STEM Advice Corner

Parents and Students read on…learn about hot careers in science & engineering! Each month we will feature a new field you may not have heard about…

How to Grow a Career in Plant Biology

Why make a career of studying plants? Well, it’s fun to discover the active, useful, beautiful, eco-friendly, and even bizarre things plants can do.

But plants are serious business, too!  They have influenced Earth since the beginning and continue to be important to all living creatures every day. That’s why plant biologists eagerly study plants to dig up new and better ways to improve the health, food, nutrition, shelter, clothing materials, and fuels that everyone, everyone, everyone needs.

What skills and interests do plant biologists use?

• Curiosity
• Accuracy
• Critical thinking
• Success in math and science
• Communication
• Determination
• Motication for college
  (Bachelor's/Master's/PhD)
• A fascination for plants

What do plant biologists actually do?

• Basic research on basic principles of plant biology is at the root of most careers in this field. Basic researchers have labs at colleges, universities, agencies or non-profit organizations. They enjoy doing engrossing, sometimes painstaking work that leads to unique discoveries about the intricate lives of plants.  These scientists often study one type of plant with special tools, growth chambers, and computers to increase scientific knowledge that can help improve daily life for everyone.   For example, many experts are studying different ways to make biofuels ; others are figuring out how plants defend themselves from disease.
• Agricultural research helps feed the world as plant scientists develop stronger plants that provide more nutritious food.  For example, Norman Borlaug taught scientists everywhere how to improve wheat. This work started the Green Revolution and kept millions from starving in Mexico, India, Pakistan, China, and South America.  Borlaug won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal. Only Nelson Mandela, Elie Wiesel, Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr could make the same claim. Today, the world still needs enhanced crops.  To help with this in the US many basic and agricultural research programs are supported by the Agricultural Research Service, US Departments of Agriculture and of Energy, National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation.

• Corporate research in plant biology suits scientists who like turning ideas into products that will sell and help the economy grow.  Corporate research teams find safe methods to make enough affordable medicine, clothing fibers, building materials, or farm products that people will want to buy and use.  When a product idea is new, scientists devote a lot of high-quality resources and time to test different options.  As discoveries develop there’s more pressure to finish a valuable product, so these scientists can’t mind intense deadlines.

• Teaching is a big part of many plant biology careers.  Researchers often blend their lab work with teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.  And some plant biology experts focus on K-12 students and schools.  Plant biologists in any setting will develop educational materials and clever resources for fun learning.  Many go to events like USASEF to help kids, teens, and adults think about the importance of plants.
  
  
  
• Public Service calls some plant biologists to leave the lab or classroom and work in government or professional societies.  These scientists study many types of problems that plant biology research can help solve. They review results coming from different labs and nurture the best projects, often by helping individual investigators work together. Expert plant biologists also can make sure lawmakers have clear information when making policies or laws about products or services that come from plants.
  
  

• Communication gets everyone thinking about the fascinating world of plants.  It includes creating newspaper articles, journals, web sites, web pages, blogs, and online posts. Scientists who write, publish or edit for a living analyze experiments that others have done to be sure the work is well-designed and the results are explained properly.  They use many media formats and writing styles to provide interesting and useful information to students, adults without special science training, and professional scientists.
  
  
  

What other jobs stem from a background in plant biology?

Agronomist: Manage soil content and field crop production to develop new crop hybrids and varieties.
Botanist: Identify, classify and study algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, or flowering plants.
Conservationist: Manage the use and development of forests and other natural resources.

Ecologist: Collect, study, and report data on the quality of air, food, soil, and water.
Environmentalist: Find solutions for pollutants that affect people, wildlife, and their environments.
Forester: Manage vegetation, timber, reforestation for wood product and fuels production.

Horticulturist: Breed, grow, store, or transport fruits, nuts, berries, vegetables, flowers, bushes, & trees.
Naturalist: Research and develop educational programs for national and state parks.
Plant Geneticist:  Isolate genes to develop certain plant traits.
Research Assistant: Conduct research for food, pharmaceutical, and pest management organizations.

Here are more jobs and career-building links.  Here are more in-depth essays on plant biology careers.