Would you like to submit a question to the community of Biologists?
What do you do to cause positive change when things get tough in your career?
Ask A Biologist Monday 2/3/25
Answers from Biologists:
Attend a local city council meeting and speak up for issues that affect your job.
Volunteer on local campaigns.
Advocate for others, especially those who don’t have an equal seat at the table.
Volunteer in an advisory council at work if you have the ability.
Let the rage and spite fuel me.
Make art. Art is resistance.
Start or sign a petition.
Vote in local elections.
Tell people outside our field how politics actually affect us.
Follow pages like AltNationalParks to stay informed.
Find out local issues that effect your job and email or call your representatives about them.
Educating yourself on complex issues always helps.
Create your own content or share content made by others.
Help with voting drives.
Email or call your political representatives.
Share information on you social media.
Join committees and boards of organizations in our field.
Just talking to coworkers about this kind of thing can help when it’s safe to.
Speak up when you can.
Donate to organizations who have been working for good for years already.
Try to get involved in teams at work that are formed to make changes for employees.
Join a union or work to start one.
What’s your random work talent?
Ask a Biologist Monday 1/27/25
Answers from Biologists:
I have hawk eyes. Any time equipment is dropped, I can always retrace and find it.
Can be extremely close to wasps/nests without getting scared.
Bleeding small mammals. 98% success rate and only 1 mortality out of 400.
An uncanny ability to guess the time, within a minute or two.
Knowing ALL the job sites to search for work.
Excellent at pulling ticks.
Zero reaction to mosquito bites.
Driving stick.
Surviving unplanned extra field days on gas station fried chicken and not getting sick.
A good fish netter.
A good sense of smell. I pick up on dead things from far away and find the source.
Good at finding critters by accident on field expeditions, mostly cryptic like stick bugs.
Never reacting to poison ivy.
Master of the ratchet strap.
Work related puns.
Can wield a hatchet with surprising accuracy and power.
Seeing in the dark-I’m colorblind but routinely night hike without lights.
Data and entry organization. I type fast, color code, and fix people’s messes often.
Attracting danger no matter the job despite having a culture of safety wherever I work.
IDing plants by smell.
Busting through vegetation to set survey routes. Tamarix especially.
Spotting very weird, well disguised bugs while out in the field.
Work truck DJ.
iPad troubleshooting. There’s always something wrong with them.
Having skinny arms for checking seabird burrows.
Weirdly good at falling without hurting myself or my equipment.
I excel dropping things but never dropping the samples. Don’t ask how many petri dishes I’ve killed.
Very good at using materials from the woods to get a truck unstuck.
Welding.
Spotting scat. I’ve been gifted multiple scat books.
Make a mean turkey noise.
Ability to sleep in cars no matter the distance or terrain.
Really good at back up a trailer.
Trip master. If there is something to trip on, I will find it. Every single time.
Finding live quahogs.
Driving in reverse.
Land navigation.
When bitten by a small animal, the reflex of pulling back the hand is mostly gone. No teeth damage.
Totally calm when covered in ants.
Navigating the Great Lakes and handling quickly changing and dangerous lake conditions.
Incredibly specific work puns and jokes.
Finding RPLNs.
Aging deer by teeth.
Able to immediately fall asleep anywhere and power naps for 15 minutes.
Keeping morale up. Even if we’re all sweaty and exhausted and cranky.
Denting trailers while backing up.
Getting on the nerves of almost all the PhD students and postdocs I meet.
Finding every spiderweb crossing a trail with my face.
Putting any boat on a trailer.
Spotting ticks on my coworkers.
Taking CWD samples. Whole process in under 2 minutes.
Always remember where the monitoring plots are. I may not remember your name though.
Giving baby turtles oral meds.
Can replace a flat tire without help in just a couple minutes.
Backing up a trailer.
Improvising when something goes wrong or breaks. I can and will fix it with whatever I have on hand.
Getting trucks unstuck.
Backing trailers.
Zip tie master. I can zip tie stuff I can’t see underwater, even when I can’t feel my hands.
I can get past any fence (with a permit).
What makes you feel part of the greater community of biologists?
Ask A Biologist Monday 1/20/25
Answers from Biologists:
Never felt more welcomed than when I went to my first conference last year.
TWS and state chapter conferences. It’s when I get to see all my old coworkers again.
INaturalist
Communicating similar experiences across different fields.
Social media
Reading papers and seeing the love and effort so many other people put into their work.
Volunteering on the board of a larger organization (TWS) and creating more friendships and networking.
Joining and being active in a professional society.
Phone calls and texts with past and present coworkers.
Collaborating with others on grants and projects.
Social media
Podcasts
Friendships made while I was a seasonal.
Attending events/meetups/workshops centered around plants or wildlife.
Joining groups such as 500 Women Scientists.
Attending virtual meetups with other queer biologists through Out in the Field.
Organizations like TWS and going to events.
Conferences. Presenting work, hearing others, and conversing with mutual feedback is very engaging.
Mentoring young biologists.
LinkedIn
Conferences and networking opportunities within my sphere.
Being involved with my state chapter of TWS.
Interacting with clubs at school then staying in contact with those friends.
Going to conferences to meet other Biologists.
Writing letters to friends and colleagues.
Listening to wildlife podcasts.
What is your favorite thing to do on the job?
Ask A Biologist Monday 1/13/25
Answers from Biologists:
Educate the public. I love seeing the “wow” moment on people’s faces about wildlife.
Lead tidepool tours on the North Oregon coast.
Nest searching and monitoring.
Making maps with field data. Gives a unique perspective on work accomplished.
Eating snacks and drinking water.
Enjoying a peaceful moment during field work when it’s just me and nature.
Seeing the fruits of my labor *seedling succession, successful prescribed burn).
Surveys and capture/fieldwork. All the hands-on aspect of the work.
Getting to hike in beautiful streams all day. Hidden gems of beauty you find at work.
Lollygagging during field work and looking at plants and critters.
Field burritos! Snapping photos of my lunch in beautiful lands. It’s a ritual of gratitude.
Driving around and gossiping in the work truck.
Prosecuting wildlife traffickers and preventing more invasive species establishing in Australia.
Connecting with other focuses in the field. I love to learn from senior biologists.
