Seminar 1: So you think you want to become a Biologist?
Summary:- The aim of this seminar
is to introduce first year students to second and third year students
who are taking biology units. A member of staff discusses what it
means to be a biologist or life scientist; what areas of work are
available; what degree pathways to becoming a biologist can be taken
and information on volunteering. Then a small group of students
talk about what units they are taking or have taken and why, and
especially what gives them a 'buzz'.
What is a biologist or life scientist?
Someone who works on:
- Whole organisms
- Cells and systems
- Molecules and genes
Someone who will become a(n):
- Ecologist; environmentalist; marine scientist
- Biotechnologist; physiologist; geneticist; immunologist etc
What kind of areas can I work in?
APPLIED BIOLOGY:
- crop development, pest control, parasitology, fisheries biology
- land & resource management, environmental impact studies,
water management
RESEARCH:
- institutes, private companies
- medical, agriculture, environmental
EDUCATION:
- primary, secondary or tertiary teaching
- environmental education, ecotourism
- museums, zoos, wildlife parks, aquaria
COMMUNITY
- government policy, government committees
- local government, tourism, small business
How do I get to be a biologist or life scientist?
By completing a(n):
- Undergraduate degree
- Honours degree
- Postgraduate qualification
Requirements of degrees
Undergraduate degree:
- need to major in an appropriate discipline area
- e.g. animal physiology; biotechnology; cell biology; DNA
technology; ecology; marine science; etc
More
Information
- need to fulfil requirements for a
degree program
- eg. BSc; BSc (Advanced); BSc (Bioinformatics); BSc (Environmental);
BSc (Biotechnology) etc.
More
Information
Honours degree:
- specialise in one area within the discipline - more in Seminar
2
Postgraduate qualification:
- MSc; PhD - more in Seminar 3
- Meet people and exchange ideas; make
contacts for future employment; get
experience and ideas
- Work in research labs; National Parks
and Wildlife Service; Taronga Zoo; Australian
Museum; Environmental Protection Agency
- Have FUN!
Listen to students talking about their
experiences
In order to listen
to these sound files, the Macromedia Flash
Player must be installed on your computer.
To download the latest Flash player please
go to: http://www.macromedia.com/downloads/.
Some of these sound files were recorded
at low volume, so please ensure that the
volume level is set at medium to high.
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Sarah talks about how she decided
on her personal pathway. She is
a Senior Undergraduate student.
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(494 Kb)
streamed
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James discusses his personal pathway
and the type of subjects he chose.
He is a Senior Undergraduate student.
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(1.20 Mb)
streamed
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Bronya discusses her experiences
as an undergraduate, including subjects
she took and what she learned from
them. She is a Senior Undergraduate
student
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(1.04 Mb)
streamed
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Related Links
Second
and Third Year Course Information
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