Botanist
By: Kayla Noe, 4th hour
"BOTANY, n. The science of vegetables—those that are not good to eat, as well as those that are. It deals largely with their flowers, which are commonly badly designed, inartistic in color, and ill-smelling."
~ Ambrose Bierce
Basic information
• Study new species discovered in the New World
• Minimal degree level required is a Professional/Doctoral Degree
• May work in management or administration
• May test foods and prescription drugs
• Work direct activities at zoos and botanical gardens
• Most specialize in a specific area of the life sciences
• Mostly conduct and record research
• Hours may vary depending where you work
• You should have accuracy and attention to detail
Pros and Cons
- You can work in a lab and also out side
- The salary is a good starting rate and you can earn more money the harder you work
- You could be exploring new, unknown plants
Cons:
- You could be exploring weird and disgusting plants
- You might not be able to work in the field or in a lab
- You may not be able to work in the direct field you want because you may need further training before a lab working job
What You Need to Succeed
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Biotechnology
- Calculus
- Advanced Chemistry, Statistics and Probability
College Courses:
- Applied Calculus
- Biochemistry
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Ecology
- Elementary Probability and Statistics
- Elements of Physics
- English Composition
- General Biology
- General Chemistry
- Genetics
- Organic Chemistry
- Plant Anatomy and Physiology
- Plant Ecology
- Systematic Botany
- Taxonomy of Vascular Plants
These courses would help you with excelling your understanding and help you get better jobs.
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Here there is a reasonable price to get into their program and the SAT and ACT scores are at a reasonable overall ranking.
Pros:
Cost is reasonable
Rooms on campus
SAT and ACT scores are not that high to get in
Cons:
Kind of far from family
A lot of classes required for degree
Higher scores for SAT and ACT
California State University - Long Beach
There are many classes to help you with getting a good degree, there is also a lot to do outside of classes. You will be able to have access to internet and computers on campus.
Pros:
On campus rooms
Computers and computer lab on campus
Computer network can be accessed from off campus
Cons:
4 - 5 years to get a bachelors degree
More expensive
Very far from family
Minnesota State University - Moorhead
You can take all the classes that you need to take to get a good degree and then get a good job. There is on campus housing and you can access the internet in your dorm room.
Pros:
Computer network access from off campus and in dorms
On campus housing
Most applicants excepted
Cons:
Kind of far from family
Kind of expensive
Higher SAT and ACT scores
Associations/Professional Organizations
Kearns, Kelly Conservation Biologist, GEF2 DNR CENTRAL OFFICE - Madison, (608) 267-5066, kelly.kearns@wisconsin.gov, DNR - http://dnr.wi.gov
Becky Zwadyk, (202) 942-9214, bzwadyk@asmusa.org, AMS Society - http://www.asm.org
Job Advertisement
Sources
"Botanist." Practical and SCIENTIFIC Careers. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.