The painfully few times a year I actually get to work with animals.
Hearing from the public about a wildlife species historically.
Excitement of checking game cameras.
Working with communities and addressing their questions with a combination of science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Watching interns grow their careers post-internship.
Seeing cool fish/nature, driving boats, and mentoring the next generation.
Days I get to work with my favorite coworkers.
Being outside. Office days/off season make me appreciate it more.
Training others. It helps show the imposter syndrome that I’m competent.
Hiring. I love giving new bios their “first time getting paid for it”.
Outreach. I love inspiring appreciation for the natural world.
Educating hunters. Many don’t know how we’re aging animals, what tissue we take for CWD testing, etc.
Being involved in policy development that will benefit my colleagues and wildlife.
Seeing the lightbulb go off with guests at the zoo.
Talking to the public. I love outreach events and going to school to talk about my work.
Watching the marsh wake up/go to sleep during early or long sampling days.
If you had to restart your career, what would you do differently?
Ask A Biologist 1/6/25
Answers from Biologists:
More practical/job experience before graduating.
Started working towards it in high school if I’d known my passion.
Learn worker’s rights and understand my benefits sooner.
Get my undergrad done in my early twenties to open more field tech opportunities.
Speak up more for myself during grad school.
Realize making a career change is not a failure.
Go right to a 4 year degree and not do an Associate degree.
Try to build actual work/life boundaries and take better care of myself.
Not hook up with/date others in the field. It’s too small and everyone knows everyone.
Go to grad school.
Travel and take more risky jobs before I settled down.
Apply to federal positions during and right after undergrad.
Immediately quit my master’s program when my advisor became abusive.
Be open to relocating for work earlier and not waste time trying to find work where I was at.
Done more conflict mitigation or non-violent communication classes/workshops.
Not move fora partner. It worked out in the end (we got divorced) but I gave up my life for their success.
Speak up for myself when I’m burnt out.
Go to law school instead of spending 8 years in grad school only to make $50k in my 30s.
Marry someone outside of the field who makes good money.
Taken time to get seasonal work experience before jumping into grad school.
Skipped physics 2 and calc 2 and saved so much stress.
Stick up more for myself when seasonal positions ask/require way too much.
Avoid wildlife rehab. Very exploitative and few paying jobs.
Beware of pay to play internships that take advantage of young or naive students.
Realize my career is not my personality and experienced more in college.
Get involved in research in undergrad and make those connections.
Waited for a grad position with an advisor who respected their students and not abused them.
Go for a Masters over a PhD-more than enough for the vast majority of non-academic jobs.
Gone into a better paid/more secure field and then volunteered for a non-profit in my spare time.
Prioritized work life balance earlier. I gave up an art minor to do things in Biology.
Volunteer/work for professors to get experience while still in undergrad.
Taken more GIS/Stats based classes to round my skillset out.
Change my degree to make sure I had enough botany credits for federal jobs.
Apply for more funding from my university research and summer internships.
Not go into debt for my grad school degree.
Publish my manuscripts from my masters thesis before graduating university.
Try to get into undergraduate research.
Spend time learning GIS and R.
Take advantage of student/recent grad prioritized job.
Did seasonal work in school. Full time tech now, but I feel like I missed out on experience.
Get a practical degree (applied wildlife biology or restoration) over a traditional BSc.
Don’t adopt a pet. It would make traveling to seasonal positions a lot easier.
Focused on data or GIS more at least a least niche type of wildlife biology.
Not let it take over my personal life. I regret all the time I missed with family and friends.
Connect more with professors/researchers in undergrad.
Be more proactive in my grad school and or/job searching earlier on. It takes awhile.
Change bunkhouse culture. Our irresponsible behavior cost me a good friend.
Take more GIS classes. It’s the only undergraduate class I use daily.
Take time to find a good PhD advisor rather than rush into a terrible 6 year experience.
More exposure to the planning/permits side to expand opps with actual liveable salaries.
Choose a different career with higher pay. Hard raising a family with our salaries.
Feel less loyal to jobs to feel compelled to return for multiple seasons/years.
Spoken up sooner about the terrible treatment we received as techs.
Make better connections/impressions in college. Didn’t care then and it would be a big help now.
Nothing. Living my dream.
Take photography classes a lot sooner.
Take more time choosing a graduate advisor.
Learn that it’s okay to leave a toxic job. It’s not “giving up”.
What are you looking forward to related to work in 2025?
Ask a Biologist Monday 12/30/24
Answers from Biologists:
Starting a raptor banding project and doing relocation/education at local schools.
Hopefully I will be leading bat surveys.
Seeing where my job search will take me.
Moving forward from the forest service into a new path. Attempting to stay positive.
Kicking off my project partnered with with Urban Wildlife Information Network.
Seeing my first batch of grad students defend.
Hopefully landing the seasonal gig of my dreams.
Starting my research.
Getting bumped up a pay level and no longer living paycheck to paycheck.
Starting my first lead tech position.
Hopefully getting some traction on a spring restoration project.
Getting to work outside (and enjoy the work I do).
Getting our new tribal and state led moose study started.
Rocket netting.
Hoping to get the contract for another 3 years of big camera trap study into small mustelids.
Learning a whole new science project.
Doing research for the first time (undergrad doing conservation science).
Settling into my permanent job, establishing relationships with my direct reports and colleagues.
Starting my first permanent biologist position.
Hopefully getting back to the roots of my passion and love for wildlife and the outdoors.
Hopefully getting a summer internship finally. Then graduating in the fall.
Seeing improvements on some critical grasslands habitat after a year of no cattle grazing.
Hoping to find a job. Living in Idaho and the current state of things is hard.
A new bat Motus project I’m starting at the border.
Graduating undergrad. Starting a tech position.
Finishing my master’s and hopefully getting some good work experience.
Learning how to do prescribed burns.
Massive bumblebee habitat enhancement project finally getting implemented.
I’m hoping to get a job, of any sort, and maybe start a master’s program in the fall.
Catching lots of fish and going down to one permanent job.
Last field season of grad school.
Going to bird birds in India.
Being proficient at ArcGIS Pro.
A bat mist netting training which will be useful for the upcoming listing of the tricolored bat.
