Careers in Life Science
There is a wide variety of different specialized fields in the biological
sciences, and the list is growing rapidly. You can choose to work with a
particular type or group of organisms, such as birds, viruses, or trees.
You can work with a particular system within an organism, such as cells,
tissues, or whole organs. You can focus on the interaction between organisms
and their environment in a particular area, such as the ocean, desert, or
forest. Or you could focus on the chemical, physical, or medical aspects
of living things.
Although many life scientists are primarily involved in research and
development, and work in the laboratory or field, you may decide you want
to work in another area within the science. There are many jobs available
in such areas as management, administration, service work, sales, teaching,
financial support, legal support, writing, illustrating, or photography.
You do not have to work in a laboratory for scientific training or thinking
to be useful. Some life scientists are employed by zoos, museums, aquariums,
botanical gardens, schools, libraries, farms, health clubs, parks, the government,
and research foundations.
The following is a small sample of some of the different fields and jobs
available in biology.
Agronomist
Agronomists work to improve the quality and production of field crops.
They apply scientific methods to develop new growing methods and to make
crops more resistant to diseases and pests. They also plan and conduct experiments
that relate to the planting, cultivating, and harvesting of crops.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Agronomy
677 South Segoe Road
Madison, WI 53711
Anatomist
Anatomists study the form and structure of animal bodies. They determine
the ability of animal bodies to regenerate destroyed or injured parts, and
investigate the possibility of transplanting whole organs or tissues fragments,
such as skin.
For Additional Information:
American Association of
Anatomists
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Animal Scientist
Animal scientists conduct research in selecting, breeding, feeding, managing,
and marketing of domesticated animals.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Animal Science
309 West Clark Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Biochemist
Biochemists specialize in the chemical composition and behavior of living
things. Their work is vital for understanding of reproduction, growth, and
heredity. Biochemists may investigate such things as causes and cures of
diseases, or transferring characteristics of one kind of plant to another.
Some study the effects of food, hormones, or other substances on various
organisms.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Biomedical Engineer
Biomedical engineers research and develop new ways to help people who
are handicapped because of the malfunction of some organ of the body. Biomedical
engineers have created such devices as artificial hearts, kidneys, limbs,
and joints.
For Additional Information:
Biomedical
Engineering Society
P.O. Box 2399
Culver City, CA 90230
Biophysicist
Biophysicists study the physical principles within living cells and organisms.
These scientists specialize in such things as how the eye converts the energy
of light into a signal to the brain, how plant or animals respond to gravity,
and how radiation affects living matter.
For Additional Information:
Biophysical Society
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Botanist
Botanists study plants and the environment. Some study all aspects of
plant life, while others specialize in areas such as identification and
classification of plants, the structure of plants, or the causes and cures
of plant diseases.
For Additional Information:
American Society
of Horticultural Science
701 North Asaph Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Developmental Biologist
Developmental biologists study the development of an animal from a fertilized
egg through the hatching process or birth. They also study causes of healthy
and abnormal development.
For Additional Information:
Society for
Developmental Biology
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Ecologist
Ecologists study the relationship between organisms and their environment.
They particularly look at the effects of such things as soil conservation,
pollutants, rainfall, temperature, or altitude on all the organisms in an
environment.
For Additional Information:
American Institute of Biological Sciences
1401 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists study the patterns of disease within a population. They
are also concerned with determining how diseases are caused and how they
spread.
For Additional Information:
Assn. for
Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
1016 Sixteenth St, NW
Sixth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
Food Scientist
Food scientists study the chemical, physical, and biological nature of
food to learn how to safely produce, preserve, package, distribute, and
store it. They also work to make food nutritious, flavorful, and wholesome.
For Additional Information:
Institute of Food
Technologies
221 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2120
Chicago, IL 60601
Forester
Foresters manage, develop, and protect forest areas and their resources.
Foresters map forest areas, estimate timber amounts, calculate future forest
growth, and manage timber sales. They determine which areas need special
care or treatment, such as reseeding. They also help protect trees from
fire, disease, and harmful insects.
For Additional Information:
Society of American Foresters
5400 Grosvenor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814-2198
Geneticist
Geneticists study the process of inheritance. They perform experiments
to determine what causes different traits and inherited disorders, and investigate
how these traits are passed on from one generation to the next. They may
also devise methods for altering or producing new traits.
