Biologist

Biologists are Scientists who study life. As a Biologist, you are a curious researcher who answers questions about living things, their life processes and functions, and their relationship to the world that surrounds them. Your work advances human understanding and leads to breakthroughs in health and wellness.

A typical day will see every Biologist elbow-deep in lab work, performing tests, using microscopes, and experimenting with different hypotheses. Most Biologists specialize in both a specific area and a type of research. The combinations are even more varied than the topping options at your favorite pizza place. You can choose to focus your biological pursuits on animals, plants, microorganisms, saltwater marine life, freshwater marine life, chemistry, or physics. And those represent just a small sample of what working Biologists today are studying.

After you choose what area to focus your research on, you determine the goals of your work. For example, you might set your sights on finding ways to solve a problem, like developing a drug that can cure the common cold. Then you do applied research, usually for a private company. You might aim, for instance, to discover something unknown about the natural world, like how certain deep sea animals see predators in the dark. Then you conduct basic research, which usually happens in government or university laboratories.

To be able to do your experiments, of course you’ll need funding. Getting the money to test your thoughts is easier if you choose applied biology, but you have fewer options to explore findings outside the scope of your project. Basic biology research allows more flexibility, but you usually have to apply for grants to get monetary backing. And competition for grants can be stiff.

Whatever path you choose though, an inquisitive nature is essential for success.