Over-educated and Underfunded
Weird, wacky and wonderful stories and sketches from biologists in the field.
By Ariana LoehrLeadership in conservation biology is a topic that, while rather taboo, needs to be discussed. Thousands of young people are entering the extremely tight job market every year eager to make a difference, but are left at the whims of a select few individuals in leadership. As this new generation of environmentalists age, can they step up to the challenge of improving leadership in conservation? Or will they burnout even before they get there? This series is meant to open up frank and honest discussions on how to make our workplaces as enjoyable as the wildlife that we work with. “Ah they’re lazy”, ”they’re only driven by money”, ”they won’t last long in the field” are all microaggressions I’ve heard from several of my supervisors regarding their local staff, quickly followed by a stuttered “...besides Iliana she’s one of the good locals around” added in an attempt to save their ass. In all of these instances, my supervisors were not from the country or region in which we worked. They considered themselves highly educated and even politically liberal. After all, they were working to improve the environment, and that’s a good thing, right? But while most people working in conservation have an ultimate goal of doing good for the world, the way that we’re going about it sometimes seems like just another relic of our colonial history. Many conservationists forget that the roots of our industry lie far earlier than John Muir and Alfred Wallace. Long before the grandiose protected wildlife sanctuaries that drove indigenous communities from their lands, were Mayans and Orang Asli alike, regulating farming and industry to ensure that the land could be fruitful for years to come. Yet, when I think back on my environmental science education, we focused only on the words of white male conservationists that hailed from colonial powers in the 19th and 20th centuries. So why have only a select few voices been shared throughout our conservation education? I sat down with naturalist Emma Su and M.Sc. climate, society and economics candidate Ananya Iyer to find out. Both echoed the sentiment that colonialism in conservation had not been discussed in their education in the U.S. and U.K. Ananya shared that “the conversation is near non-existent in the UK. Most of my peers said they never learnt about it in school.” While Ananya’s education was split between the UK, Singapore, The Netherlands and India she mentioned that “In India we learned a lot about how the British helped us...I think celebrating the west prolongs the effects of colonialism. ” Unfortunately for those of us who grew up in the U.S. and U.K. the western ideal of conservation made up most of our education. "Local people are often portrayed as ignorant and in need of “teaching”, but there are many different systems of knowledge" Our textbooks seemed to have missed out thousands of years of indigenous groups managing the land just fine without the help of white men. Instead the idea of the “white savior” coming to fix all environmental woes, continues to be perpetuated. “Conservation groups tend to place blame on local people for the issues such as plastic pollution, shark fishing, or selling turtle eggs” states Emma Su. Often times, what local communities may see as a cultural norm, western conservationists see as a problem, “Local people are often portrayed as ignorant and in need of “teaching”, but there are many different systems of knowledge...local and indigenous people know so much more about their environment than you could ever learn at a university.” This knowledge allowed for humans and nature to thrive side by side using systems of agriculture that were integrated within the ecosystem. The need for isolated and separate places for wildlife only emerged to counter the western led mass production seen today. The way conservation projects are funded adds fuel to the colonial flame. Pay-to-work or volunteer schemes are too often seen as the main source of funding for conservation initiatives abroad. The high fee and lack of income prohibit many locals from joining such work. Conservation projects are typically found in rural communities that are already underserved, and “based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs if everyone’s basic physiological needs are not satisfied, they are unlikely to spend money on environmental conservation.” noted Ananya. Instead, the only people who can fill these roles come from wealthier western countries. "Conservation needs to be from and for marginalized communities and communities which bear the brunt of environmental degradation" Some may say that volunteering with or donating to environmental groups is the least we in the west can do, especially after destroying much of the land for our goods and food. Ananya thinks it all depends on the particular group, “I think it varies based on what work the organisation is doing. If they are helping countries that are poor, but by empowering their citizens and creating local solutions, I think donating to the organisation is good because it helps give these countries what was taken from them back.” Emma agrees stating “We all need to do research and