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Thank you for your input, readers.
Recent questions I have received from readers include:
What are careers in botany?
A good link for the answer to this is the Botanical Society of America. There are other sites as well. If you know one, please add it to the comments. I encourage people interested in botany careers to contact me directly. Careers in Botany- Links set
Do botanists need to know physics?
My answer to this is, "Yes," but, I think every one needs to know some physics. My own research uses physics to study movement of ions across plant cell membranes. But, even riding a bicycle, or, lifting a box, requires physics knowledge. So, I ask, what is the reason for the question? Is the asker afraid of physics, or the math needed? Does the asker like both plants and physics and wants to combine them? I am curious now.
What should I get [for] children interested in botany?
Ah! Wonderful! People who are interested in science as children often go on in science or engineering , or, at least have a major appreciation for science if they go on in other fields. I like this question.
What to get depends on the interest, age and ability of the child(ren). Non-toxic plants, garden seeds and tools, or flower pots, a hand lens, a book (I'll come back and edit the post after scanning for some books for different age groups), a trip to visit a botanic garden, an hour on Plants Cafe every week (with you: See top left hand column of this blog), a trip to a green house, a visit to a botanist, agricultural engineer, herbalist, forester (USDA), mycologist, algologist, and/or lichenologist, among others, a plant press, a visit to a college botany lab. If desired, call me (link below for calls from the USA) and I will try to customize the answer (as long as I don't get swamped---If I get swamped, I'll put together some kits and make them available.)
Some thins are available at home already...for example, if a child is interested in plant pigments, you could use coffee filters and water soluble markers and do a chromatography study. Then, show how to do the same with plant pigments. Then, review the history of chromatography which started with a botanist. Then... show how other fields use the tool developed by a botanist. I may have to post on this later as I am just giving an overview here.
Brownian motion is another discovery by a botanist. Some of Einstein's work is based on that botany research.
All readers are welcome to add ideas in the comment section or e-mail me a post to put up.
Dr. J
Showing posts with label careers in horticulture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label careers in horticulture. Show all posts
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
You are interested in a botany career...
Plants have great value. They convert solar energy to chemical fuel. They provide shelter, food, oxygen, clothing, shade, beauty...
Plants are so vital to our survival that it is hard to imagine that botanists might have difficulty finding employment. Today a 7-year old girl's family told me she is interested in a botany career. How exciting! A child can see the importance of botanical research and employment while a nation struggles to do so during a recession.
What is botany?
What types of careers exist in botany, the study of plants which includes pure research, like studies of photosynthesis or reaction to plant diseases, and, applied sciences, like horticulture and agricultural engineering. To provide youth prepared to study for such careers, you can encourage plants in the curricula at your nearby schools. Did you know most science topics can be taught using plants, including physics, chemistry, general science, and biology. For example, plants have electrical activity and respond to light waves...so, physics is found there. Beneficial chemicals such as anthocyanans and other antioxidants, as well as enzymes are found in plants, so chemistry is found there. In fact, a botanist discovered brownian movement that lead to some of Einstein's work, and another botanist discovered, "chromatography," a technique used and expanded today to include HPLC, a type of chromatography that helps ensure our medicines are as safe as possible. Even medicine started with the study of plants. I am always amazed that the medical curricula took out the study of plants just as herbal medicines are becoming so important. (Perhaps you can help get botany back into the medical school curricula.)
Did you know botanists, plant scientists, from all over the world, cooperate to help prevent famine?
Do you know about plants, botany, and the role botanists have played in advancing the sciences of physics, chemistry and medicine? Are there links to help you learn more botany and get more botany into schools? Surely, there are. Some are listed below to get you started. (As you find others, please add them to the comments. I'd like to add some links from all countries.)
Plants are so vital to our survival that it is hard to imagine that botanists might have difficulty finding employment. Today a 7-year old girl's family told me she is interested in a botany career. How exciting! A child can see the importance of botanical research and employment while a nation struggles to do so during a recession.
What is botany?
What is Botany?
Botany is the scientific study of plants. "Plants," to most people, means a wide range of living organisms from the smallest bacteria to the largest living things - the giant sequoia trees. By this definition plants include: algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. Today scientists believe bacteria, algae and fungi are in their own distinct kingdoms, but most general botany courses, and most Botany Departments at colleges and universities, still teach about these groups.
Source: http://www.botany.org/bsa/careers/what_is_botany.php
What types of careers exist in botany, the study of plants which includes pure research, like studies of photosynthesis or reaction to plant diseases, and, applied sciences, like horticulture and agricultural engineering. To provide youth prepared to study for such careers, you can encourage plants in the curricula at your nearby schools. Did you know most science topics can be taught using plants, including physics, chemistry, general science, and biology. For example, plants have electrical activity and respond to light waves...so, physics is found there. Beneficial chemicals such as anthocyanans and other antioxidants, as well as enzymes are found in plants, so chemistry is found there. In fact, a botanist discovered brownian movement that lead to some of Einstein's work, and another botanist discovered, "chromatography," a technique used and expanded today to include HPLC, a type of chromatography that helps ensure our medicines are as safe as possible. Even medicine started with the study of plants. I am always amazed that the medical curricula took out the study of plants just as herbal medicines are becoming so important. (Perhaps you can help get botany back into the medical school curricula.)
Did you know botanists, plant scientists, from all over the world, cooperate to help prevent famine?
Do you know about plants, botany, and the role botanists have played in advancing the sciences of physics, chemistry and medicine? Are there links to help you learn more botany and get more botany into schools? Surely, there are. Some are listed below to get you started. (As you find others, please add them to the comments. I'd like to add some links from all countries.)
- American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America - Careers Placement Center
- American Society for Horticultural Science - Careers & Education
- American Institute of Biological Sciences - Careers in Biology
- American Phytopathological Society - Career Placement Center
- American Society of Plant Biologists - Job Bank
- Careers in Biological Systematics - American Society of Plant Taxonomists
- Ecological Society of America - Career Opportunities
- Mycological Society of America - Jobs
- Society of American Foresters - Career Center
- Society for Economic Botany
- Chronicle of Higher Education - Career Network
- SCIENCE Professional Network: Jobs, Careers and Employment in Science
- USDA Job Opportunities
- AAAS Careers and Grants
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