Actually working as a biologist and getting to hire my own crew.
Doing a bat survey on an island in summertime with a group of colleagues. Work nights, beach days.
Fully using my vacation days.
Defending my thesis proposal.
Starting grad school.
Going on my first trip to a remote field site.
Hopefully leaving a toxic workplace and going back to grad school.
We will get the data organized and run. We will.
Being a tech in the herpetology lab I work in last year as a seasonal.
Hiring techs to work under me for the first time.
Starting my dissertation project.
Finding a new job with more consistent funding and workload.
Traveling.
A freaking paying job.
Having a full staff and not drowning in work.
Hopefully defending my thesis and getting tf out of grad school. I need a living wage.
15 years of school and 3 degrees later, actually finding a permanent job.
Getting my Wilderness First Responder certification.
Starting my first full time position.
Finishing a massive habitat management plan and seeing the first steps in action.
Advanced statistics course so I can level up my career.
A job in general, still applying.
Applying for PhD positions.
Writing my first biological assessments,
Working in animal nutrition and seeing if it’s what I want to study in grad school.
I was accepted into a climate focused training program to educate farmers.
A few new conferences.
A bird banding workshop so that I can help run the station I coordinate.
Hoping to get into grad school.
How did you decide academia was or wasn’t for you?
Ask a Biologist Monday 4/22/24
Answers from Biologists:
The real world application of the research was lacking in academia.
I love the mentorship, teaching, and constant learning of academia. The flexibility and variety is great.
Research was great, thesis writing was not.
Love surrounding myself with curious and inspiring people. Academia isn’t unique here though.
I realized wildlife work wasn’t enough for me but mentoring students fulfilled more.
I’ve always wanted to teach. I’m not primarily a teaching professor (only 10% research).
Still deciding but so far getting to help students have a better experience than I did is worth it.
I’ll leave after my MS because my family lives in a small town nearby with no universities.
Seeing how grad assistants were treated (poorly paid and undervalued) was a big turn off.
I work with crops and being in academia helps me focus on the bio rather than laws or money.
I didn’t want to have to chase tenure track positions across the country.
Too much misogyny.
I realized I would have to work more than 40 hours and still ensure racism/sexism from colleagues.
There’s too much preference for wildlife nepo babies.
As soon as I started grad school I knew it wasn’t for me. So much unnecessary competition.
I had an amazing undergrad advisor who made me want to help people how she helped me.
Little to no teamwork and culture that encouraged 7 day work weeks.
Tried it with a masters. Finished and decided it was enough.
I loved student mentorship and research and decided academia was a fit.
Professors make you struggle because “that’s what they did in college”.
Publishing my thesis as a paper. Proud of it but I can’t do that constantly.
The constant hustle of publishing and all that is too exhausting.
The elitism, stress overload, lack of work life balance.
I realized I would have a more tangible impact on wildlife by working in management.
I don’t like the preference for money over human decency in academia.
Education/degrees outweigh actual experience and ability to apply knowledge and skills.
I missed the possibility of actually applying the new insights we gain in science.
Male professors made me feel like a dumb girl because of my nontraditional science background.
Nope. So much sexual harassment casually dismissed.
Too cutthroat and sometimes publishing gets in the way of real conservation.
The amount of gatekeeping within academia was too much for me.
It was so competitive. I believe science should be more collaborative and cooperative.
Never had a strong research interest. Wanted to be on the applied side of things from the start.
I realized I could do research and mentorship outside of academia with better pay and work life balance.
As a grad student. TAing for extremely overworked and underpaid professors.
I preferred doing the application and hands on part of management.
I don’t agree with the rewards system and how success is measured.
I learned some of the professors were not my cup of tea and pretentious.
It’s horrible for mental health, no jobs available, competitive, lots of bad people. 10% science, 90% other.
Academia still has huge issues and fieldwork became my happy place.
The pressure I saw in my colleagues who were in it sealed it for me.
Too much writing and I didn’t like forever outsourcing the parts of the career that brought me joy.
Post undergrad, was a tech for grad students. Seeing them suffer made it an easy decision.
Wasn’t impressed with the lack of professionalism and clear check/balances of the system.
What’s a piece of advice for Biology undergrads?
Ask a Biologist Monday 4/15/24
Answers from Biologists:
Finding out what you’re interested in is as important as what you’re not interested in.
Learn as much coding as possible. Same with R.
If you are looking for permanent jobs, a master’s helps.
Join a club or two on campus (and participate).
Don’t hold yourself to impossible standards.
Ask your TAs if they are looking for help on projects.
If you have time, do undergraduate research. It helps make connections.
Don’t wait for the perfect MS project, but do look for a good mentor. Transferrable skills is what it’s about.
There will always be someone that has more knowledge or experience than you, so don’t feel intimidated.
Get an in with the Nepo babies of the field. It will really help with connections/opportunities.
Get experience with ArcGIS and other mapping software.
Volunteering for a day or weekend is a great way to learn and meet people.
Don’t just take the fun, animal focused classes. You need GIS, botany, and stats more than you know.
Don’t be afraid to explore and learn beyond the classroom.
Your classes might be hard at first but when you get to your “major” classes things might just click for you.
Get experience.
Any work experience matters more than marks when applying for jobs.
Don’t be afraid to try jobs/fieldwork you’re not certain you will like.
Show that you’re willing to do the less than fun work and not just the exciting stuff.
Be confident in yourself when applying for jobs.
Find interests and friends outside your major.
You may need to apply to a lot of places and may only hear back from one or two. Don’t lose hope.
Tailer USAJobs resume with relevant keywords for every single application.
Apply to everything, even if you’re not sure you’re qualified or fully interested. Cast a wide net.
Diversify studies, classes, fieldwork as much as possible.
Read every single flyer and email. Most students don’t and miss opportunities.
Check out the TAMU job board for seasonal fieldwork in the summer.
Visit professors and ask if their lab has positions for undergrads.
Take advantage of opportunities for students/new grads-internships, new grad funding, etc.
Don’t be afraid of variety and chasing other dreams. Theater and rock climbing helped me.
You interview for your next job every day. Everyone knows everyone and news travels fast.
Make connections. Professors, professionals, classmates, etc.
