I have to agree with Judy. Spending time outdoors would have been beneficial for mental health if we were actually able to enjoy the nature. As a PhD student in plant ecology, I got to spend a lot of time in the forest during my field seasons. That time, however, primarily consisted of intense 10-12 hour field days (7 days/week, 6-8 weeks straight), full of physical labor and physical/mental exhaustion. The off-season months were spent mostly in-doors taking classes, writing grant proposals, working on manuscripts, etc.
--- Asya Robertshaw, PhD Pollination Ecologist Lafayette, IN On Nov 20, 2016 9:15 AM, "Judith S. Weis" <[email protected]> wrote: > That may be the case, David, but I can think of two factors that may alter > it: > 1. more and more ecologists spending all their time indoors in front of a > computer screen rather than in nature > 2. attitudes and pressures from dept. chairs/deans etc. who may value > molecular/cell biologists more highly because they bring in more money. > > Judy > > > There's an interesting article in the latest issue of Nature about > > mental health issues for scientists facing career pressures: > > > > http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v539/n7628/full/nj7628-319a.html > > > > I wonder whether ecologists, who may get to spend more time outside ("in > > nature"), are less susceptible to depression than researchers in other > > fields. > > > > -- > > Dr. David W. Inouye > > Professor Emeritus > > Department of Biology > > University of Maryland > > College Park, MD 20742-4415 > > [email protected] > > > > Principal Investigator > > Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory > > PO Box 519 > > Crested Butte, CO 81224 > > >
