Every researcher has their own way of approaching questions, tackling challenges and navigating life in research. Some of us are driven by curiosity. Some love getting stuck into a tricky problem. Some thrive on collaboration, while others are happiest when they're following an unexpected path. 

So what kind of researcher are you? 

If you've taken our What kind of researcher are you? quiz, you've already discovered your result. Now it's time to find out what your Researcher Personality Type says about you.

If you haven't laready done our quiz, you can find it at the bottom of the page!

There's no right or wrong answer. You might recognise yourself in more than one type, or find that your research personality changes depending on the project, the day or where you are in your career.

The Discoverer 

You're driven by curiosity.  

You're the researcher who wants to know why. You notice the interesting detail that everyone else has overlooked and you're not afraid to follow a question simply because you want to find out where it leads. For you, research is about discovery. You enjoy asking questions, exploring ideas and uncovering something that wasn't known before. You might find yourself getting excited by a surprising result, a new technique or a completely unexpected line of enquiry. 

You might be a Discoverer if you… 

• Ask a lot of ‘but why?’ questions 
• Get excited when you find something unexpected 
• Enjoy exploring new ideas, methods or areas of research 
• Are comfortable not knowing the answer straight away 
• Can happily disappear down a research rabbit hole 

Your research superpower 

Curiosity. You're always looking for the next question. That curiosity can lead you towards new ideas, new collaborations and discoveries that you hadn't expected. 

Don't keep that interesting question to yourself. Research Communities are a place to discover what other researchers are working on, exchange ideas and start conversations beyond your immediate research group. 

What could you discover by connecting with researchers outside your usual circle? 

The Problem Solver 

You love a challenge. Give you a complicated problem and you're already thinking about how to solve it. 

You're persistent, practical and analytical. When something doesn't work, your first instinct isn't necessarily to give up, it's to work out what went wrong, try something different and keep going. 

You enjoy the process of turning a difficult question into something you can tackle, one step at a time. 

You might be a Problem Solver if you… 

• Enjoy getting stuck into a tricky research question 
• Like figuring out how things work 
• See setbacks as something to investigate 
• Feel satisfied when you finally crack a difficult problem 
• Are the person people come to when they need to work something out 

Your research superpower 

Persistence. Research rarely goes exactly to plan. Your ability to keep experimenting, adapting and looking for another approach can be one of your biggest strengths. 

Research Communities bring together researchers working across different institutions, disciplines and career stages. Asking a question, sharing an approach or hearing how someone else solved a problem could give you the next piece of the puzzle. 

The Connector 

Research is better together. 

You thrive on conversations, collaboration and bringing people together. You might be the person who introduces two researchers who should meet, starts a conversation at a conference or spots a connection between two seemingly different areas of research. 

For you, research isn't just about what happens in the lab, field or office. It's also about the people around it. 

You might be a Connector if you… 

• Enjoy collaborating with people from different backgrounds 
• Love talking about research with others 
• Are always making introductions 
• Enjoy sharing ideas and hearing different perspectives 
• Believe that some of the best ideas come from conversations 

Your research superpower 

Connection. You can spot opportunities for collaboration and help ideas travel between people and disciplines. 

Explore what other researchers are discussing. Comment on someone's post. Share something you've learned. Or start a conversation of your own. You never know where one research conversation might lead. 

The Explorer 

You're open to where research might take you. 

You don't necessarily have every step mapped out and you're quite happy about that. You enjoy trying something new, following unexpected opportunities and seeing where your research takes you. A new technique might lead to a new question. A conference might lead to a collaboration. A conversation might completely change your perspective. 

You're comfortable exploring the unknown. 

You might be an Explorer if you… 

• Enjoy trying new things 
• Are curious about research outside your immediate field 
• Like following unexpected opportunities 
• Get bored doing things exactly the same way every time 
• Are happy to see where an idea takes you 

Your research superpower 

Open-mindedness. You're willing to explore possibilities that aren't necessarily part of the original plan. That can help you spot opportunities and make unexpected connections. 

Browse discussions, discover research from other fields, follow new topics and see what catches your attention.