For Additional Information:
Genetics Society
of America
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Horticulturist
Horticulturists work with orchard and garden plants such as fruit and
nut trees, vegetables, and flowers. They try to improve plant culture methods
for communities, homes, parks, and other areas, as well as for increasing
crop quality and yields.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Horticultural Science
701 North Asaph Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Immunologist
Immunologists study the way in which the body protects itself against
foreign invaders such as parasites, viruses, and replacement organs. These
scientists research ways to develop vaccines to protect against disease
and medicines to cure or prevent allergic reactions. They also investigate
ways to help control reactions to blood transfusions and transplants.
For Additional Information:
American Association of Immunologists
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Marine Biologist
Marine biologists study the development, function, and environment of
plant and animal life in the ocean. They investigate such things as how
to improve and control fishing and determine the effects of pollution on
marine life. They also may search for new food and drug sources from the
ocean and experiment to find ways of raising crops in underwater farms.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
Great Lakes Research Division
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Medical Illustrator
Medical illustrators specialize in drawing parts of the human body. Their
work is used in medical textbooks and other publications, for research purposes,
and in lectures and other presentations.
For Additional Information:
Association of Medical Illustrators
1819 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 620
Atlanta, Georgia 30309 U.S.A.
Medical Laboratory Technician
Medical laboratory technicians perform tests in medical laboratories
and hospitals. They prepare tissue samples and perform laboratory tests
to screen for the presence of disease and to help diagnose medical problems.
For Additional Information:
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 1301
Bethesda, MD 20814
Microbiologist
Microbiologists investigate microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses,
algae, yeasts, and molds. These scientists try to discover how these organisms
affect animals, plants, and the environment. Some microbiologists specialize
in medicine or agriculture, while others focus on particular organisms.
For Additional Information:
American Society for Microbiology
1913 I Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Mycologist
Mycologists perform experiments on fungi to discover those which may
be harmful to humans or are useful to medicine, agriculture, and industry
for the development of drugs, medicines, molds, and yeasts.
For Additional Information:
The Mycological Society of
America
Department of Botany
University of Toronto, Erindale Campus
Mississuaga, Ontario L5L IC6, Canada
Nutritionist
Nutritionists counsel individuals or groups on sound nutritional practices
to maintain and improve health. They may develop special diets, plan and
prepare meals, and budget and purchase food. They may also be responsible
for the nutritional aspects of preventive health and medical care services.
For Additional Information:
American Dietetic Association
216 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995
Paleontologist
Paleontologists study the fossil remains of plants and animals. These
scientists look for evidence of change in the plants and animals to trace
the evolution and development of past life. They use fossils to reconstruct
prehistoric environments and geography, as well as to make models of animals
that have become extinct, such as dinosaurs.
For Additional Information:
Palentology Research Institute
1259 Trumansberg Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Pathologist
Pathologists study the nature, cause, and development of diseases and
the changes to animals and plants caused by the diseases. They make diagnoses
from body tissues, fluids, and other specimens. And they perform autopsies
to determine the nature and extent of disease as well as the cause of death.
For Additional Information:
American Society of Clinical Pathologists
2100 W. Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60612-3798
Pharmacologist
Pharmacologists develop new or improved drugs or medicines. They also
conduct tests to determine the effect of drugs and their possible shortcomings
or undesirable side effects. Some pharmacologists work with other doctors
to study how disease can alter the effects of drugs.
For Additional Information:
American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814
Physiologist
Physiologists study the functions of plants and animals under normal
and abnormal conditions. These scientists are concerned with questions such
as: What makes a plant or animal grow? What regulates the rate at which
they grow? How is food digested? Why do we need blood? And how do plants
breathe? They perform experiments to determine the effects of internal and
external environmental factors on life processes.
For Additional Information:
American Physiological Society
9650 Rockville Pike,
Bethesda, MD 20814
Science Teacher
Science teachers help students learn about different aspects of science.
Some science teachers work in elementary schools; others work in middle
schools, high schools, colleges, and universities. Some may teach only a
particular topic, such as cell biology or anatomy, while others cover many
different topics in their classrooms or laboratories.
For Additional Information:
National Science Teachers Association
1840 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
Science Writer
Science writers write about scientific issues, new information, or trends
for newspapers, magazines, books, television, and radio. Some science writers
specialize in a particular topic, such as medicine or environmental issues,
while others cover many different topics. An important part of science writing
is making technical information clear and understandable.
For Additional Information:
National Association of Science Writers
P.O. Box 294
Greenlawn, NY 11740
Zoologist
Zoologists study the origin, behavior, diseases, and life processes of
animals. Some work with live animals, while others dissect dead animals
to study the structure of their parts. There are several different branches
of zoology, classified by the animal group studied, including ornithology
(birds), entomology (insects), mammalogy (mammals), herpetology (reptiles),
and ichthyology (fish).
For Additional Information:
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611-4267
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