Career Roadmap
Amy's work combines: Science, Art, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Kansas State University
Graduate Degree
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Iowa State University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Biologists:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Graduate Degree: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
First I volunteered at a vet clinic.
2.
Then I went to college and did the pre-vet curriculum.
3.
Then I worked in Biochemistry, Ecology, Microbiology.
4.
Then I got a Masters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology doing molecular phylogenetics on fungi.
5.
Then I worked in Neurobiology looking at RNA differences in dorsal root ganglia development.
6.
Then I worked in Biochemistry working on Myotonic dystrophy, an RNA disease.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Friends:
Can you even get a job?" "Can you support yourself?" "So, how many years in school does that take?" "It's a man's world, you probably won't end up doing it." "Are you going to teach?
How I responded:
It's best to stay focused. Kind of like when your friends are goofing off and you want to get your schoolwork done. You have to find a way to close your ears. And honestly, questions are a good thing, not to dissuade you or to erode your confidence but to give you a drive, the reason why you are doing it. Like "yeah it's going to support me! I'll find a way to make it support me!" The questions can give you a path to follow, so you don't get lost.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My parents got divorced when I graduated high school and my mom became a "displaced homemaker". For my time in college, it wasn't clear if I would stay unless I did well. There was no money, no insurance, no nice clothes. Just hard work.
My dad was an alcoholic and while there were good times, they quickly lead to bad times. My second year of college he left, left our lives and it hurt. I really questioned what in the world I was doing in college when my family was hurting.