Transform Yourself into a T-Shaped Professional through Use of Field-Based Academic Research Projects

Few people are successful in fisheries related careers by relying on a single expertise. Field experimentation and ecological research requires a thorough understanding of your ecosystem as a starting point. You need an ability to work through typical field related problems ranging from gaining access to private property owned by hostile landowners to fixing malfunctioning equipment. Searching out and drawing upon experiences outside my narrow range of academic research allowed me to address field issues that both addressed my singular research goal and grew my experience base. Incorporating those experiences into my research allowed me to exploit that advantage for my career. Fisheries related experience can have surprisingly little to do with fisheries—my experiences working on farms gave me a distinct advantage to gain access to and working with Midwestern farmers on water quality issues. My recommendation is to recognize related work and force yourself to learn about it. For example being able to trouble-shoot equipment or talk to land owners is learned either from trial & error or asking questions as you watch others complete the task. It is important these tasks as part of your academic training. It will not be predictable when this expertise is needed.