Go to conferences if you get the chance.
Take a fish class and look at job opportunities in Alaska. So many jobs surrounding fish up there.
Finding a great mentor or community is so important, especially for first generation/BIPOC students. You’ll feel less alone.
Be willing to move to find a job, if you can. Looking in one place can limit you.
Think long and hard if moving around a lot and working seasonally for possibly years is doable for you.
Don’t pay for grad school. They should pay you.
Take GIS, coding, and other technical skills classes.
If you’re interested in federal jobs, take classes required for federal service.
Try different sectors, varying species/ecosystems, etc. to figure out what you love the most.
Learn GIS. It’s an applicable skill across a lot of fields both in biology and outside of it.
NRCS-they have so many pathways positions that get you into the federal system.
Diversify your courses. Having a background in Botany helps you as a Wildlife Biologist.
Take statistics. Learn to love it. It’s so important and overlooked.
Be active in your student chapter to The Wildlife Society.
Don’t be afraid to do research outside of your field. All experience is good in undergrad.
Be open-minded about your career interests. You might surprise yourself.
Everyone starts out wanting to work with wolves or sea turtle or big cats. Be aware the there are very limited jobs with these animals.
Do undergrad research if you want to do a Master’s. Work for grad students, do an undergrad research project.
Look into the Research Education for Undergraduates program.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone’s path is different and everyone’s goals are different.
Dip your hands into research or field experience early on to gain skills and see what you like.
Talk to folks a few years older than you to get a better idea of what life looks like for them.
Travel if you can. Work in different ecosystems.
It can actually be beneficial for some to stay in one place their whole career.
Tips for interacting with landowners or locals on the job?
Ask a Biologist Monday 4/8/24
Answers from Biologists:
Build connections and talk. Don’t force stuff down their throats but listen.
Don’t bog them down with research and jargon. Take a realistic approach with management recs.
Act friendly, forgiving and honest. Most people are a little easier to trust that way.
Take their prospective seriously. Their livelihoods are often tied to the projects in question.
Try not to go in with biased/prejudiced mindsets. We all have to work together.
Learn what they value first and foremost then work off that.
Find anything you agree or connect on. You have to build trust before expertise.
Listen and try to understand heir point of view or origin of their concern.
Always ask about gate preferences.
Be as flexible as is reasonable. Offer liability waivers to be on their property.
Plan extra time to visit with them and get to know them. Don’t try to rush things.
Don’t write off anyone. Their thoughts and opinions are valid too and they want to be heard.
Reach out in-person if possible. Many won’t answer as unknown number or email.
Proceed with kindness and honesty. You may end up learning some new perspectives.
Let go of the need to be right.
Carry supervisors business card to share for more info. Also know a way out if interactions get hostile.
Respond to their concerns with kindness and patience. Often landowners feel unheard.
Do your best to advocate for them and communicate with them.
Avoid jargon and explain things fully in detail do people know what they’re agreeing to regarding property use.
They know more about the land than you do. Ask them for information and reference it.
Send a thank you card when your project is done.
Some folks love a phone call and others do better with an email. Offer multiple ways to communicate.
Be honest. Show that you are an individual working for a place, not the actual place itself.
Let them talk, listen to their stories. They can be a real asset to you if you can get them on your side.
Be willing to listen to their thoughts and opinions with an open mind.
Listen to them. Help them with running cows/fixing fence. Find out how the operation/project goals align.
Listen. Don’t assume you know the answers. Find a way to meet in the middle.
Listening about their concerns and having you as a contact to reach out to eases some nerves.
Get to know them, compromise, and take the time to develop relationships.
Remember that they can be a resource. Many know the area and land extremely well.
Listen to their concerns.
Connection starts with empathy, whether it’s poachers or sympathetic locals.
Respect their knowledge. You may have a degree but they have local knowledge.
Thoughts on lab/office/field jobs?
Ask a Biologist 4/1/24
Answers from Biologists:
Bioinformatics (office/lab) lets me pursue larger scale evolutionary questions.
Everyone is different. I really enjoy a nice balance. The office side is just as important as the field side.
For an ex-fieldworker, a full time office job is taking its toll on my connection to the work.
A good balance of both the lab and fieldwork gives you some time to rest, reset, recharge for both.
I wish I had appreciated my low responsibility of field jobs more before getting my office job.
Office jobs can become the norm the more advanced in your career you go.
Bodies give out. Having valuable office skills is a gift when you get old/sick/tired.
Balance. You can see the fieldwork in the broader research/conservation perspective.
Savor the adventure of fieldwork early on, then accept the tradeoff of less fieldwork for stability later on.
The really underrated jobs are ones that are work from home/field with lab access.
Love the balance. Office/lab days are more predictable which is helpful as a parent.
Travelling hours to get to your field site is 100% worse than actually being in the field.
It really depends on how extreme the weather can be where you’re working in either summer or winter.
I appreciate the more office related role that I am in now. I don’t think I could do what I could 20 years ago.
Office job all the way. I prefer being outdoors on my own time, where I want, when I want.
GIS tech-I spend ample free time outside on my own. I finally have a community after years of seasonal jobs.
Spending some time in the office/lab makes time in the field much more enjoyable. Balance is key.
Took a 100% office job after years of teching and hated it. Now I’m 20-40% office and love it.
The transition from fieldwork to office can be really difficult for people with ADHD.
Some office days mean I actually enjoy field days when I’m out.
I thought I would miss fieldwork more. The office work lets me keep a consistent exercise schedule.
Love a good mix. Field time is fun but often means being away from home and irregular, long hours.
Being able to spend days in the office in the height of field season prevents burnout for me.
A balance. I’m physically disabled so less able to do the fieldwork.
Not being able to go into the field at all has ruined my mental health.
A balance is good. Everyone has different health needs.
Field jobs are awesome when you’re young. As you age and/or get injured, office jobs are a blessing.
Choosing to exercise and recreate for fun, not work has repaired my relationship with nature.
Office job allows me to pursue my passion in art, martial arts, and culture.
Fieldwork becomes increasingly difficult to fit in if/when you choose to start a family.
Preferred field work quantity really prefers on if you are going home after work.
Office is where all the action is. Planning, policy making, education, outreach, management decisions, etc.
