How can my passion for science play out in a career?
I am a junior at Boston Collegiate and I am extremely curious about the field of science, especially when it bubbles down to the bonds and atoms. Knowing how things in the world work, down to the finest detail, has always made me interested in the field of science, specifically with environmental science or chemistry. I also love working in labs and handling chemicals with tedious steps. I want to make a career out of this curiosity, but I don't know how to go about this. What kind of degree do I need? What kind of job can I get? What does a day with this job look like? #science #chemistry #environmental #nature #lab
3 answers
Ryan Bonaparte
Ryan’s Answer
It's great that you have such a strong interest this early on. Many people spend a lot of time trying to decide what they love and then have to figure out what to do with it.
For you, there are a lot of opportunities available. The first one that comes to mind is follow the path of attending a college with a strong science/chemistry program. There, you will learn some of the fundamentals of chemistry and where it can apply. Going all the way to get a PhD will set you up for becoming a leading voice in research, but it's not necessary to make a large impact.
Some of the career choices for chemists include working in industry, academia, government research, and consulting for companies in any of these areas. There are so many areas of the world that are affected by chemistry, from developing new chemical formulas and materials to understanding some of the key questions surrounding ancient civilizations to coming up with the next big thing in the makeup industry. Really, chemistry as you know, focuses on understanding chemical reactions at the atomic level, so that's applicable pretty much anywhere.
Good luck, and be sure to ask lots of questions along the way!
Jimmy’s Answer
As you can imagine you can go in many directions. If you decide to go research institution for university, definitely takes as many possible "fun" courses that catch your eye. When you dapple and find what really excites you, you can tend specialize . For example.. if you like biochemistry.. and want to discover new treatments to fight diseases. Or maybe u can find a sustainable alternatives to plastics that can be formulate in the lab via biochemistry.
There are so many minds doing wonderful things from Biofuels, Biobatteries, and other new gen technologies that have yet to be discovered. And many times if you are bright mind in science u will attract likeminded investors even while you are still studying university.
I really encourage you to try as many cool things as possible and see what you find the most interesting or makes you excited.
Alicia’s Answer
Majoring in Chemistry and having a minor in environmental science or biology would give you a good background and can set you up well to go into research later on. It will be intense though. I got a 2 year degree in Clinical Laboratory Science which allowed me to work in a reference laboratory or hospital lab as a Clinical/Medical Lab Technician. The 4 year degree will look better and hold the title of Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technologist/Scientist. Both titles have the same job functions its just that the 4 year places you in the position to manage others. However we do not handle chemicals on a regular basis, mainly bodily fluids and whatever reagents or chemicals needed for testing. I have worked in Hematology, Coagulation, Urinalysis, Blood Banking, Immunology/Serology, Chemistry, and Microbiology. The analyzers do most of the work but we learn to interpret the values and adjust the method of testing if needed. This is just the basic idea of it. There are certifications for it and programs dedicated to Laboratory science, but if you have a science background and the right experience you can sit for the exam later on.