demand change and accountability. That being said, I think everyone should donate their money directly to local organizations.” The key takeaway here being that as conservationists we need to empower local communities to act in their own best interest in terms of natural resources. Doing this will involve growing our trust in this knowledge and incorporating it into our own work going forward. Another way to push away from colonialism in conservation- seek out projects that put community leaders at the forefront. ”Leadership needs to come from the communities” Emma continues, “Conservation needs to be from and for marginalized communities and communities which bear the brunt of environmental degradation”. If you’re unsure about a particular project, ask yourself these questions: Does the makeup of the organization represent the makeup of the community? Are there any community members in leadership positions? Is there a clear effort to engage with the community through forums or events as opposed to lecturing at or about the community’s problems? By choosing where you direct your time or money you can exercise your voice. For those that are already working in an organization, look for where you can include more local voices. This may be through hiring locals regardless of their formal education, or creating a board comprised of local, indigenous and minority peoples to help advise on policy. Researchers can look through historical documents to even find who used to inhabit the land, and what flora and fauna used to live in the area. Several organizations that I’ve worked with have included blessings or ceremonies from native groups before working at your field site, ensured that employees had regular cultural and language trainings, or even changed their seed mixes to reflect how humans and wildlife had historically used the land. Emma Su has also seen great strides made towards cultural inclusion from the leadership in her workplace, “We are really making an effort to include Native Hawaiian culture into everything we do. My boss is Native Hawaiian and leads culture and language workshops for all incoming staff.” These efforts are still far from perfect, and cannot make up for years of colonial powers taking people away from their land, but it is a start. Going forward, we can pass on more inclusive definitions of conservation to those studying the topic in school. Hopefully in the near future, a community member running a conservation project is no longer a surprise, local knowledge is seen as worthwhile as a college degree, and microaggressions are totally a thing of the past. An additional note from Emma: “Money is power and funding systems to grassroots and local conservation groups is lacking. Almost all conservation problems stem from exploitation in the name of money. This is why I have been volunteering with Key Conservation, an app that is making funding more transparent and direct to the local grassroots sources” Do you know of any organizations that are working to decolonize conservation? What other issues with leadership have you seen in conservation? Let us know in the comments below or get in touch with us today!
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What happens when a group of students go hiking in the rainforest for the first time? Sometimes they find themselves in all sorts of predicaments.
Based off a true story provided by Carina Rees By Ariana LoehrLeadership in conservation biology is a topic that, while rather taboo, needs to be discussed. Thousands of young people are entering the extremely tight job market every year eager to make a difference, but are left at the whims of a select few individuals in leadership. As this new generation of environmentalists age, can they step up to the challenge of improving leadership in conservation? Or will they burnout even before they get there? This series is meant to open up frank and honest discussions on how to make our workplaces as enjoyable as the wildlife that we work with. Before the pandemic hit, whilst severely unemployed like most North American biologists during winter, I sat on my parent’s couch scrolling through job boards, linkedin and let’s be honest here, lots of social media. As I scrolled through various conservation related posts, two words kept popping up- “imposter syndrome”. Most of these posts were describing how rampant this issue is in the conservation world. I continued to question, what the hell was happening in conservation biology to cause this syndrome to be so prevalent? For those who may not be familiar, the term “imposter syndrome” was first coined by Suzanne Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970’s as a way to describe a high achieving individual who “persits in believing they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise”. Those who suffer from imposter syndrome often enter jobs or education feeling that they only got there by luck, and are really not bright enough to be there. This then encourages the individual to try harder to fit in, achieve more and continue to feel like they haven’t earned their keep. Many of the people I saw posting about their own experiences with this syndrome were young, less than 10 years into their careers in conservation biology. Why were so many