Career presentation - My career….. To be a Botanist …

Job Description Botanists—sometimes called plant scientists—are biological scientists who study plants. Their work can focus on many different areas, such as the classification of plant species, the structure and function of plant parts, or plant diseases and their causes.  A botanist focusing on classification might travel to the rainforest to discover and record all the plant species found in a certain area. Another, concerned with plant diseases, might study a fungus which has recently attacked corn crops, and learn how it survives and reproduces, and how it can be destroyed without harming the corn. All botanists are concerned with the relationship between living plants and their environments. 

Working conditions Botanists are generally employed by academic institutions, government agencies, or private companies in the drug, chemical, and lumber industries. They may also work for other companies, such as breweries, plant nurseries, seed companies, or fruit growers.  -Some botanists work independently, although they are usually dependent on government grants or other sources of funding. In private industry, botanists have less independence and their areas of research may be determined more by the market than by their own concerns.  -Botanists may work independently or with a team of other professionals. These can include engineers, scientists from other disciplines, business managers, and technicians. 

Education Generally, the minimum requirement for a career as a botanist is a bachelor’s degree in botany, biology, or plant sciences.  It takes about 4 years to attain a bachelor’s degree, during which time students are introduced to the fundamentals of biology and plant science. They also acquire hands-on experience in the lab.  A master’s degree takes 1 or 2 years of study. It generally takes at least another 4 years to complete a PhD.

Career path Level-1 LEVEL 1 Beginning Botanist EARNINGS Full-time master’s student: $15,000 to $25,000 a year REQUIREMENTS • Bachelor’s degree in a specialty field RESPONSIBILITIES Performing field research and lab work; studying for master’s degree.

Career path Level-2 LEVEL 2 Industry Researcher EARNINGS Industry: $30,000 to $60,000 a year  REQUIREMENTS • Experience in industry or academics  RESPONSIBILITIES If in an industry position: directing research; doing field and lab research; possibly some teaching.

Career path Level-3 LEVEL 3 Botany Professor EARNINGS Assistant / Associate professor: $50,000 to $140,000 a year REQUIREMENTS • PhD RESPONSIBILITIES If in an academic position: working toward full professorship with emphasis on teaching; doing field research during summer breaks; publishing research papers; performing administrative duties (marking papers and planning lectures and classes).