Ever wondered how DNA was discovered? That was the work of a molecular and cellular biologist! These scientists study cells’ interaction and their diverse functionality to discover what fuels and sustains life. Their research is applied across many areas—including genetically engineering new crops, applying DNA-based technology for animal breeding, addressing environmental health and so much more.
Centuries ago, ears of corn were less than an inch long and only produced about ten hard kernels that tasted like dry, raw potatoes. The corn we grow and eat today is 100 times larger, with about 800 sweet and juicy kernels. The evolution from a tiny, tasteless crop to a flavorful food staple is the work of plant geneticists. By selectively breeding crops based on desirable qualities – such as yield, flavor, size and nutrient value – plant geneticists improve and create new varieties of crops and plants.
Plant pathologists evaluate plant species from both a micro and macro level to determine pathogens affecting the life and production of the plant. This career is vital for the innovation of plant growth and production practices that protect individual plants and are environmental safe and effective.
The average grocery store carries over 47,000 products – that’s a lot of food and a lot of choices for shoppers. Production Food Development Specialists are responsible for creating new food strategies and products that will appeal to consumers. They oversee the entire product development process, from conducting market research and trends, to product testing, packaging and marketing. They are innovators and team players, collaborating across many cross-functional teams and groups.
Not all formulas are created equal—formulation requires a blend of both art and science. Formulation chemists study substances that do not react with each other—but have advantageous effects as a mixture; examples include pesticides, fertilizers, paints, cosmetics, etc. These scientists are curious about not only how a formula can be improved chemically, but how it can better serve both farmers’ and consumers’ evolving needs.
Consulted your GPS the last time you took a trip? Geospatial analytic scientists use this technology daily to develop advanced methods and products that interpret environmental data like moisture, terrain features and climatic conditions to automate farming processes. This emerging technological approach is the future of modern farming.
The number one cause of crop loss is fungi. Preventing crop loss is critical to our food supply, the food supply of production animals and our economy – which is why fungicide chemists are critical to farm production. Fungicide chemists formulate fungicides that prevent and kill harmful fungal parasites and diseases that pose a threat to crops and plants. They study chemical compounds to identify toxins that manage fungi and won’t harm plants, while adhering to environmental regulations.
The best websites are like sports cars – combining beautiful design with power under the hood. Most of the time, the mechanics who build the engine aren’t the same ones who craft the exterior, but in the world of web development, that’s exactly what full stack developers do. These experts are highly skilled in both front-end and back-end web development – designing the visible parts of websites while simultaneously constructing the behind-the-scenes infrastructure.
The human tongue has over 10,000 taste buds and flavor technologists want to appeal to them all! They’re responsible for formulating the flavorings that go into food, drinks and even pet products. Combining scientific and analytical tools with creativity, flavor technologists blend flavor chemicals and extracts to create flavorings and flavor profiles. They may enhance natural flavors, create new flavors, replicate existing flavors or mask unpleasant flavors.
Ever peeked inside a laptop or cell phone and wondered how it was created? It was likely the work of a computer hardware engineer. Using design methods, problem-solving and logic skills, computer hardware engineers build computer systems and their related components. From processors to memory devices, 3-D printers to self-driving combines, computer hardware engineers shape the future of computer technology.
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