you can solve problems well!
-
Tony Ganner answered on 21 Jan 2026:
Great question. Once of the biggest challenges in the workplace is understanding that you are trying to answer the right question. It is difficult to answer questions you don’t really understand.
Once you have correctly defined the problem, then working with a multi skilled team is a fundamental skill of scientists.
Comments