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Dr David Cornwell
Job Title: Senior Lecturer in Geophysics, University of Aberdeen
Disability: Type 1 Diabetes
Why did you want to work in STEM?
Mainly to travel and to work on exciting Earth-related problems that no-one has solved before.
What’s your favourite thing about your job or about working in STEM?
Working with and learning from like-minded people. My job has a lot of variety, I’m more-or-less my own boss and I get to take part in fieldwork in far-flung places. I worked in Ethiopia for my PhD and have recently worked on projects in Borneo and Turkey.
What are your top tips for a young disabled person interested in STEM as a career?
Find something that you are curious and passionate about and keep pushing and learning about it from other people who love it too. Don’t compare yourself to others too much, we are all unique and our life experiences help shape how we tackle work problems. Lean on mentors for good advice wherever you can.
What advantages has your disability given you in the field?
Probably better planning and project management skills. And the ability to cope with those disasters that occasionally happen in work. And a determination to succeed fuelled by others telling me I cannot do something!