Getting to the point where I can choose to not go into the field has been a game changer.
Office jobs tend to pay much more.
Office jobs are underrated and valuable to natural resource management.
Jobs with less fieldwork allow a much more consistent schedule so more of a life outside your job.
Having a lab based MS let me have a life and get a dog/do hobbies because I wasn’t gone in the field.
If you want decent pay and career prospects, the office will be an ever larger part of it.
What Biology themed merit badge would you give?
Ask a Biologist Monday 3/25/24
Answers from Biologists:
Best use of a “stick”-very versatile. Large for a a mud stuck truck, small for camera trap.
Sneak 100-for darting particularly angsty large mammals.
Human field guide
Most miles driven to a field site
Got pooped on by the most birds
Nose blind-for those who aren’t bothered by all the enjoyable smalls encountered.
Grim Reaper-recovered the most mortalities
Pack Mule-for whoever always ends up carrying the heaviest pack
Furthest hiked with shortest legs
Most gas station hot dogs consumed in a field season (without getting sick)
The Foodie-the person who always has the tastiest field lunches and snacks
The Soggy Socks-for the first time you flood your boots or waders
Covered in Ants-for the time you accidentally walked through a giant mound
Best gear organization
Eagle Eye-first person to find the study organism in the field
Got the work truck stuck but also got it unstuck
Field Chef-the person who always has extra food/cooks the best field meal
Best attitude when shit hits the fan
The Magnet-all the weird and traumatizing things that happen every field season
Master Penman-for those whose field notes you can actually read and understand later
The Well Actually
The Towtruck-whoever manages to get the field vehicle unstuck
Good Sport Volunteer-the friend who helped you in the field without prior knowing the job
I, Naturalist-the person who can ID anything
Early Morning Rattlesnake-the person who isn’t nice until they’ve had their coffee
Personality Hire-for keeping things lighthearted
Snack Buddy Badge-always having an extra bar for your coworkers
The Chef-the person who always has homemade field snacks on hand
Master Trailblazer-the person who has a great handle on their field car
Best fieldwork equipment badge
The Snow White-the person who somehow summons all the targets
The Sage-the person who calmly solves your frustrating database problem
Field Parent-person who always has all the answers, solutions, supplies
Most patient with politicians or the public
Got the property permission from the one landowner that hates everyone
Golden Retriever-someone who brings excitement to whatever task is at hand
Non-Researcher-the person who asks you every simple question without researching it
Successfully backed up a trailer
The Detective-finding elusive targets
The Acrobat-the person who always falls but recovers gracefully
How do you take care of your mental health?
Ask a Biologist Monday 3/18/24
Answers from Biologists:
Try to have a good work-life balance, have friends outside of work. See your job as your job.
Gym, hiking in mountains, and being with friends.
Having a hobby that’s healthy, fun, and time consuming. Running marathons.
Talk to friends, counselling, daily walks, nature time, hikes, set boundaries with work.
Find a place that you can always go to no matter what to get away from the job.
Learn to say not just “no” but “hell no”.
Taking a HARD separation from work when I need it. Swing work/life balance to “life”.
Work life balance.
I sought out psychological care and therapy. It was life changing.
Having a toolbox of coping skills at the ready has been life changing.
Therapy helped me find coping skills for things, whether it be anxiety, low mood or a conflict.
Therapy. And forgiving myself for needing to use minimal effort (eating out instead of cooking, etc.).
Going for walks during office days at work.
Advocate for your work life balance and try regular therapy.
Have an exercise routine that’s just for you/separate from fieldwork.
Therapy and taking time to myself by not engaging in conversations/social media.
Switching to part time zookeeping to have a better work/life balance.
Therapy, work life balance, meds (if needed, break the stigma).
I keep a journal an small paint palette with me. Helps me stay focused on what’s in front of me and why I do this.
I made a yoga/meditation room. I also take a day for me time. Turn off the phone/computer.
Finding snakes and taking pictures of them.
Finding hobbies unrelated to my work.
Plan small weekend trips to look forward to decompress from work stress.
Medication. It’s so important for many people.
Counseling, medications as prescribed. Time with loved ones and listening to music.
Therapy and hobbies not related to work in any way.
Learning to not feel guilty taking time off when I need it.
Several 5 minute walks throughout the day and a change of working environments or office spaces.
Spend time in the gym in the mornings.
Make sure I take breaks when I need to and go walk.
Get some daily movement. Either on a quick outside walk (fresh air) or just stretching/walking inside.
Forms of movement outside as often as possible, therapy, yoga, and creative hobbies.
Mental health days to stay indoors.
Making sure I take time to recreate and enjoy nature, not just study it.
Daily walks to decompress. Mental health days if I can’t focus.
Work/life balance and learning how to say no.
Take a mental health day and do something specifically for you to turn off your work brain.
Let your friends know. Mine are always happy to have a chat and it lifts my mood.
Meditation, adventure sports, relationship outside of conservation and learn to laugh.
Restarted therapy, stopped watching news/reading public comments regarding conservation.
Exercising.
Therapy, exercise, pharmaceuticals.
Spend time with my dogs. Take a walk with phone turned off and just connect with another living being.
Boundaries with work. I don’t give out my cell phone number to public or put work email on phone.
Prioritize life and activities outside of work. For me, it’s good to have some separation.
Work life balance.
Therapy, go enjoy nature without it being work. Find hobbies, friendship.
Get outside, even if it’s five minutes.
Age when you first started this career and age at first permanent job.
Ask a Biologist Monday 3/11/24
Answers from Biologists:
Graduated 21. First volunteering/placement at 21. First permanent job 29 (private consultancy).
Undergrad 18. Tech 22. Grad school 25. Permanent 33.
Undergrad 17. Grad school 21. Full time biologist: 23.
Undergrad 18. Job: 23.
Undergrad 19. First paid internship 19. Permanent job 23.
Went back to school at 27. First permanent job 32. First permanent job I love 35.
Undergrad 18. Seasonal job 19. First permanent 28.
Tech job at 23. Out of the field for years. Finished grad school and full time job at 32. First permanent biologist job at 35.
Undergrad: 22. Internships/tech jobs: 26. Grad school: 29. Permanent: 31.
