July 21, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR KATHERINE DRENNON IN KY
Environmental sciences extend into several fields of biology, from ecology to toxicology, and is very open for one who knows what they are looking for. I am involved in aquaculture right now, trying to develop models to study catfish and trout growth and development. Through this I am working to help preserve fish stocks which are overfished for sport and food purposes. I am also looking at how pollutants are effecting these fish, so that we are better able to understand why these and other similar fish may not thrive on their own. So, by looking at one small aspect of something, growth, I am able see effects on a much larger. I would suggest you do the same. Find something that interests you, and run with it.
Let me give you another example. I recently visited Dollywood and saw their efforts to preserve and restore the bald eagle populations. Something that one might study on a similar creature (since you cannot conduct studies on endagered species themselves, but on animals whose physiology is similar) is eggshell thickness. Environmental pollutants cause eggshells to be formed too thin, thus causing the shell to crack early and the embryo inside to be damaged or killed. One would look to the mother bird to see what processes are involved that create the shell, and what environmental factors effect those processes. Once that is known, one could look at ways to counteract the effects that cause the thinning eggshells, thus helping to stabilize the reproductive capability of the species.
Like I said, find something that interests you, some animal or plant you find fascinating, and find something about that animal or plant that sparks your interest. Contact someone who is studying the species or similar species, and talk to them. Research is more fun when you like the thing your are looking at.