When the environment is under attack, so is the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil we use to grow our crops. Environmental scientists investigate potential environmental threats and create plans to prevent and fix them. They investigate issues like mysterious frog deformities and death of livestock due to soil contamination. As experts in natural science, they have the responsibility to act both as environmental advisors and advocates to companies and governments.
The United States is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. We enjoy a variety of different ecosystems and benefit from their natural resources—but do you ever wonder what might happen if these resources were depleted? Conservation scientists fight to ensure this never happens. They work with landowners, governments and farmers to protect and preserve natural environments while finding new ways to improve them.
Feeding 8-billion people is no easy feat – and as the global population approaches this threshold, the demand for food and agricultural products only continues to increase. Agriculture technician support improved farm efficiency, productivity and sustainability by conducting experiments and coordinating the operation of farming fields. Agriculture technicians are problem solvers – they set up and maintain lab equipment, collect crop and/or animal samples, record data, research and analyze findings. To address the ongoing challenges both locally and globally, agricultural technicians’ ongoing research and implementation is critical.
Computational biologists use data and experimentation to construct models of complex biological systems and processes—all with the intent to make new discoveries about how living things function. These scientists identify and challenge assumptions, innovate and test solutions, changing the way we understand the world around us.
We live on a truly miraculous planet – the perfect combination of breathable air, liquid water and the only known home to living organisms. Biologists study Earth’s life in all its forms, from bacteria to horses and everything in between. They seek to understand how living things came to exist, how they function, what they do, and how they’re impacted by external factors. Because of biologists, we have a better understanding of the planet we call home.
Biological technicians are the glue that holds the lab together. Acting as assistants to scientists and biologists, they carry out a variety of tasks – preparing specimens, assisting with experiments and compiling data.
How can we grow crops that resist disease, withstand droughts or yield larger produce? Bioengineers solve issues like these by enhancing or augmenting biological processes. This may mean working to develop a transgenic papaya that resists the ringspot virus, a strain of cotton plant that is able to tolerate herbicides or a type of popcorn that produces more kernels. In this way, bioengineers help improve the productivity of crops used for food, fiber and fuel.
Did you know there are over 100 different types of soil and a large array of environmental factors that affect how productive these soils are? Agronomists are the soil doctors that study the relationship between soil and plant life, they work to improve soil quality and productivity, plant health, seed quality and the nutritional value of crops.
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