What is one thing you wish you could change about the field of Biology?
Ask a Biologist Monday 10/3/22
Answers from Biologists:
I wish there was a bigger emphasis on safety and well-being in fieldwork jobs.
How every job needs experience or a master’s degree but doesn’t pay livable wage.
Gatekeeping. No academic, you don’t have exclusive rights to a target species.
That people would value our work more. We all work hard and should be compensated for it.
Misogynistic attitudes and gatekeeping in academia and biology-focused agencies.
Fanaticism. It’s the end of critical thinking.
The vicious cycle of needing experience to get experience.
Job availability/stability. So hard to find a job to live off of.
More emphasis on how research can be applied on the ground vs. just stating the issues.
Better pay and more jobs. It sucks to have seasoned techs waiting years for vacancies in permanent spots.
The idea that we HAVE to leave our partners or family to have a successful field career.
The egos and treatment of people, especially in the carnivore world.
Have more pay, year round, entry level positions at a living wage.
Fieldwork that requires you to leave your entire home life and be grateful for it.
The pay. Besides being more livable I think it could help with DEI.
The lack of work-life balance.
Fieldwork careers providing more benefits (retirement, health insurance, etc.).
The disconnect between academic research and applied management.
Elitism, especially in academic bio. It’s the enemy of education and change.
The tremendous culture of “tradition” that is just blatant abuse, racism, and sexism.
Elitism, competition. A professor told me “if you’re not publishing papers, you’re just messing around”.
That family, friends, love life, your well-being are always second to this field.
Toxic masculinity impacting ALL genders, mental/physical, including men, in the field.
The idea that if you don’t like working in the rain, with lots of bugs, bad weather, etc. it means you’re a bad biologist.
The bureaucracy that accompanies government positions.
More entry level permanent jobs to make this field equitable.
More acceptance from the general public that women are qualified Biologists.
The competitiveness and territoriality.
More funding.
The prevalence of burnout culture. No data is more important than the health of the staff.
Having to have a master’s degree for a lot of jobs.
The lack of diversity.
The belief that if you don’t have the “Biologist” title, you’re not a real biologist.
The belief that it’s normal to have to abandon your personal life for a job (partner, pets, etc.).
The culture of dressing a certain way. I shouldn’t be shamed for being fashionable.
Appreciating diverse backgrounds. Not everyone can afford seasonal positions.
The lack of personal time expected. We all need time to breathe.
Racism against Indigenous communities.
The pretentious gatekeeping. Anyone can be a scientist.
Everyone’s hiring but it’s so competitive and easy to lost hope.
That you must dress and look like a stereotypical biologist.
Pressure to let your field consume your entire life.
Competitiveness.
That is was easier to gain experience without spending money of your own.
The old mentality of “since we had to do it that way, you have to do it the same”.
Lack of diversity and ableist attitudes.
The pigeonholing that can happen (study songbirds once, always a songbird tech).
Lack of inclusivity and acceptance of nuerodivergents/autists in fieldwork.
