Pub Date : 2020-03-23DOI: 10.24908/iee.2020.13.3.e
G. Raby, J. Chapman, R. Bruijn, E. Eliason, C. Elvidge, C. Hasler, C. Madliger, E. Nyboer, Andrea J. Reid, Dominique G. Roche, T. Rytwinski, T. Ward, Alexander D. M. Wilson, S. Cooke
Teaching can be a rewarding, yet challenging, experience for early career researchers (ECRs) in fields like ecology and evolution. Much of this challenge arises from the reality that ECRs in ecology and evolution typically receive little, if any, pedagogical training or advice on how to balance teaching, research (which can include extended field work), and other demands on their time. Here, we aim to provide accessible, pragmatic advice for ECRs in ecology and evolution who are given the opportunity to teach (as instructor of record). The advice is based on the authors’ collective experiences teaching in ecology and evolution as ECRs and is meant to help ECRs address two challenges: a) balancing the demands of teaching against one’s research, service, and personal life, and b) being effective in the classroom while doing so. The guidance we provide includes practical steps to take when teaching for the first time, including carefully refining the syllabus (course planning), adopting ‘non-traditional’ teaching methods, and taking advantage of free teaching resources. We also discuss a range of ‘soft skills’ to consider including guarding against imposter syndrome (i.e., self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud), managing expectations, being empathetic, compassionate, authentic, and fostering an inclusive classroom. Lastly, we emphasize the need to focus on developing students’ critical thinking skills, integrating research and teaching where possible, and setting limits on class preparation time to maintain balance with your research and personal life. Collectively, we hope the examples provided herein offer a useful guide to ECRs new to teaching.
{"title":"Teaching Post-Secondary Students in Ecology and Evolution: Strategies for Early-Career Researchers","authors":"G. Raby, J. Chapman, R. Bruijn, E. Eliason, C. Elvidge, C. Hasler, C. Madliger, E. Nyboer, Andrea J. Reid, Dominique G. Roche, T. Rytwinski, T. Ward, Alexander D. M. Wilson, S. Cooke","doi":"10.24908/iee.2020.13.3.e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/iee.2020.13.3.e","url":null,"abstract":"Teaching can be a rewarding, yet challenging, experience for early career researchers (ECRs) in fields like ecology and evolution. Much of this challenge arises from the reality that ECRs in ecology and evolution typically receive little, if any, pedagogical training or advice on how to balance teaching, research (which can include extended field work), and other demands on their time. Here, we aim to provide accessible, pragmatic advice for ECRs in ecology and evolution who are given the opportunity to teach (as instructor of record). The advice is based on the authors’ collective experiences teaching in ecology and evolution as ECRs and is meant to help ECRs address two challenges: a) balancing the demands of teaching against one’s research, service, and personal life, and b) being effective in the classroom while doing so. The guidance we provide includes practical steps to take when teaching for the first time, including carefully refining the syllabus (course planning), adopting ‘non-traditional’ teaching methods, and taking advantage of free teaching resources. We also discuss a range of ‘soft skills’ to consider including guarding against imposter syndrome (i.e., self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud), managing expectations, being empathetic, compassionate, authentic, and fostering an inclusive classroom. Lastly, we emphasize the need to focus on developing students’ critical thinking skills, integrating research and teaching where possible, and setting limits on class preparation time to maintain balance with your research and personal life. Collectively, we hope the examples provided herein offer a useful guide to ECRs new to teaching.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2020-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43548065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-31DOI: 10.24908/iee.2020.13.2.c
Y. Nakazawa
none
没有一个
{"title":"Have we already tested the aquatic ape hypothesis?","authors":"Y. Nakazawa","doi":"10.24908/iee.2020.13.2.c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/iee.2020.13.2.c","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>none</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2020-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43671825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-01-31DOI: 10.24908/iee.2020.13.1.n
A. Krill
The aquatic ape hypothesis for human evolution can account for all the traits that distinguish humans from chimpanzees. This scientific paradigm has been considered impossible. It would require that human ancestors maintained a semiaquatic lifestyle for millions of years, whereas hominin fossils indicate relatively dry terrestrial environments. Here I propose a marine aquatic evolution that is speculative, but compatible with all the fossil and genetic evidence. In this hypothesis, hominins evolved from chimpanzee-like apes that became stranded on proto-Bioko — new volcanic islands with no terrestrial foods available. The apes were forced to eat shellfish and seaweed. From wading in water on two legs to obtain food, their bodies evolved to become bipedal. Naked skin, blubber, and protruding noses were also aquatic adaptations. Brain-size increase resulted from marine fatty acid DHA. Some of these hominins escaped to mainland Africa and their bipedal descendants are recorded at the famous fossil sites. The volcanic islands grew and evolved into Bioko, and the hominins that remained there evolved into Homo sapiens. They gave up their marine diet and semiaquatic habitat after food became available on the evolving island. Then, during one of the low sea-level stands in the Pleistocene epoch, humans walked to the mainland on the emergent Bioko land bridge. Unlike earlier aquatic ape ideas, the Bioko scenario can be tested by DNA. If the human genome includes a retrovirus that is otherwise only found in endemic animals on Bioko, it would show that our ancestors came from there. Unfortunately, Bioko and west-central Africa are not interesting to traditional paleoanthropologists, because they do not contain fossils.
