The World of Environmental Science
When you turn on the news and you hear that Australia is still on fire, sea levels are rising, or even that platypi are on the brink of extinction, you may think all hope is lost but environmental scientists all over the globe are tackling the world’s most extreme environmental issues. This is environmental science essay where the topic is discussed.
World problems such as climate change and overpopulation has driven the field of environmental science to expand employment 15% from 2012 to 2022 while public concern is growing. These scientists have an important job to use their knowledge in multiple fields to reclaim polluted land, protect the inhabitants of Earth’s health, and understand connections between the world and how organisms impact it. If a job that requires being a lifelong learner in natural science sounds interesting, here’s what is needed to know about environmental scientists.
Environmental science has a long history dating back to the 1800’s when people, such as George Perkins, began questioning the affect that people have on the environment. Ernst Haeckel originated the term Ecology, which is to study specific species, where they live, and how their environment affects them. During this time, preservation of the environment was also coming to view; the Smithsonian Institute was created in 1849, the first national parks were being established, and George Perkins wrote Man and Nature which apprised the public of their effect on the world around them. Then in 1962, Silent Spring was written by Rachel Carson which addressed the issue of using harmful pesticides that have a negative impact on the ecosystem. The 60’s and 70’s was also an influential time for environmental science.
Now, in this current decade, environmental science is a field which is becoming more popular as the general population has become far more alerted to the scarcity of resources on Earth. When looking into a career in environmental science, or any job, it is important to understand the future of the job. With each new day the importance of finding renewable sources and energy is growing, and the job market for environmental jobs is open. The jobs have projected growth of 8% (7,000 new positions) from 2018-2028. However, most careers will be in education and government positions. There are 10 main cities in the U.S. that have important industries in green careers: San Francisco, Houston, New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Denver, and Dallas are where to look for flourishing careers if protecting the environment is something you are passionate about.
Michael Kelleher has said, 'When considering education and career choices, think about the things you'll be doing on a daily basis. It's important that you do something you can be passionate about, something that fits your personality and interests. Something you like and are good at. Also, develop a skill set that is adaptable, one that can be applied to different aspects of your chosen field.' In an interview with an environmental scientist, Rob Tiedemann gave insight into the qualities of someone who chooses this particular career for life. Like most jobs, being an environmental scientist requires a bachelor’s degree for entry level (zoologists, environmental consultant, Etc.). To best suite this career a person should be agreeable, a good listener, know how to skillfully build relationships, and never stop learning. Tiedemann puts emphasis on the value of being a life-long learner. Science is always evolving and information that is available right now could very likely be out of date in 5 years. This job does not demand much physically besides being able to sit for long periods of time when working in fields or labs, speak clearly, focus, use hands, and have good eyesight. When studying for an environmental science job, it is best to go through the education process as long as possible.
The U.S. has 5 main schools that specialize in training for environmental science which is Stanford at #1, Yale #2, California Institute of Technology #3, Duke #4, and Brown #5. To get education paid for there are many scholarships offered nationwide and state specific, namely in Arizona there is the AZ Elk Society’s Academic Scholarship Program for $1,000. There is also the Honeywell Scholarship for STEM students for $10,000. There are many options for students in STEM programs, due to the fact that training for those four interdisciplinary subjects can be used in many fields. Environmental scientists get all their training in school, so there is no on the job training. In school it is valuable to the job to study chemistry, environmental health, environmental science, environmental studies, environmental engineering, and geological/ Earth sciences. They also have knowledge in many specific areas like math, government and law, clerical, customer service, biology, computers and electronics, physics, and geography.
An average PhD will cost $48,000 per year, which is the most expensive part of the career. This is considering if you wish to continue with education past a bachelor’s degree, which a master’s degree is needed to advance. However, beginning annual salary for environmental scientists is $71,130 in the U.S. Other than salary, one of the main benefits to this job is being able to work outside and travel. There are some precautions when working in this job that include being on site with toxic waste that can be detrimental to health, however, to fix polluted land, environmental scientists must be on site to come up with solutions.
What does an environmental scientist do for work? The term “environmental science” is vast and can be applied to hundreds of types of jobs. The principle job of environmental scientists is to study the environment and specialists can do other jobs such as focusing on lessening the depletion of the ozone layer, evaluate construction risks, and prevent environmental damages to Earth. These scientists usually work 40 hours, or longer hours when conducting field work. They collect data, brainstorm methods for research projects and plans of attacks, survey, collect samples of soil and water, and relay information to government officials that could possibly implement new laws or programs.
After learning of this career and what is needed for a person to enter this career, a person that is not dedicated to continuing in education should not consider this as a future job. Being an environmental scientist requires a person to study science, technology, engineering, and math and might not be best the best for a right brain dominated person, or someone who dislikes those subjects. The field is highly competitive, the most hardworking people will be the first to get jobs. The title of environmental scientist is a career for people dedicated to solving the issues that face the planet. There is a long history of environmental science that dates to the 1800’s, and the job market for it is only becoming more in need of workers.
In conclusion, to be a part this job a person should use the technical training for schooling and apply those multiple areas of study to life around them, they should be a well-rounded person, and remember to never stop learning.