young environmentalists, while very eager to make a difference in the world, feeling such a heavy weight of “not being good enough” in conservation? A young naturalist working in a popular national park, Sarah*, felt that the “high barriers to entry and low pay that can contribute to feeling undervalued”. Another young and energetic environmental education professional, Riley*, echoed the sentiment, “I feel undervalued... I’m expected to work for less than minimum wage, less than 10 pounds an hour, just for the opportunity to do something that I love. “When you are bouncing between low-paying temporary jobs it is difficult to see yourself as “successful” Sarah and Riley are the lucky ones in conservation. Both managed to secure paid internships after finishing their undergraduate degrees to help build their experience. They worked up to 16 hours a day in the field studying wildlife, then tackling logistics, contacting partners and managing budgets in the hour or two before falling asleep. All this at a pay more than 3 times lower than the U.S. federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. What’s worse is that these internships did not lead to higher paying positions. In conservation, as with many industries, companies try to keep the staffing costs low by maintaining a revolving door of hiring. On several occasions I’ve entered meetings, excited to share the huge updates of my projects, only to be told I’m “too expensive” to keep on the payroll. “When you are bouncing between low-paying temporary jobs it is difficult to see yourself as 'successful'" states Sarah. By the time many conservationists pay for the advanced degrees to end up in a stable job with a living wage, they’ve spent years battling this feeling of being undervalued. It's no surprise that many find it incredulous to finally get paid for work that they had been told for so many years wasn’t worth anything. It’s these early years of being undervalued that can lead to greater issues of imposter syndrome later on in an individual’s career. Feeling undervalued is not a personal problem. It’s a problem stemming from improper leadership. The leaders in conservation organizations are the people who have the power to make staff feel valued and important. They have the power to choose how much they pay their staff, which is one way to show their appreciation of their employee’s hard work. Another way to show appreciation to staff members is by listening to their ideas, and not taking it as a threat to your own job. The more safe and secure your staff feel, the more creative they will become. This creativity is detrimental for finding new solutions to conservation problems. It could help you expand your program, build partnerships or even provide more funding (look for Leadership in Conservation, vol. III coming soon!). Not only does this help your own financial issues, but it gives young conservationists the confidence needed to branch out and start their own projects. In the end, you will all have more mental capacity to focus on what you’re truly passionate about: protecting wildlife. *names have been changed. How have you dealt with imposter syndrome? What other issues with leadership have you seen in conservation? Let us know in the comments below or get in touch with us today!
There's been some debate amongst our readers about what equipment to bring into the field based on one of our recent posts. So we thought we'd asked a few biologists the question, "what is the most essential piece of equipment for a field biologist to have?", here's what they had to say: 1. "Good boots! You can only go as far as your footwear lets you!" -Vincent Diringer, Biology M.Sc. Candidate, France 2. "A big backpack so you can look and feel like Dora the Explorer" -Emma Su, Park Ranger, U.S.A. 3. "A good wet bag...especially in the tropics!! And like different sizes, one for the phone, or bigger ones for equipment" -Ananya Iyer, Sustainability M.Sc. Candidate, India 4. "Obviously insect repellent, everything else is secondary...and good leech proof shoes" -Sylvia Gan, Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Coordinator, Singapore 5. "A good waterproof headtorch so that you can catch frogs hands-free like a pro." -Connor Butler, Ecology Ph.D. Candidate, U.K. (check out his awesome frog photos on instagram @connor_the_ecologist) 6. "A backpack with a raincover, so that you can protect all your belongings. Oh! And a camera!" -Isabelle Ng, Marine Biology M.Sc. Candidate, Hong Kong (for more cool facts and pictures of marine life check out her instagram @biotography) 7. "A waterproof case for your phone, it's saved me thousands on having to buy new phones. And download the app SEEK for a quick field ID." -Ariana Loehr, Field Biologist, U.S.A. 8. "A big a** bottle of water to stay hydrated all day." -Sophie Webb, Field Biologist, U.K. 9. "A hiking stick that helps you keep your balance in rough terrain and doubles as a makeshift measuring stick in a pinch" -Adam Goh, Biology Teacher, Singapore 10. "An umbrella, and a good camera phone." -Charles Downing, Field Biologist, U.K. Is there anything not listed here that you think should be? Let us know in the comments below!
Sometimes you end up learning more about human behavior than the wildlife you're studying.
