PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #68: Ecological Education -- Research and Theory.
Presiding: L. Mueller
Wednesday, August 7. 1:00 PM to 4:45 PM. Grand Ballroom West, Radisson.
Pathways into ecology: factors influencing SEEDS student career decisions.
Berkowitz, Alan*,1, Jurgensen-Armstrong, Melissa1, Taylor, Jason2, Gur-Edeman, Elvan3, 1 Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY2 Ecological Society of America, Washington, DC3 United Negro College Fund, Fairfax, VA
ABSTRACT- What are the different pathways into ecology careers, and what are the most significant factors influencing student decisions to stay on or leave an ecology path? We considered these questions with specific reference to students who have participated in the Strategies for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability (SEEDS) program. The research framework we developed identifies key decisions students make regarding a pathway into ecology, attributes that help students succeed in the field, and the factors that might influence student decisions and attributes. Key attributes include awareness of and comfort in the environment, ability to excel academically and do ecological research, understanding of ecology as a discipline and potential career, and interest in environmental issues. Key decisions include taking an ecology-related course, pursuing an ecology minor or major, working in an ecology job during college, and applying for graduate school or post-undergraduate work in ecology. We expect these attributes and decisions to be influenced by student personality and background; their family and community; their pre-college experiences; their undergraduate experiences; their interactions with others in the field of ecology; and the SEEDS program. We are conducting intensive interviews with students and recent graduates from SEEDS schools who either have persisted or have left an ecology pathway, and will present results documenting and comparing the interaction between these key attributes and factors as they play out in student career decisions.
KEY WORDS: pathway, ecology, career, undergraduates