Why did you go into the field of Biology?
Ask a Biologist Monday 11/27/23
Answers from Biologists:
Always loved nature and bugs as a kid.
I have always deeply cared for the planet and wanted to help protect every inhabitant.
Was pressured to join a plant ID contest in high school and fell in love with natural resources.
Turtles.
In 5th grade we had to recite a poem. Mine was “Where Once there was a Wood”
I always loved nature and Steve Irwin.
I just really wanted to pick up wildlife with my hands. Now I have better reasons.
Wanted to learn more about the animals we hunt and whether it is actually good or not (Australia).
As a landlocked kid I was obsessed with all things ocean and love asking questions/finding answers.
Wanted to be a vet growing up but discovered that vets are not the only people doing animal stuff.
Spent my 20s working crap jobs and decided I wanted to make a difference.
Life just looks so beautiful.
To contribute to conservation and get paid to go birding.
I was on a university bus that drove past the college of Ecology sign. Changed my major that week.
Watching the “How Wolves Change Rivers” video about Yellowstone in high school.
The quality of Australian bushland I grew up in. I reckon it’s still the best in the world.
Just love nature and the more I learned the more I wanted to know and protect.
Grew up with a parent who loved the outdoors. It definitely influenced my interest.
It seemed more fun than vet school and I was right.
A passionate high school biology teacher.
Wanting to help with species conservation turned into wanting to explain science.
To prove that I and other queer people can. More diversity and representation in STEM.
Got a great professor in my first semester of college and now I’m obsessed with plants.
Hated my engineering class. Took intro to fish and wildlife. Got hooked by the potential to do good.
Childhood special interest was dolphins. Figured why not make a career of it.
Fell in love with wetlands and just couldn’t leave them.
Obsessed with animals. I couldn’t pick a favorited as a kid so ecology it is.
I was raised to love the natural world. I knew I’d never be happy doing anything else.
To protect the places I love.
“I can be paid to be outside?!”
Bunch of free tickets to the aquarium within a year. I was hooked.
Field techniques course and the final push was not going to vet school.
Started with plants and nature in general then fell in love with biodiversity/taxonomy.
I have an unhealthy obsession with bats.
Conservation, preservation, protection of wildlife and habitat. Oh, and we work outside.
I get to go outside and mess with animals and get paid for it.
I started working for a research biologist in high school and found that I loved it.
I loved Jack Hanna growing up and my grandma ran an exotic bird rescue.
I wanted to help, so I went for conservation and management.
Initially a civil engineer. I hope to bridge the gap and integrate our ecological systems and infrastructure.
Sat next to a fish bio major who crashed the engineering BBQ. It seemed cool.
Saw a Doug Smith lecture on the YNP wolf reintroduction and wanted to help other species.
I took ag science, but fell in love with plant reproduction and ecology.
I grew up outdoors hunting and fishing, loved animals, and was always fascinated by ecosystems.
Watched PBS nature shows as a kid and said “I’m gonna do that!”.
Took a camping trip in middle school to an FFA and I’ve been stuck learning about trees and forests since.
A deep desire to protect and save the animals I love.
Biology merges my passion for conservation with a career I could see myself excelling in.
Bugs! Then I had the best AP bio course in high school.
It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was 5. But the UAF fisheries department recruiter talked me into my career.
Steve Irwin and Animal Planet shows.
Because natural life can’t advocate for itself.
I love being outdoors and noticing small wonders easily missed in our modern lives.
No matter how old I get, I get to learn new things every day in this field. And I love animals.
I’ve always loved the outdoors and observing and trying to understand living organisms.
I always wanted to be a Pokemon trainers and wildlife biologist is the next best thing.
I loved animals and nature and wanted to learn everything about them.
Wildlife is so awe inspiring that it needs to be conserved for the future.
I loved spending time outdoors hunting and fishing.
Had a summer job as a spray tech for invasive species and switched my major from psych to bio.
My AP Bio teacher in high school. I liked animals but he showed me all the possibilities of wildlife biology.
I had access to wild spaces and parents who encouraged my interest in the outdoors.
I wanted to help protect animals and “give them a voice” since they can’t speak up for themselves.
Intro to ecology professor was TOO GOOD.
Hoping to educate people on the natural world around them and develop respect for all wildlife.
Wanted to be Captain Planet as a kid.
I have always loved science. I took wildlife conservation and was determined to make things better.
I’ve always found parasites cool.
The passion of Steve Irwin, my parents, and love for wildlife.
I just felt right.
I enjoyed Nature on public television as a kid and wanted to help.
Species conservation. Hopefully I can help even if only a little.
Childhood of learning about and spending time in nature.
Thought I’d go crazy if I had a job inside all day.
I’m passionate about wildlife conservation and it never hurts to love your job.
One good intro to Bio for non-majors professor had the AUDACITY to by inspiring.
Wanted to work with floofs. Now I work with bugs so we definitely lost the plot.
