Haley Nate

4/19/2016
ENG 1010
Project 3 Career Interview

Growing up I have always had a fascination with animals, specifically cats big and small.
As a child I kept myself surrounded with Zoo Books and Ranger Rick magazines. I also engrossed
myself in anything Animal Planet had to offer. Back in the 90s Animal Planets content was
strictly about animals with shows hosted by Steve Irwin and Jeff Corwin. This fueled a fire that
dimmed as I grew older, but thankfully never died. I kept the flame alive by attending zoos
frequently and keeping up to date on conservation efforts for Siberian tigers and cheetahs. After
high school, I always assumed I would be endowed, like my parents, when it came to a career. I
was always taught that if you work hard, you will reap what you sow. After sowing for years and
reaping nothing, I knew something needed to change. I began asking myself what careers could
allow me to contribute to the things I value, a question which brought me back to my childhood
obsession, big cats. My newfound effort to contribute to the conservation of these beautiful
animals is the culmination of years of love and a desire to help our planet.
At the beginning, my preconceptions of a career like zoology were limited. I know I want
more than anything to protect the animals Ive known and loved most of my life on the front
lines. Obviously research would be involved, and whether it be in the field across the world or at
a stateside reserve or at a zoo, it is an exciting prospect to be a part of it. Keeping clean is
something I definitely do not expect to do. Wild cats are definitely not house cats, and although
they may groom themselves in almost the exact same way, they are also capable of making bigger
messes. Along with bigger messes, it is clear a wild cat has larger weapons. This job has a great
potential to be dangerous, which is why hands on training is just as important as learning how to
conduct research.

So where exactly does one begin training to become a zoologist for big cats? My original
plan of educational training was to attend the University of Utahs wildlife conservation program.
The wildlife conservation program mainly consists of chemistry and math courses; although
strangely they do not offer a single zoology course. This does not completely botch the goal of
working hands on with animals, and it can still be achieved with this degree from the University
of Utah. At my current part-time job, a colleague of mine obtained the exact same degree from
the University of Utah and she is currently working at Utahs Hogle Zoo with the primates and
lions. I do feel like it is important to recognize your abilities, especially if you are investing a lot
of money into an education such as this. I could not confidently commit to such extensive
chemistry courses without a guarantee of getting what I really wanted in the first place; working
hands on with the animals. I need my degree to be more specific for my desired career.
With the help of my advisor, that plan has since been changed to me transferring down to
Utah Valley University and getting my bachelors degree in their biology program. Their program
includes a large number of zoology courses I can participate in to actually get the training I need.
An example is animal behavior, which will be important to know so I can keep myself and the
animals safe while working directly with them. Another important zoology course Utah Valley
University offers is pathophysiology; to help gain a better understanding of the diseases that can
affect the species I plan to study. With the biology program offered at Utah Valley University my
zoology degree can be more specific, so I can specialize and work directly with big cats.
If your dream is to conduct your own independent research, this can be achieved with a
PhD in either wildlife conservation or zoology. With a PhD, you are instantly qualified for more
job opportunities with a higher pay rate. More importantly, you would be able to choose how you
would like to make an impact by being the leader of a research study funded through scientific
grants. Keep this in mind, as it all comes down to how exactly you want to be contributing.
Career-wise, these may fall under the same job like it did for my colleague. While Im sure this

could be possibly in many cases, there is still a difference between zoology and wildlife
conservation. Both professions obviously consist of conducting scientific research but they begin
to differ when it comes down to subject matter that is being researched. According to Bureau of
Labor Statistics, conservationists primarily study the land or ecosystems; such as forests, soil and
the animals that take residence within them. Zoologists focus is more directed towards the
specific animals within the ecosystem.
Since zoology is not as popular of a profession as most careers with about 21,300 jobs
available in 2014 and only a 4% growth expectancy until 2024. I think it goes without saying that
jobs specific for big cats are a small fraction of that statistic, making it more difficult to find a
job. Due to this, hands on experience from internships and volunteer work is a must to get
yourself a step ahead in the job market. My colleague at work was a volunteer at our local zoo for
years until she finished her degree. Luck would have it they had an opening the same time she
graduated and she was the obvious choice. If you are still considering wildlife conservation, they
had about 36,500 jobs available in 2014 with a 7% increase expected by 2024. With more jobs
available, there are obviously many different options to choose from within the wildlife
conservation career field. Based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of
these can be for social advocacy organizations, directly with the local and federal government or
even advising farmers on better ways to tend their land without harming the ecosystems around
them.
Because there are fewer zoologists it was challenging to find someone to gain some
insight of what they do on the daily. I reached out to an online community of zoologists looking
for anyone willing to provide some information and I was fortunate enough to get in touch with
Bruce Robertson. Bruce is presently a professor at Bard University and an ecological trapper
extraordinaire with some of his work published by NPR and National Geographic. One important
thing I wanted to know from Bruce was how he got to where he is today. Initially, he was a

