Louise Milligan is an animal physiologist. She says that this was not the
job she was looking for when she entered college.
"I sort of fell into becoming an animal physiologist," she says. "I worked
in a research lab in the summer after my third year as an undergraduate assisting
in a study on the effects of acid rain on fish. I was hooked immediately."
She quickly found that she loved the work. "The more I learned about the
diversity of animals and the weird and wonderful places they live, the more
entranced I became with trying to understand what tricks they have that allow
them to survive in what could be considered harsh environments. Certainly,
by comparison, humans are rather boring."
However fun the work might be, Milligan puts in her fair share of hours.
She says that often her days can be long and far from routine. "One of the
joys of this job is that there is no typical workday."
And since Milligan also teaches, that adds to her load. "Mondays are my
most hectic days; [there's] rarely time for lunch. The evenings [after 10
p.m.] are spent working on the next day's class notes," she says.
"When classes are over, my time is very much my own. I spend time writing
papers from my research or carrying out experiments in the lab. Though, as
one progresses in science, the amount of time spent in the lab doing experimental
work decreases, and the amount of time supervising students doing the work
increases."
Although she is busy, there is time in Milligan's schedule for a little
adventure. She notes one particular incident that happened shortly after she
started teaching at a university.
"I was asked to participate in a video promoting science," she says. "Little
did I know that I would end up in a pair of hip waders that leaked, knee-deep
in a local stream in late October holding a fish net, talking about the importance
of studying fish physiology.
"Several takes were necessary. All told, I stood in that very cold stream
with wet legs for the better part of two hours, all in the name of science!"
The benefits from her job go beyond a paycheck. "My career has, in many
ways, defined my life. It has given me opportunities that, as a student, I
did not imagine," she says. "Not only intellectual challenge, but also, the
opportunity to travel the world and meet a variety of interesting people.
Science is truly without boundaries."
Peter Hansen is an animal physiologist at the University of Florida. He
also says that his career has made a difference in his life. "My career has
altered my life in many ways. Most importantly, it has changed the way I think,"
he says.
"Due to my training, I see everything much more critically, and in much
more detail now. And this has affected how I think about everything in life
-- from religion to politics to public policy. It has really opened my eyes."
Of course, you have to view the world through a critical eye in order to
see solutions that you might otherwise miss. That's just what helps Hansen
make an important discovery. "There is a constant number of exciting activities
happening in my life," he explains.
"But the most exciting for me was when myself and a team of scientists
were doing a very targeted research project. We obtained results from that
experiment that led to a patent for fertility-enhancing drugs. That's something
not everyone can say they accomplish in a day's work.
"Anything can happen in this field. And that's my favorite part of it.
There is always the possibility of discovering something new," he says.
Not all of the job is exciting, however. Hansen is quick to point out that
which is tedious to him. "I think the hardest and least fun part of what I
do is writing grants to obtain funding for my research. It's not exciting,
but it makes the exciting things possible," he says.
"Then there is the other paperwork which comes along with the job which
must be filled out," he says. "No one likes to do it, but in order for all
of the fun work to have any meaning, it must be done."
Hansen also teaches during the day and then works from home
with his research at night. He says that he became an animal physiologist
because he was "fascinated with biology, as well as being intrigued with experimentation."
He does note, however, that a career as an animal physiologist is not for
everyone. "Only those who are committed to science and who have the intellectual
ability to succeed should consider this career. Others will find themselves
overwhelmed, or perhaps bored with it. And for it to be fun, you must truly
love what you do."