Member Scientists

I'm just curious: How many people here are scientists, and what do you study?

I'm a paleontologist. When I joined PI, I was in school for it. Then grad school. For two years, I did groundwater and soil remediation--basically, cleaning up old oil spills and military mess-ups. Then I moved out to California. For the past three years I've been doing Quaternary mammal work in the Great Basin and Los Angeles Valley.

I'm actually currently on a jobsite in the middle of nowhere. I'm living out of a hotel, and my office is a trailer next to an active mine (double explosion rocked it today, in fact). I spent ten hours today looking at medium-grained sand, looking for rat teeth. And I'm having the time of my life!

A dream of mine, when life slows down, is to write a book on post-cranial osteology of at least the Quaternary mammals, if not mammals as a whole. For the past three years the bane of my existence has been that mammology is essentially, as I put it, "Skulls and teeth". Makes sense, as those are the most plastic (in evolutionary terms) anatomical bits on a mammal. That said, we have better references for non-avian dinosaur post-cranial osteology than for mammals. We don't have non-avian dinosaurs anymore. In contrast, writing this book would require getting access to museum specimens! The fact that my field hasn't done this yet is unconcsionable, in my opinion. I get why; it's going to be hard, and teeth and skulls tell you a lot. Still, if I find an atlas I kinda want to know what it went to, you know?

Anyone else here a scientist? Anyone doing any fun research?

I'm a psychology major, so... soft scientist in training? lol

Wow I'm really glad to hear that you are doing what you want to do. Good for you!

Molecular Biologist. When I joined I was in undergrad getting my Molecular Biology and Microbiology degree. Now I have my MS in Biotechnology from Hopkins. I've worked in a variety of lab, done Pharmacogenomics, and more recently in infectious diseases (mostly HIV). I recently quit my job (stupidly?) because I couldn't take my boss anymore, now I'm on the hunt.

I hope you get the chance to write that book!

Gregoriouse The Great wrote:Wow I'm really glad to hear that you are doing what you want to do. Good for you!

Thanks. It's been one hell of a ride to get here, but worth it!

[quote=_-Scarlett-_] I recently quit my job (stupidly?) because I couldn't take my boss anymore, now I'm on the hunt.[/quote]Ouch. That's always rough. What are the job prospects of a microbiologist with an MS? All the biologists I know do mitigation (basically, keeping dozers from running over endangered species). After talking to them, I'm really hoping you don't end up doing that--too many people, not enough work, so they tend to get laid off pretty frequently.

Well I consider myself a scientist! With my RN I have an associates of science, was raised by a scientist and an engineer so I've always had that mindset. Being back in school to finish up my BSN (bachelors of science in nursing) I'm sure I'll have to take some more research courses. I'd love to do some research into hypermobility in children -- I'm hoping to go to PA school once I finish my BSN this year -- hopefully that will provide the opportunity to do work in a few medical studies concentrating on genetics and connective tissue disorders. Yay collagen

I have a BS in Computer Science.. does that make me a scientist?

_-Scarlett-_ wrote:Molecular Biologist.  When I joined I was in undergrad getting my Molecular Biology and Microbiology degree.  Now I have my MS in Biotechnology from Hopkins.  I've worked in a variety of lab, done Pharmacogenomics, and more recently in infectious diseases (mostly HIV).  I recently quit my job (stupidly?) because I couldn't take my boss anymore, now I'm on the hunt.

I hope you get the chance to write that book!

with that background I know for sure you could get a job teaching -- though not really in a position that would allow you to do research

Luckily I live in area lousy with biology jobs. I've actually already gotten 2 job offers, but I turned them down for different reasons. I would take any government job I could get, but I am trying to move into a more regulatory position. I'm still waiting to hear back about a job that helps companies develop their INDs. I have looked into teaching, but the ones I could find all wanted experience (in teaching, and I don't think Sunday school counts).

Nurses are kinda scientists, they certainly need to know a lot about the sciences.

Sorry Linayus, but computer scientists don't count (in my book)  Scientist is in the title, but playing on computers all day isn't the same.

BS Forensic Sci
BS Chemistry

I teach martial arts full time and dont use my degrees.

Comp Sci is heavily logic based; related to higher math, hardly "playing on computers".

I'm not a scientist, despite always having had a passion for it. Just wanted to pop in and say I've really loved reading your posts thusfar, and Dinwar that is incredibly interesting! I really would love hearing more from all of you and any other scientists on our site.