physics major at Notre Dame switching to engineering after troubles with studying which resulted
in less than favorable grades. It was only when he switched to biology that he finally felt an
interest for the subject at the same time that he also felt a capability for it. It was comforting to
know that even the best of us can have difficulties finding their footing and when something does
not work out as planned, there is always another option.
When I inquired about the steps he took into his career after receiving his bachelors
degree in biology, I was pleased to discover that he had contributed to many organizations. Like
my colleague, he started out by doing various internships working primarily with birds.
Eventually, Bruce moved into a desk internship at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology which became
a large stepping stone in his career. Here he had the opportunity to work simultaneously for The
Nature Conservancy, Partners in Flight and the National Audubon Society where he witnessed
new international bird conservation programs take flight all while meeting the important people
who helped make it all possible. Because of this extensive background, he became a shoe-in for
graduate school which introduced him to new research around the world. He did some
networking and wrote to a group of biophysicists in Hungary regarding a publication of theirs and
how it was the best evidence of ecological phenomenon. They took an interest in Bruce, being a
native speaker and the benefits he could provide by putting their ideas in a newer context.
Together, they have published research papers which has greatly impacted his career. Regarding
networking specifically, Bruces advice was to Write letters to people you dont know to tell
them you like their work or ask them good questions. After finishing grad school and working as
a post-doc at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center he applied for the teaching position at Bard
University where he has been for the past four years.
Throughout his career, he has learned that careful writing and thinking skills are
intimately intertwined and his efforts towards effective writing dominate his time during the
school year. As a professor at Bard University, Bruce uses writing daily to carefully outline how

to teach his classes, design assignments for his students and to communicate with his
students. The rest of his daily duties require his presence in meetings to help hire new professors,
organize new programs, or to keep current academic programs and field stations operating
smoothly. He also has meetings multiple days a week with research students to discuss their
progress on their own independent research projects. Aside from meetings on campus his time is
spent planning and conducting his own research and speaking every week with visiting scientists
which helps him give and gain new knowledge about the interesting things going on around the
world.
A benefit of his career that he enjoys, is having the capability to be in charge of his
schedule. He likes to keep it flexible giving himself time off in the summer months to travel or to
conduct his own research. Traveling for research takes him to local rivers to teach students how to
identify birds and other local areas such as the field station he helps run on the Hudson River
where him and his students have a fleet of canoes they can take out any time they like. More
recently, he has started traveling to museums working with them and their bird specimen
collections to conduct further research. This summer he will be taking a free research trip to
China. There, they will learn about the environmental problems and will be writing up several
research projects into manuscripts so they can be published. He has also been given the option to
travel to a Caribbean island to teach and conduct research for one month each year.
Most certainly Bruce has made many contributions to modern day society. He contributes
by taking direct action wherever he can and by conducting research that provides information
which can help improve conservation efforts. Along with his research efforts, he is contributing
by helping students understand and embrace the natural world around them. Striving to pass on
an appreciation of the beauty and complexity of nature so his students can feel sufficient to
passionately fight for environmental causes and in turn, pass on their knowledge to others.

I think it goes without saying that education is important for any career. Whether you
choose physics, economics, zoology or wildlife conservation. Do not let yourself become
discouraged if your intended major does not become reality. There are always other options for
other careers and ways you can contribute to your intended career from afar. Sharing the
knowledge you gain from college is a great way of contributing. I know there is going to be a lot
of work ahead of me to get me where I want to be. It clearly takes a deep passion and
understanding to commit to a career such as this and I am more than willing to dive in.

Interview Questions
1.

Im going to school for a bachelor degree in Zoology. What degree did you aim for?

2.

How did you begin networking for your desired career field?

3.

When and how did you begin working here?

4.

How do you use writing in your day to day tasks?

5.

What is your daily routine like here?

6.

What is your favorite part about your job?

7.

Have you done any traveling to work with animals in their natural habitats?

8.
Are you familiar with Aldo Leopolds Land Ethic? If so, How would you introduce a plan
to change the ethic today?
9.

How does this career help you contribute to society?

10. I am currently taking a wildlife conservation class at my college and the more I learn, the
more I find myself feeling hopeless about the current/future state of our planet. How do you keep
yourself in a positive mindset to continue working for a better future?

MLA Citations
Programs Undergraduate - Department of Biology The University of Utah.

Programs of Study. 2010. The University of Utah. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Zoology|UVU. Catalog. 2016. Utah Valley University. Web. 10. Mar. 2016.
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Summary. December 17, 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 29. Mar.

2016.
Conservation Scientists and Foresters: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Summary. December 17, 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 13. April.

2016.
Robertson, Bruce. Personal Interview April 8, 2016.
Bruce Robertson Applied Ecological Research. Home.
Bruce Robertson. Web. 16. April. 2016.