Becoming an Ecologist : Career Pathways in Science / John A. Wiens.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wiens, John A., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ecology--Vocational guidance.

Ecology.

Ecologists.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (277 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

Career pathways in science

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, [2024]

Summary:

John A. Wiens traces his journeys through several subfields of ecology--and, in so doing, gives readers an inside look at how science actually works.

"This book examines how the pathways an ecologist follows in charting a career can be directed by various factors: one's interests, opportunities that arise, the culture of a science, the influence of key people, life's practicalities, and serendipity. It illustrates why ecologists ask the questions they do and what they do when the answers are not what they expected. It shows how the process of science actually works. John Wiens's aim in this book is to convey the excitement of doing ecology by telling a story about his own development as an ornithologist, community ecologist, landscape ecologist, and conservation scientist. His journey along a branching network of pathways will encourage others that it's possible to follow one's interests and passion for the natural world to become an ecologist. Even more important, there are multiple pathways to be followed, providing avenues for people with diverse interests and backgrounds to chart their own journeys. Ecology will be richer for it"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Intro

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Charting Pathways

1. In the Beginning: Emerging of Interests

2. Molding of Interests

3. Starting on the Pathway to Becoming a Scientist

4. Defining a Pathway

5. Beginning an Academic Career

6. Expanding My View of Grassland Birds

7. Extending the Pathway: The International Biological Program

8. Scrambling for an Explanation: Climatic Instability and Ecological Crunches

9. Detouring to Another Pathway: Modeling Bird Bioenergetics

10. Moving from Grasslands to the Arid Shrubsteppe

11. Challenging the Paradigm

12. Changing Places: Pathways and Practicalities

13. Testing the Paradigm: Are Australian Bird Communities Different?

14. Shifting Directions in the Shrubsteppe

15. Finding Things Out: Field Experiments in the Shrubsteppe

16. Becoming a Landscape Ecologist

17. Dealing with Scale

18. Following the Landscape Ecology Pathway

19. Traveling Along Pathways with Students

20. Pulled onto a Seabird Pathway

21. Dealing with Advocacy: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

22. Shifting Pathways to Conservation

23. Bolstering Conservation Science in the Nature Conservancy

24. Doing Conservation Science

25. Writing into Retirement

Conclusions: What Are the Lessons for Today's Aspiring Ecologists?

Appendix: Scientific Names of Species Mentioned in Text

Notes

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 253-260) and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Wiens, John A. Becoming an ecologist

ISBN:

9780231562041

0231562047

OCLC:

1472980802