Feeling targeted here, I respond. I did not mean to imply that learning about cellular and molecular biology was not useful. I criticized biology departments that have only courses about those aspects of biology and no ecology courses. A good biology major should have both.
> (not targeting Ben here, just replying to thread) > > I know there has been talk about the cellular level and how it seems > tangent or outside the realm of ecology, but it is not. > Much of ecotoxicology deals with cellular elements. Stress responses can > be read in immunofunction, antioxidant levels, and heatshock protein up > regulation. Genetic technology is increasingly important, in fact, I have > seen a growing number of genomics-wildlife vacancies in recent years. > Further, many of the wildlife problems are pathogenic leading to the need > for a firm understanding in the microscopic and submicroscopic world. > Never under-estimate the value of what you can learn, always shoot to > learn > as much as you can, and continue to learn new things even after you are in > school. If you do this, you will continue to grow as a person, a > professional, and as a scientist. Unfortunately, most people really do > stop learning the moment the leave school (some stop earlier than this). > The stagnation that results will gradually lead to an array of phenomena > that are neither healthy nor productive. You can never know too much, and > the one thing in life that is certainly true is that the more you learn, > the more easily you learn who is full of it, and who is not! :) Stepping > outside of your comfort zone and learning crazy new stuff often leads to > the biggest and neatest results. When you take ideas from one field and > apply them to another where they have not been introduced, it can be > pretty > amazingly enlightening. So, don't be afraid of getting stuck in a course > on membranes! It just turns out that one of the easiest ways to detect > stress is to detect free radical attack on lipid membranes, and these > tests > constitute very important stress markers in all organisms! And, of course > stress is fundamental to what drives evolutionary change, population > stability and change, and ultimately ecosystem function. > > So, its not all that distantly related to the big picture! :) > > > > On Wed, Apr 8, 2015 at 10:03 AM, Ben Fertig <fer...@marine.rutgers.edu> > wrote: > >> Hi Matt, >> >> To answer your question: Yes, you probably can become a successful >> ecologist or wildlife biologist with either environmental studies or >> biology. A Masters and possibly a PhD would also likely give you helpful >> credentials, depending on your interests and the degree to which you >> want >> your career to be based in hard science. >> >> My two cents is that undergraduate years are what one makes of them. >> While >> the focus of a department may influence a studentâs interests, I >> believe >> self-motivation is ultimately critical in pursuing science. While maybe >> not >> the norm for a small liberal arts university such as Brandeis, I >> graduated >> in 2003 with a BA in Biology and an Env. Studies minor (there was no >> major >> at that time). After internships and working for a few years I went to >> U. >> of Maryland for my Ph.D. (2010) in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental >> Science with an Ecology area of specialization. I have always felt that >> the >> rigor of the (essentially pre-med) Biology major at Brandeis has been >> extremely helpful beyond college despite that my interests lay outside >> the >> cellular level. >> >> Cheers, >> Ben Fertig >> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin_Fertig >> >> On Apr 8, 2015, at 8:21 AM, Judith S. Weis <jw...@andromeda.rutgers.edu> >> wrote: >> >> > I haven't looked at it lately, but last I knew, the Bio Dept at >> Brandeis >> > was not interested in anything outside the cell membrane - which would >> > explain some of these policies. I would suggest transferring to a >> school >> > that appreciates ecology. >> > >> > >> >> Dear Matt, >> >> >> >> What a crazy biology department you must have! Studying abroad, >> enrolling >> >> in a SFS program (or, better, helping conduct scientific research in >> a >> >> more formal setting, or taking an Organization for Tropical Studies >> >> course) is EXACTLY what you should be doing! Students without >> research >> >> experience in ecology will always have a hard time getting into top >> >> ecology departments. >> >> >> >> >> >> In my experience, environmental studies programs can weak in the hard >> >> sciences ... and you do need to know some physics and chemistry, >> >> certainly math (calculus, linear algebra, probability) and statistics >> >> (means and variances, t-tests, ANOVA, MANOVA, regression, multiple >> >> regression) and ... some real biology - get to know the ecology and >> >> systematics (and physiology) of at least one group very well, and it >> will >> >> serve as an inspiration and strength forever. >> >> >> >> >> >> Cheers, Tom >> >> >> >> >> >> Thomas J. Givnish >> >> Henry Allan Gleason Professor of Botany >> >> University of Wisconsin >> >> >> >> givn...@wisc.edu >> >> http://botany.wisc.edu/givnish/Givnish/Welcome.html >> >> >> >> On 04/07/15, Matt Smetana wrote: >> >>> Hey Everyone! >> >>> >> >>> My name is Matt Smetana, and Iâm a current sophomore at Brandeis >> >>> University out near >> >>> Boston. I have been subscribed to this listserve for a few months >> and >> >>> have been >> >>> applying to various summer internships within the >> ecological/biological >> >>> field. I am certain >> >>> this is the career path I want to take but am unclear of the skill >> set >> >>> required to be >> >>> successful in this field. >> >>> >> >>> My current degree is Environmental Studies, but I am also highly >> >>> interested in Ecology, >> >>> Wildlife Biology, and Forestry. I am most drawn to internships and >> jobs >> >>> pertaining to the >> >>> biological field but enjoy my course work and have a real passion >> for >> >>> the environment. >> >>> My question is, can I become a successful ecologist or wildlife >> >>> biologist with a degree in >> >>> environmental studies or must I switch my major in order to obtain >> the >> >>> necessary skills >> >>> for the career that I want. >> >>> >> >>> My main concern with choosing biology is that it inhibits me from >> taking >> >>> many desired >> >>> courses, studying abroad at a School for Field Studies programs, >> >>> participating in >> >>> independent research opportunities, and possessing an internship >> this >> >>> summer (I would >> >>> need to enroll in Chemistry this summer). >> >>> >> >>> I will have already taken all of the requirements for the biology >> degree >> >>> such as the >> >>> introductory courses, biology lab, one semester of general chemistry >> and >> >>> lab, and all >> >>> required electives. But I have not finished general chemistry, >> organic >> >>> chemistry, or >> >>> physics. As ecologists, do you think it is more important to go for >> the >> >>> biology degree or >> >>> stay with environmental studies and gain experience through >> research, >> >>> study abroad, >> >>> and internships? >> >>> >> >>> Any input would be very helpful and could potentially change the >> course >> >>> of my future! >> >>> >> >>> Best, >> >>> Matt Smetana >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Thomas J. Givnish >> >> Henry Allan Gleason Professor of Botany >> >> University of Wisconsin >> >> >> >> givn...@wisc.edu >> >> http://botany.wisc.edu/givnish/Givnish/Welcome.html >> >> >> > > > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum, PHD, REP > Environmental Studies Program > Green Mountain College > Poultney, Vermont > > âNothing is more priceless and worthy of preservation than the rich > array > of animal life with which our country has been blessed. It is a > many-faceted treasure, of value to scholars, scientists, and nature lovers > alike, and it forms a vital part of the heritage we all share as > Americans.â > -President Richard Nixon upon signing the Endangered Species Act of 1973 > into law. > > "Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - > Allan > Nation > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) > Wealth w/o work > Pleasure w/o conscience > Knowledge w/o character > Commerce w/o morality > Science w/o humanity > Worship w/o sacrifice > Politics w/o principle > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. >
