Your Life as an Environmental Biologist
You may be asking yourself, "What exactly is an environmental biologist and how is it any different from being a regular biologist?"
Well, environmental biologists are keen on closely observing the natural world to gain a full understanding of interactions upon it. They like the challenge of discovery, scientific analysis, and research. They feel comfortable with theory development and research design, and like to communicate their findings by giving presentations, writing scientific articles, and educating others about the value their work has on society and planet earth.
Still sounding similar to regular biology? There is one major difference that sets them apart; Environmental biologists are stewards of natural resources and consider the effects of environmental degradation in their work.
In today's rapidly changing world, global challenges such as global climate change; increasing ocean temperatures and acidification; large scale pollution events and overall loss of biodiversity become ever more important. Using global climate change as an example, environmental biologists have significant roles to play. Those involved in the marine field monitor the distribution of many species that will be affected by the increase in acidity and temperature of the ocean. They are conducting laboratory studies to find out how, for instance, mussels will respond to higher temperatures of sea water and a more acidic ocean. Will the mussels grow slower, will they reproduce less, and at what temperatures or acidity will the mussels start to die? Other environmental biologists can then take this information and predict how these changes in the mussel population will affect the entire ecosystem.
Environmental biologists also work hard to find and describe new organisms (before they disappear) and determine organism distribution to enable prediction about how environmental changes will affect their geographic ranges. Many have careers focused on species conservation, population and habitat restoration, and habitat assessment. Environmental biologists also work to define and solve a variety of pollution problems related to animal and plant populations.
There are many employment opportunities in environmental biology ranging from federal and state agencies to private consulting companies, non-profit organization and research universities. Federal agencies such the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies such as the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or the Department of Marine Resources, are always looking for employees with an environmental biology focus. The National Science Foundation even has a Division of Environmental biology (DEB). Specific job titles to look for include: research biologist, field biologist, invasive species biologist, environmental restoration team member and habitat restoration specialist.
There are many additional career opportunities in this field that may seem less obvious. They include working in animal rehabilitation centers, as environmental educators, and even environmental photography. Having a biological science background allows for a more powerful message to be presented. Other environmental biologists have specialized in writing for the general public. These individuals have the most important job of explaining environmental issues clearly and powerfully to the public.
When looking for an undergraduate program, be sure the college is nationally accredited and the degree granted is a Bachelor of Science degree. Some colleges may not have a program named "Environmental Biology". Just be sure any program, regardless of the name, combines courses in biology, ecology and physiology as well as courses with an environmental focus such as conservation biology and environmental sustainability. You should also inquire about research and internship opportunities to gain some experience before you graduate.
Once in college, environmental biology students gain a strong theoretical framework in organismal biology and ecology with an understanding of how these interact with the physical environment around them. To be fully prepared for your future career, take courses that address additional impacts of social science and politics on the study of these organisms. A key strength of successful students is that they study a broad range of interactions and learn to make wide-ranging connections to improve the world we live in. For those wanting a career in research, continuing on to a Masters or Doctoral program is highly recommended.
Preparation for an environmental biology major, as with any science major, should include four years of English and minimum of three years of mathematics and science (including chemistry, physics, and biology) in high school.
If you are curious about the world around you, like solving problems and understand the critical time we are in due to environmental issues such as pollution and climate change, then environmental biology may be the career path for you!
Editorial provided by Emma Creaser, PhD, Associate Professor of Marine Physiology and Alisa Johnson, Dean of Enrollment Management of Unity College.