Undergrad: 17. Seasonal: 20. Grad school: 21. Permanent: 24.
Seasonal: 20. Grad school: 23. Permanent: 24.
Undergrad: 18. 10 seasons and 2 degrees. Permanent at 28.
Undergrad: 18. Grad school 26. Permanent 29.
Undergrad 18. Internship with USFWS at 20. Permanent at 28.
I began career working temp jobs while in undergrad. Permanent after graduation at 22.
Tech: 20. Permanent: 25. Grad school: 28.
Undergrad: 18. 33 and still working contracts/postdocs.
Started 18: Steady work: 25. Permanent: 32.
Undergrad: 18. Seasonal jobs 2 years. Grad school: 26. 27, still looking for permanent.
Started at 18. 33 and about to finish my PhD. No job yet.
Undergrad: 17. Grad school: 23. First permanent: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Two tech jobs then grad school at 24. Still no permanent work at 31.
Undergrad at 17. Grad school: 22. Permanent: 24.
Undergrad at 18. First seasonal at 20. First permanent at 26 with a MS.
Undergrad at 18. First permanent at 22.
Started at 22. First permanent at 26.
Undergrad at 22. Permanent job at 29.
Started at 21. Permanent at 27.
Undergrad started 21. Full time permanent at 27.
Undergrad: 17. Grad school: 23. First permanent at 27.
Seasonal: 21. Full time permanent at 22. Left field, returned at 28, same pattern.
Tech: 20. Permanent at state agency: 23.
Tech school: 17. Tech job: 19. Still in MS.
Seasonal: 19. Permanent: 27.
Changed careers at 27. Started MS at 30.
Undergrad: 18. Permanent: 26.
Undergrad: 18. Postdoc and instructor: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Permanent/grant funded: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Seasonal 24. Permanent: 26.
Undergrad: 17. MS: 25. PhD: 29. Permanent job: 33.
Undergrad: 18. Grad school: 22. Visiting professor: 28. Tenure track: 30.
Internship: 21. LTE: 22. Permanent: 30.
Undergrad: 17. Internship: 18. Grad school: 22. Permanent: 24.
Seasonal during college: 21. Permanent: 24.
Started: 23. 28 and still looking for permanent.
How can we support the next generation coming into this field?
Ask a Biologist Monday 2/26/24
Answers from Biologists:
Be the one to fix all the things you hate about your organization/agency.
Don’t “donate” your time instead of claiming your overtime if it’s being paid out.
Creating supportive spaces and resources for URM scientists.
Make space for diversity, discussion, and inclusion. Never assumer you know all.
Normalize picking jobs based on work/life balance and saying no to things that don’t fit.
Work to create more full time, year round positions. Accepting seasonal work isn’t possible for many.
Improve leadership and communication skills in the workplace.
Be supportive of one another’s goals and aspirations. Don’t see others as competitors.
End the “I suffered so you can suffer too” attitude. If you can make it easier, do it.
If you’re a supervisor, help techs set boundaries that they may be too scared to set for themselves.
Vote for science-accepting politicians.
Model a good work/life balance.
Make sure when you have a project, you make time to teach those under you.
Queer representation. Make employers aware of queer specific field safety.
Once you get to an established position-look out for techs, interns, junior bios.
Call out problematic behavior when you see it.
Let them know there is no one path to getting into the field.
Pass on relevant job announcements to current and past techs.
Be honest about your personal experience and struggles.
Unionize.
Give them space to learn on the job instead of requiring 5 years of school/experience for an entry level job.
Stop advertising unpaid work as a job opportunity.
Fix toxic work places so those we are telling to do STEM jobs have a safe place to work.
Advocate for work-life balance. Work shouldn’t be your whole life, no matter the field.
Ditch the mentality of “it was hard for me starting out so it should be hard for you”.
Provide your seasonals with as many trainings as you can.
More career development opportunities at seasonal jobs.
Have a concrete plan of action in place to combat harassment.
Mentorship-help the next generation not to make the mistakes we did.
Women, speak up now so the women behind us can just finally speak.
How did you know you were in the right/wrong field?
Ask a Biologist Monday 3/4/24
Answers from Biologists:
I think I’m just in the wrong lab-very cliquey. PI has favorites and I’m not supported with my ADHD.
When I could check off experiences on my life list and not dread going into work.
Being surrounded by other people who understood my passions.
Realized my office was outdoors half the year.
Wrong field-no support as a working mother.
Right field-I do the same things on my days off that I get paid to do on my week days.
Right field, because I made it fit into the rest of my life, not the other way around.
For awhile I wasn’t sure, but I realized this didn’t have to be my life. It can just be your job.
When I saw significant human-wildlife conflict reduction in a city who now advocated for us.
When you think about leaving the field but cannot find any other career path that fits you.
Even when I job hopped, I stayed in the same field instead of pivoting.
I was excited about work and could not understand why everyone did not want this job.
I was excited to wake up at 4am for fieldwork and nerd out with my peers even though I’m shy.
Seasonal jobs in the wrong field-I was counting the day until it was over.
I realized I felt like I was living and happy again.
Right-no more “Sunday scaries”. Mondays are just another day to have fun.
Wrong-cliques and loads of rules without instruction until a rule was broken. Demeaning leadership.
There’s always something new and exciting to be known.
I just can’t afford to keep working within it.
When I look forward to work every single day, no matter the weather.
I spent a lot of time just waiting for the animals to appear and enjoyed it.
I say things like “I miss work” and “I can’t wait to go back to work” because it doesn’t feel like work.
I enjoy it so much it rarely feels like work.
I got to spend all day in the woods like when I was a kid and got paid at the end of it.
Stopped feeling like I was suppressing my passion. Could express excitement in observations.
I wanted to talk about work outside of work in a positive way.
I realized I love the challenges sometimes more than the standard days.
I have never stopped being curious and I love to share what I do with others.
.Work doesn’t feel like work.
When I told my family about my work and had nothing bad to say about it.
I feel good about the purpose/mission of the work, even the mundane parts.
The statistics started making sense and wasn’t boring.
I couldn’t imagine being as happy doing anything else.
The work felt like I was helping and it was not always difficult to do, not a struggle.
