Question: Is the data you work off accurate and do you have faith that what you accomplish will benefit human society?

Thomas Perriment answered on 13 Jun 2018:

A lot of the time we don’t have accurate data. We might have incomplete datasets that come from untrustworthy sources or are just plain rubbish! As scientists we have to evaluate that data and determine how much of it we can trust, and how much confidence we have that the data reflects the real world.

The world I do has a direct impact on everyones’ lives – whenever someone installs foundations for a new building, or creates a new embankment/soil cutting for a road or railway, someone in my job has designed that to make sure it is safe for everyone to use. Without me and my colleagues doing my job, trains would derail, landslides would destroy roads, and buildings would collapse! No one wants their tunnel to collapse or dam to burst!