While it is not above and beyond their normal job duties, I'd argue that nearly all academic biologists make a substantial contribution to society through their teaching (not just their research). For many of us, teaching makes up an equal or greater proportion of our workload than research. And, many of us do give back through service to NGOs and government agencies, outreach to the public and school groups, etc.
Mark D. ________________________________________ From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [[email protected]] On Behalf Of Neahga Leonard [[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 6:57 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Biologists giving back? Ideas needed Hi Wendee, I think this would be an extremely easy topic if you moved your target biologists away from those in the academic setting. Many of us work in non-profits aimed with an environmental conservation focus, work with land-trusts, work as land stewards, foresters, game wardens, medical workers, health and sanitation workers, landscapers, nature guides, writers, and much, much more. The biologists within the academic realm are probably the smallest portion of the total biologist population, and, despite doing excellent work, may well have the smallest immediate effect on the population/world at large. Neahga Leonard On Wed, Oct 31, 2012 at 2:03 PM, Wendee Nicole <[email protected]>wrote: > I am working on a story idea about ways that biologists give back to > society > in a way that is above and beyond simply doing research. It CAN be a > research project if it has a strong influence on the local community, or on > policy, etc. > > If you have any examples of individuals doing something, whether it's a the > project, or someone doing something on the side, or working with Congress > to > get some legislation passed that is important and under-appreciated, or > anything else, send me the ideas and the folks who are involved's contact > info! > > Wendee > > "As a writer, you are often asking your mind to dream while awake" - Aimee > Bender > > Wendee Nicole, M.S. Ecology ~ Freelance Writer * Photographer * Bohemian > > Web: [wendeenicole.com] > Blog: [bohemianadventures.blogspot.com] > Twitter: twitter.com/bohemianone > Email: [email protected] > > Online Magazine Writing Class starts Dec 8, 2012 - Ask me! > -- Neahga Leonard *There is not just a whole world to explore, there is a whole universe to explore, perhaps more than one.* http://writingfornature.wordpress.com/