First experience with fieldwork was banding saw-whet owls in below freezing temps all night and loved it.
Getting out of bed to go to work wasn’t something I dreaded.
Wrong field-It was taking over my identity and life.
It balances well with my life.
I always find something new and interesting in my work.
I enjoy the people I work with.
What’s an area of the country/world you enjoyed working and why?
Ask a Biologist Monday 2/19/24
Answers from Biologists:
Southern Louisiana. It’s such a dynamic ecosystem facing a number of very unique challenges.
Black rock desert NV. The surrounding landscape is beautiful and unsuspecting.
Glacial lakes region of Minnesota. Ordway prairie is beautiful.
Southern Appalachia-incredible biodiversity and breathtaking views.
Northeast Oklahoma and the Ozarks-amazing species and beautiful scenery.
Wyoming-I love the ferrets, weasels, badgers, and otters I saw.
South central Alaska-amazing variety of wildlife and gorgeous mountains along the coast.
Prairie pothole region of ND/MN-lots of wildlife, public land, and watching thunderstorms over the landscape.
Etosha Heights in Namibia-savanna par excellence right there.
The basin and range of Nevada-it’s incredible to go from Mojave desert to alpine forests.
Asturias in Spain -it’s like out of a fairytale.
The foothills of the Rockies. Stunning, especially the flowers.
Mojave Valley, USA-most people don’t think of the amazing fish in the desert.
Southeastern NC coast-lots to do in a short distance, especially for naturalists and ocean lovers.
Everglades-such a complex system with so many people concerned for wildlife.
Hudson River Valley-stunning beauty and diversity of habitats and communities.
The Alaska Peninsula
Way South Texas-down on the border-so much to love about the ecosystem and community.
Jemez mountains, New Mexico.
Anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Southern NM-the sky islands here are home to so many species, many of which are endemic.
High Sierras in California-stunning views worth the climb.
Chesapeake Bay
Juniper scrub woodland in the Colorado Plateau-some of the most difficult and beautiful country.
East of the Cascades is so weird! Gorgeous and super dry.
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument-stunning biology, archeology, geology.
Texas coast-such diverse mix of habitats and beautiful birds.
Panhandle of Florida is beautiful and different than the rest of the state.
Swamps and longleaf pine uplands of Georgia and South Carolina-awesome herps.
US Central Hardwood Forest-extremely diverse and abundant flora/fauna.
Brackish marshes of the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana-so unique.
Eastern Sierras in CA
Mojave Desert-made me rethink how I viewed the desert.
Puerto Rico-Cultural experience, people, and food.
Great Basin in Nevada and Idaho-underrated
The Sonoran Desert-so underrated.
Sagebrush Steppe-few mosquitoes and lots of cool herps.
Sandhills in Nebraska-a gorgeous, open landscape and low human population.
Caribbean-relaxed attitude but most importantly small islands mean visible results.
Tidal marshes of New England and Maritime Canada-special kind of gorgeous.
Hawaii-weather
PNW-has everything mountains, ocean, forest, rivers, cities, and rural areas.
What advice do you have for those considering a master’s?
Ask a Biologist Monday 2/12/24
Answers from Biologists:
Don’t just consider the PI. Consider the rest of the committee too as they can balance things out.
Do. Tech. Work. First.
Make sure the courses offer match what you want to learn. Mine taught outdated stats.
Make sure you pick a topic that can be completed in your time frame.
Make sure you can complete your project in house. If not, make sure you will have funding available.
Think long and hard about potential pitfalls of relying on other collaborators to complete a project.
Make sure your advisor has some degree of expertise regarding the topic you want to study.
Getting one because you need it for a job is enough reason to do it if you have the means to do it.
Realize it will be your job and income for 2-3 years.
If you have a very specific goal it’s okay, but if not, then really focus on experience and networking.
Go to as many conferences as possible while doing it.
Don’t just do it to do it. Do it to help you achieve a specific goal or explore an interest of yours.
Ask where the program’s past students ended up in their careers after graduation.
Ask if conferences and travel are fully funded by the program.
Identify what you are hoping to gain from a master’s ahead of accepting a position.
Don’t just take the first project that comes along. Find something you are passionate about.
Do it because you want/need to, not just because you feel it’s the next step.
Choose committee members that will support you.
Ask if the committee has already been formed and who is on it.
Find out where the funding for it is coming from, what it covers, and how solid/safe it is.
Talk with current and former lab members, vet out the school, and people/program, look into classes.
Take a gap between undergrad and grad school to develop your interests and field experience.
Study a species that will give you lots of data. Carnivores are really hard to get strong statistics from.
Make sure you have a top-notch support system in place outside of school. No one gets through alone.
Don’t rush into it. Make sure the school/project/advisor are right for your career goals and lifestyle.
Funding. Does the project have funding?
Really understand your working style and level of supervising you need to succeed.
Reach out to previous or current grad student’s about the advisor’s expertise.
Talk to your potential advisor’s current and former students.
Reach out to your prospective advisor’s current and former students. You’ll get an idea of what to expect.
Discuss available funding with all potential advisors before committing to anything.
Funding. Does it cover tuition, supplies, summertime pay, travel/registration for conferences? Is it solid?
The project you do doesn’t lock you into working on that subject after grad school.
The school itself doesn’t matter all that much. Advisor and specific program are more important.
Find out how many of their students successfully defended and how long it took them.
Find out if your potential advisor is still connected and well liked in the field.
Would you recommend this field to others? Why or why not?
Ask A Biologist Monday 2/5/24
Answers from Biologists:
Yes, but it will be different from what you initially think. Having a safety net/no obligations is helpful.
I’m always brutally honest about the reality of this field when people ask me.
If you can fund your life by your parent’s money, yeah sure why not. Otherwise, no
I’d make sure they’re aware it’s not all animal cuddling and easy times.
Yes. Honestly easily yes. I love my life so much. It’s not all toxicity and poverty, really.
As a primary parent, no. As a mom, no and there’s no support. Young and childfree, it’s a grand adventure.
If they are interested but have an honest talk about what it is vs. what they think it is.
100% there’s no perfect job, but there are moments of this work that get very close.
Yes, if you have a financial support system to supplement instability in early career.
