Funny
and Sexy, Who’d have Thought?
Mark
Dadd
with assistance from Sarah Wilson
Today
was one of those days where things just go the right way.
I am a Clinical Child Psychologist, so when I saw a child’s
mental health problems show significant improvement after
implementing changes in parental behaviour today, I felt pretty
great. I also had a paper accepted today, and I finally made
the move from large flat whites to regular size ones, which
definitely says something about my stress levels.
I was drawn to science by my girlfriend. I know it sounds
so cliché, however, it is the truth. And, as an Aries
(Yes, I believe in star signs, although I will never admit
that to your face), I always hated superstition and irrational
thinking. So clinical psychology appeared to be the way to
go, not to mention the my love of discovering truth. And I
look sooo… sexy in a lab coat.
As a Professor specialising in clinical child psychology;
learning and psychopathology;
anxiety, aggression, and depression; family processes and
therapy; early intervention and prevention in mental health
at the University of New South Wales, I get to mix research
and clinical work each day.
This balance is what keeps me sane. My mind craves the intellectual
aspects of science but my soul needs to be in the “real world”
where I can work with people and make a difference. I feel
very fortunate to be able to mix a bit of science, with a
bit of clinical work, a spot of lunch and well…. coffee.
To all ambivalent scientists out there, I would have to tell
you to go for it. It is a noble profession and to geeks like
me it’s SEXY. However, upon making your decision, it is important
to keep in mind that you have to have persistence, diligence,
curiosity and a strong tolerance of ambiguity.
A very busy Mark
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