Saving the Earth as a Career: Advice on Becoming a Conservation Professional

As a master's student currently seeking out Ph.D. programs, several chapters of the book address aspects of pursuing a career in conservation that I have already dealt with. However, the book clearly spells out the realities of applying to grad school and the eventual career opportunities in the field, reaffirming what I have learned along the way. It would have certainly helped me as an undergraduate to be sure that I was making the best choices to reach my goals.

I've often thought about jobs or careers that can help save the planet. This book seemed to help, but not necessarily in helping me to save the world, but perhaps succeeding as a Grad student engaged in research. Career wise the aim, a "conservation professional" is defined to begin with. Most of the books' eleven chapters, (however) are about scientific work as a student - for careers in a governmental, academic or conservation body. Field work, ecology and resource management are stressed though much of this book could readily be translated into general biology: the advantages of postgraduate work, applying and funding, research, conferences, producing a theses and scientific papers. The book is leavened with excellent cartoons, themed conversations and real life quotations reflecting solutions to issues like tutors, deadlines and launching publications. Few people reading this book will have most of the options described let alone the choices, particularly in the context of academia - getting suitable research, funding or adequate supervision. E.g., PhD students in an American context are advised about hiring research helpers, a luxury many students will only dream about. The last two chapters address finding a job and making a difference - "you may be the only one at the table that speaks for those who cannot speak ... non-human animals and ecosystems" with emphasis overall on volunteer work and sharing your findings with the world. This book will not help you in becoming a David Attenborough and even less, Chico Mendez but is a manifesto in launching a career. It is ideally suited to budding researchers with tips and pointers to the compromised majority about keeping faith and shifting career gears in an age when conservation is yet to be considered a grown up discipline. More could have been said about non academic routes to helping to save the planet given that the greatest conservationists have not necessarily been scientists but often hunters, farmers and that rare breed - an enlightened politician.

Best advice for first or second year college students, also very good advice for all college students and graduate students (may not be as useful for high school students)

I highly recommend this book to any undergraduate or graduate student in any conservation related field. It provides excellent information about, and is largely devoted to topics that are of interest to graduate students or someone interested in a graduate education.

This book goes through every step of the graduate school process how it really is from the application process to project design and thesis writing to finding a job. I really feel that it cleared up a lot of the questions and anxieties I had about applying to graduate school and getting through it! It reads as though you are having a conversation with the authors and by the end you feel you know them well. I highly recommend it for students in any environmental field.