No. After 13 years of seasonal jobs, financial instability, challenges in finding permanent positions, nope.
Yes but I admit I got really lucky and it can be a very difficult field to work in.
I would if it’s their passion. But also have them know they’ll never be rich or pain/stress free.
Yes: Incredible adventures and experiences. No: I’m so poor.
No if you’re going to be the main income for a household. This career does not pay well.
As a career, yes. As a career change, no. The pay and exploitation is hard enough as 18 yrs old.
No. Very limited number of full time, stable, well paying jobs and the sacrifices you make to be successful.
I would only recommend this to people who are truly passionate about it. It’s bitter work.
Not any more. The realities of the job are not what I thought going in.
Yes, depending on the person.
No, I can’t justify recommending this career to anyone at this point.
Yes, but be flexible. Biology is a broad field with a lot of different specializations.
It’s not always holding animals and most of it is not glamorous. You’ve gotta really have that passion.
No. Do volunteer work if you’re passionate. Otherwise get a stable, well-paying career.
Yes, only if you’re fully aware of what you’re signing up for. It can be rewarding.
Only if you’re willing to do something you absolutely love at the cost of pay and toxicity.
Yes with caveats. It’s fun but the job hunt can be brutal.
Yes. It’s a great way to travel the country and meet incredible people while working for the environment.
I always tell people it’s not as cool as it seems.
Yes with the caveat that it’s a broad, broad field and some flexibility will likely be required.
No I would. I fully expected poor pay but not such poor opportunities and toxic culture.
I will not let my daughters even consider working in this field. They deserve better.
Yes but not if you want to be rich and famous.
Yes but with a serious dose of reality. It’s not all sparkles and rainbows.
Yes but I’m very upfront and honest. I think this field needs a different perspective.
Yes if you have disposable income and connections already in the field.
Only for those individuals that are really driven. It’s hard to have a “normal” life as a bio.
It’s very rewarding and exhausting work-recommend it if you are passionate with healthy boundaries.
No-if you can be happy doing something else that gives you stable income, do that instead.
What is a favorite Biology themed book that you would recommend?
Ask A Biologist Monday 1/29/24
Reclaiming South Georgia: The defeat of furry invaders on a sub-Antarctic island
Fuzz
Song of the Dodo by David Quammen
Spillover
Far From Land: The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds
Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
Their blood runs cold: adventures with reptiles and amphibians-Whit Gibbons
Bitch by Lucy Cooke
The Last Sunset in the West by Natalie Sanders
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson
The Sun is a Compass: A 4000 Mile Journey Into the Alaskan Wilds
Wolfer by Carter Niemeyer
Why fish don’t exist by LuLu Miller
The invention of nature
Song of the Dodo by David Quamman
The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with people by Scott A Bonar
A Most Remarkable Creature by Jonathan Meiburg
My Double Life by Fran Hammerson
The Sun is a Compass
Braiding Sweetgrass
Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer
Living Planet - David Attenborough
How to Conserve Conservationists
Being caribou
The rise of the American conservation movement
Eager: The Surprisingly, Sweet Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
A song for the blue ocean - Carl Safina
A Sand County Almanac
Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A World On the Wing by Scott Weidensaul
Gathering Moss
Codd by Mark Kurlansky
Spying on Whales by Nick Pyenson
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Fresh Banana Leaves
Owls of the Eastern Ice
A different shade of green
An Immense World
Born Free by Joy Adamson
Sand County Almanac by Leopold
A sand county almanac
My side of the mountain
The nature fix by Florence Williams
Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller
Eager by Ben Goldfarb
Cuckoo by Nature by Nick Davies
An Immense World by Ed Young
Salmon by Mark Kurlansky
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer
A Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy
Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid
The Life and Death of the Great Lakes
Braiding sweetgrass
Silent Spring
Overstory
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer
Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller
49 Years in the 49th State - Patrick Valkenburg
American Bison by Steve Rinella
An Immense World by Ed Yong
The Wolverine Way by Douglas Chadwick
Braiding Sweetgrass
Two Old Women
Mean and lowly things - Kate Jackson
Life As We Made It - Beth Shapiro
The Life and Death of the Great Lakes - Dan Egan
Zoobiquity
Lovelocks Gaia series
A View From the Wolf’s Eye by Carolyn Peterson
Braiding Sweetgrass
Lab Girl
Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer
Owls of the Eastern Ice
Wild Trees by Richard Preston
Why Fish Don’t Exist by LuLu Miller
Improbable Destinies by Jonathan Losos
Tracks and Shadows: Field Biology as Art by Harry Greene
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
What random skill has been useful in your job?
Ask a Biologist Monday 1/22/24
Answers from Biologists:
Baking-good food is one of the top morale sources for individuals and teams.
Kayaking as a hobby got me a job doing water bird monitoring.
Haunted house crowd control-keeping my cool in high stress environments.
Changing tires, especially in remote field settings.
Driving with a trailer/ working heavy equipment of any kind.
Basic mechanical skills.
Basic construction/repair (plumbing, electrical, carpentry, mechanical).
Duct taping joeys back into wallaby pouches.
Basic technical drawing to design equipment.
The ability to talk to condescending men and not curse.
Anatomical illustration.
Keeping a straight face when people are being dumb.
Houseplants translates to growing plants in a greenhouse for experiments.
Drawing.
Any sort of mechanical ability.
Tool use.
Tying knots-joining boat lines, fixing traps, securing truck loads.
Defensive driving.
Emotional intelligence.
Backing up trailers.
Using basic power tools to fix and build stuff.
Understanding local slang/dialects. It’s easier to talk to land owners and people at outreach events.
Humor. Sometimes you just gotta laugh at bad field days.
Basic maintenance skills-learning how to do repairs on everything from gates to sinks to mowers.
Basic carpentry/welding/electrical skills.
Small engine repair.
General carpentry/small tool skills.
Having a good sense of direction/ability to read a map.
Driving a vehicle with manual transmission. Handy for some older field trucks.
Mechanical knowledge and being able to fix things when they break.
How to fix fence.
Welding/general mechanical skills.
Drawing.
Reading the sun/light/stars.
Drawing-the most universal way to communicate and design what we want to build.
Empathy.
Towing and backing trailers.