{"title":"A paradigm for the evolution of human features: Apes trapped on barren volcanic islands","authors":"A. Krill","doi":"10.24908/iee.2020.13.1.n","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/iee.2020.13.1.n","url":null,"abstract":"The aquatic ape hypothesis for human evolution can account for all the traits that distinguish humans from chimpanzees. This scientific paradigm has been considered impossible. It would require that human ancestors maintained a semiaquatic lifestyle for millions of years, whereas hominin fossils indicate relatively dry terrestrial environments. Here I propose a marine aquatic evolution that is speculative, but compatible with all the fossil and genetic evidence. In this hypothesis, hominins evolved from chimpanzee-like apes that became stranded on proto-Bioko — new volcanic islands with no terrestrial foods available. The apes were forced to eat shellfish and seaweed. From wading in water on two legs to obtain food, their bodies evolved to become bipedal. Naked skin, blubber, and protruding noses were also aquatic adaptations. Brain-size increase resulted from marine fatty acid DHA. Some of these hominins escaped to mainland Africa and their bipedal descendants are recorded at the famous fossil sites. The volcanic islands grew and evolved into Bioko, and the hominins that remained there evolved into Homo sapiens. They gave up their marine diet and semiaquatic habitat after food became available on the evolving island. Then, during one of the low sea-level stands in the Pleistocene epoch, humans walked to the mainland on the emergent Bioko land bridge. Unlike earlier aquatic ape ideas, the Bioko scenario can be tested by DNA. If the human genome includes a retrovirus that is otherwise only found in endemic animals on Bioko, it would show that our ancestors came from there. Unfortunately, Bioko and west-central Africa are not interesting to traditional paleoanthropologists, because they do not contain fossils.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2020-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.24908/iee.2020.13.1.n","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46396290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-09-27DOI: 10.24908/iee.2019.12.5.c
D. Laughlin, J. Grace
As we enter the era of data science (Lortie 2018), quantitative analysis methodologies are proliferating rapidly, leaving ecologists with the task of choosing among many alternatives. The use of structural equation modeling (SEM) by ecologists has increased in recent years, prompting us to ask users questions about their experience with the methodology. Responses indicate an enthusiastic endorsement of SEM. Two major elements of respondent’s experiences seem to contribute to their positive response, (1) a sense that they are obtaining more accurate explanatory understanding through the use of SEM and (2) excitement generated by the discovery of novel insights into their systems. We elaborate here on the detection of indirect effects, offsetting effects, and suppressed effects, and demonstrate how discovering these effects can advance ecology.
{"title":"Discoveries and novel insights in ecology using structural equation modeling","authors":"D. Laughlin, J. Grace","doi":"10.24908/iee.2019.12.5.c","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/iee.2019.12.5.c","url":null,"abstract":"As we enter the era of data science (Lortie 2018), quantitative analysis methodologies are proliferating rapidly, leaving ecologists with the task of choosing among many alternatives. The use of structural equation modeling (SEM) by ecologists has increased in recent years, prompting us to ask users questions about their experience with the methodology. Responses indicate an enthusiastic endorsement of SEM. Two major elements of respondent’s experiences seem to contribute to their positive response, (1) a sense that they are obtaining more accurate explanatory understanding through the use of SEM and (2) excitement generated by the discovery of novel insights into their systems. We elaborate here on the detection of indirect effects, offsetting effects, and suppressed effects, and demonstrate how discovering these effects can advance ecology.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2019-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.24908/iee.2019.12.5.c","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48744703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-13DOI: 10.24908/IEE.2019.12.4.C
M. Ferrer
none.