By Vincent DiringerBiology is a fairly broad section of science encompassing everything from the study of cells to cladistics as well as conservation and astronomy. Such a vast multitude of majors also entails a similarly large and varied array of pathways leading towards them. All Paths Lead to Biology is a series by the Broke Biologists delving into the stories of how biologists have arrived to where they are and what drives them. “I can never remember the moment that I chose biology, but I know I was always more into healthcare and clinical skills - I initially chose biology to enter the healthcare sector mostly because this is the only sensible choice,” the 24-year-old Texan pauses, “But in freshman year I was asked what I would do if I could do anything at all and I immediately thought ‘Wildlife biology!’ but I didn’t think it was possible, I thought of it as more of a hobby than a career option - but then that began to make me think.” Although unsure about whether altering her BA towards an ecological track would be worth it, Rachel Pringle took a leap of faith. Deciding to dive straight into biology, Rachel began exploring ways to gain more insights into a wildlife biology career. When it became clear that a move overseas might be the best option she jumped on the opportunity, “I liked the Netherlands ever since visiting it as a child, so decided to go back as a student. Leiden University had a course in animal behavior, it ticked two boxes so I decided to go for a semester abroad!” Although the semester would not count towards her BA in Biology, she believed that the trip would yield a lot more than just additional knowledge, and while she was there she would end up getting involved in research, “We were looking into neophobia, the fear of new things and novel objects in zebra finches and how birdsong correlates with it. It ended up being my first research experience and it was in a field I knew nothing about and using tools I’d never used.” Although the learning curve was steep, the opportunity was unique. Rachel and her research group would travel to Finland to present their research, and upon their return to the Netherlands, she was tasked with presenting it again in front of a group of thirty professionals, “In the end it was the best experience of my life, the entire thing was pretty mind-blowing.” Now armed with solid research experience and a better understanding of wildlife biology, Rachel had a somewhat clearer view of what her future would hold. “Ultimately I decided against pursuing animal behavior,” she laughs, “it was too intangible and unapplied, it was super interesting but you could never really see a palpable reaction. It was hard to see how your work was paying off. Too little reward for a lot of work, and I really wanted to make a palpable difference.” "It honestly keeps me up at night, I'm still unsure where to go." In a bid to explore other options and make the most of her time overseas, Rachel would move from the Netherlands to Scotland to study at the University of Strathclyde for a year, taking a variety of courses ranging from biodesign to prosthetics. Returning to the United States after a year and a half overseas, Rachel was happy to be back home, but knew that she would be back in Europe before long, “I knew I’d return to Leiden to do a Masters, the contrast between Texas and the Netherlands was immense, but it opened up my mind and changed me. The University took wildlife and biology research very seriously, it added some credence to my studies.” Now a Masters student specializing in Biodiversity and Sustainability, Rachel is still pursuing her interests but doesn’t know where they will take her in the future, “It honestly keeps me up at night, I’m still unsure where to go. I still really love biodesign and using it as a tool to find solutions through biology.” For now though, Rachel is researching the role of fungi in conservation, “Fungi have a huge role in biodesign and implications for sustainability! They have amazing properties yet remain one of the biggest mysteries in science. There is a huge gap of knowledge in mycology so they are kind of like aliens on earth…” she trails off before continuing, “I like it! You should feel excited about what you do or why would you invest time in it? ” Have you been researching something fascinating in biology? Want the world to know more about it? Drop us a message in the comments below!
By Vincent DiringerBiology is a fairly broad section of science encompassing everything from the study of cells to cladistics as well as conservation and astronomy. Such a vast multitude of majors also entails a similarly large and varied array of pathways leading towards them. All Paths Lead to Biology is a series by the Broke Biologists delving into the stories of how biologists have arrived to where they are and what drives them. All while she was growing up, Emilie Priou grew up wanting to work with wildlife, “I had two internships in zoos when I was in high-school, so I always kind of knew what I wanted to do,” While the French national was unsure as to where her interests would take her, she was certain that biology would be her calling card in the future, “I remember seeing a documentary teaser for a woman doing a wildlife show in Brazil and I just thought it was a dream job, you get to travel, educate people about nature and provide them information on how to protect it - and you get paid for it! It really was my dream job.” However, Emilie’s scientific journey was about to be confronted by France’s rigid academic structure. The education system in France is such that you must graduate high-school with a specialty out of Science, Socio-Economics, or Literature - and while the choices are scarce, they are also binding. Once you have graduated with a high-school diploma in one specialty, your tertiary options are confined to that track and are very subtly nudged towards France’s four main career lines: medicine and engineering (Science), business (Socio-Economics), and law (Literature). The apparent focus on medicine coaxed Emilie away from the Science track, opting instead for the Socio-Economic specialty, realizing only after graduation that most doors to a biology degree in France had been inadvertently closed by her