The most surprising thing about my career in science is how much my literacy skills have improved. During my PhD studies, I learnt a little about polyurethanes and a lot about reading and writing. A good piece of scientific writing is one in which the ideas are communicated efficiently and effectively – all of the necessary detail is included, there is no waffle, and each sentence and paragraph add to and follow logically from the previous sentence or paragraph. I found great enjoyment in the challenge of explaining complex topics, and this passion for scientific communication eventually led me to teaching.