Over-educated and Underfunded
Weird, wacky and wonderful stories and sketches from biologists in the field.
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!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
About the AuthorsThese stories come from several biologists working in the field around the globe. Archives
July 2020
Categories
All
|