decision. “They asked us too early for us to choose a specialization, had they asked a year later I’d have chosen the science track - I was stuck.” Facing a complicated tertiary path and still unsure about what she wanted to do, Emilie decided to take a gap year to help sharpen her focus “Don’t be scared of challenges...It's when you’re out of your comfort zone that you learn the most!” This led to the budding biologist accepting a six-month engagement with Sun Bear Outreach that was split between advocacy and communications in France, and field experiences in Indonesia. The time spent working with this rehabilitation and conservation center for sun bears would serve as her first exposure to the Wildlife conservation sector, and one that left a lasting impression, “It was hard work. I was only eighteen at the time and I learned so much and just grew a lot.” From then on Emilie started looking at options to pursue a wildlife or ecology-related degree in France but after finding very little on offer domestically, shifted her focus overseas, eventually being accepted at Liverpool John Moores University. As an undergraduate student, she found herself yearning for more experience in the field and soon chose to pursue internship positions in Malaysia at the Lang Tengah Turtle Watch as well as CorSeaCare in the Mediterranean. The current pandemic meant that the 21-year old had to finish her Bachelor’s back home in France, but also enabled her to start a new project, “Its called Conservation Journey. I wanted to use my experiences to help people who wanted to study in this field and are a bit lost. I want to inspire, inform, and unite - to have a positive impact on people.” Graduating in 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Conservation, the newly accredited biologist is seeking to pursue a Masters in Environmental Law while working on documentary filmmaking and learning about the wildlife trade. “Don’t be scared of challenges. If there is an opportunity you’re scared of but excited about, then that’s the best opportunity you can take. It's when you’re out of your comfort zone that you learn the most!” By Vincent DiringerBiology is a fairly broad section of science encompassing everything from the study of cells to cladistics as well as conservation and astronomy. Such a vast multitude of majors also entails a similarly large and varied array of pathways leading towards them. All Paths Lead to Biology is a series by the Broke Biologists delving into the stories of how biologists have arrived to where they are and what drives them. “When I was 4 I wrote down in less than legible writing that I wanted to be either a footballer or a zookeeper,” recalls Josh Porter, “Technically you could say I’m both.” The 27-year old Mancunian is a Conservation Officer for Cempedak Island in Indonesia and has been involved in environmental work in the region since 2017. Far from the United Kingdom where his biology path started, Josh is more than happy to explain his journey, “The first step was beetles in my grandparents’ house in Northern Ireland, I’d manically collect them in jam jars. It really was a manic obsession. I was hoarding bugs and hiding them from my family. The second was Chester Zoo. It was right on my doorstep and I have ADHD and my mum needed to tire me out, so she’d let me run around like a crazy toddler three times a week for years." "I had one of those typical London-breakdowns...I found a summer position working in Costa Rica as a community manager that was more about giving back and it really helped change my perspective.” He was hooked. As Josh got older, his fascination for the natural world grew and peaked when he discovered David Attenborough’s documentaries after which he decided that he’d do his best to emulate Sir David’s career. To start things off, the budding biologist went to Cardiff University to do a Bachelor’s in Zoology which unfortunately didn’t live up to Josh’s expectations, “Instead of being like David I was wearing a lab coat and surrounded by petri dishes.” It would be a short-term affair, with the Englishman deciding to switch universities and majors to give him an opportunity to do more outdoor work and an easier path to graduation. Eventually earning a BSc in Geography from Manchester University, Josh found it hard to integrate the workforce, bouncing around between odd jobs before becoming a sales executive for a major company. “I had a company car, a wage, an apartment in London…” he continues, “After two years I had one of those typical London-breakdowns. I wasn’t passionate about sales and it was affecting my life so I decided I needed a change. I found a summer position working in Costa Rica as a community manager that was more about giving back and it really helped change my perspective.” The complete 180 reignited Josh’s love for the outdoors and his desire to work within the natural world, and after his stint in Costa Rica he accepted a position as a geographer in Singapore. His new position enabled him to work all across South East Asia, developing his knowledge and forming a network, which eventually landed him an opportunity to join the Nikoi Island Resort Group as a Guest Relations Officer on Cempedak. Recognizing the potential the position held, Josh called it quits on his Singapore experience and packed his bags to move onto the idyllic Indonesian island. “The position gave me way more time to pursue my own interests, I spent my free time learning more about nature and the local environment, and I just worked my way into becoming the island’s Conservation Officer.” Now spending his free time playing football with staff and making informative science videos on YouTube, Josh reflects on his path, “ No chance I would have this job without being in the region or working on my interests. Sometimes you just need to move and take a chance, you can always work your way towards a better position within a company.” Have an interesting path into biology yourself? Give us a shout in the comments at the end of the page, we'd love to share your story! Also make sure to check out Josh's video below! |
About the AuthorsThese stories come from several biologists working in the field around the globe. Archives
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