没有一个
{"title":"Cliffs, trees, and ground-nesting raptors","authors":"M. Ferrer","doi":"10.24908/IEE.2019.12.4.C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/IEE.2019.12.4.C","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>none.</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2019-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.24908/IEE.2019.12.4.C","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49433924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-08-13DOI: 10.24908/IEE.2019.12.3.N
A. Abraín, J. Jiménez
The supply of sticks to cliff nests by many European raptors has been explained only as a functional means of decreasing ectoparasite loads in nests and for signalling nest occupancy. We provide here a historical explanation of this behaviour as we consider it represents an evolutionary load of formerly tree-nesting species. Basically, from this perspective, facultative tree/cliff-nesting species reproduce the nests they used to build originally on top of trees, but on cliffs. Facultative species (likely evolved in forested areas) that supply their cliff nests with sticks include Pandion haliaetus, Haliaetus albicilla, Milvus migrans, Circaetus gallicus, Buteo buteo, Aquila fasciata, A. pennata, A. chrysaetos, A. heliaca, Gypaetus barbatus Gyps fulvus and Neophron percnopterus. On the contrary, the only Falco species that solely nests in cliffs (F. eleonorae)) and does not supply its nests with sticks and should be considered a true cliff-nester, likely evolved in non-forested areas. All other Falco species that do not supply their cliff nests with sticks but can make use of tree nests made by other non-raptorial species, should also be considered as true cliff-nesters, likely evolved in more forested areas or times. Milvus milvus, Elanus caeruleus, Accipiter nisus, A. gentilis, Pernis apivorus, Aquila adalberti, A. clanga, A. pomarina and Aegypius monachus are true tree nesters, likely evolved in forested areas, which did not evolve the plasticity to nest directly on cliffs.
{"title":"Stick supply to nests by cliff-nesting raptors as an evolutionary load of past tree-nesting","authors":"A. Abraín, J. Jiménez","doi":"10.24908/IEE.2019.12.3.N","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/IEE.2019.12.3.N","url":null,"abstract":"The supply of sticks to cliff nests by many European raptors has been explained only as a functional means of decreasing ectoparasite loads in nests and for signalling nest occupancy. We provide here a historical explanation of this behaviour as we consider it represents an evolutionary load of formerly tree-nesting species. Basically, from this perspective, facultative tree/cliff-nesting species reproduce the nests they used to build originally on top of trees, but on cliffs. Facultative species (likely evolved in forested areas) that supply their cliff nests with sticks include Pandion haliaetus, Haliaetus albicilla, Milvus migrans, Circaetus gallicus, Buteo buteo, Aquila fasciata, A. pennata, A. chrysaetos, A. heliaca, Gypaetus barbatus Gyps fulvus and Neophron percnopterus. On the contrary, the only Falco species that solely nests in cliffs (F. eleonorae)) and does not supply its nests with sticks and should be considered a true cliff-nester, likely evolved in non-forested areas. All other Falco species that do not supply their cliff nests with sticks but can make use of tree nests made by other non-raptorial species, should also be considered as true cliff-nesters, likely evolved in more forested areas or times. Milvus milvus, Elanus caeruleus, Accipiter nisus, A. gentilis, Pernis apivorus, Aquila adalberti, A. clanga, A. pomarina and Aegypius monachus are true tree nesters, likely evolved in forested areas, which did not evolve the plasticity to nest directly on cliffs.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2019-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43463528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-01-16DOI: 10.24908/IEE.2018.11.13.E
L. Aarssen
n/a
没有
{"title":"Meet Homo absurdus--the only creature that refuses to be what it is","authors":"L. Aarssen","doi":"10.24908/IEE.2018.11.13.E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/IEE.2018.11.13.E","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>n/a</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2019-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.24908/IEE.2018.11.13.E","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43514565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-01-11DOI: 10.24908/IEE.2018.11.12.E
C. Lortie
Increasingly, big data, coding, and quantitative methods contribute to contemporary ecological and evolutionary endeavours. This is not in opposition to effective ideation nor does it play to the false dichotomy of theory versus data. Computational expeditions with data, models, simulations or any other number of approaches both expand the toolkit of science and promote more structured reasoning. The implications of computational biology integrated with scientific pursuits such as experiments and theory development include the following positive outcomes: enhanced open science, better reproducibility, data literacy, author inclusivity, social good, and novel ideation opportunities. We face a climate apocalypse and unprecedented ecological challenges of collapsing ecosystem functions. Computation coupled with ideation is one mechanism to align the hearts and heads of scientists and decision makers alike.
{"title":"A comment on computational biology and connecting the dots.","authors":"C. Lortie","doi":"10.24908/IEE.2018.11.12.E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24908/IEE.2018.11.12.E","url":null,"abstract":"Increasingly, big data, coding, and quantitative methods contribute to contemporary ecological and evolutionary endeavours. This is not in opposition to effective ideation nor does it play to the false dichotomy of theory versus data. Computational expeditions with data, models, simulations or any other number of approaches both expand the toolkit of science and promote more structured reasoning. The implications of computational biology integrated with scientific pursuits such as experiments and theory development include the following positive outcomes: enhanced open science, better reproducibility, data literacy, author inclusivity, social good, and novel ideation opportunities. We face a climate apocalypse and unprecedented ecological challenges of collapsing ecosystem functions. Computation coupled with ideation is one mechanism to align the hearts and heads of scientists and decision makers alike.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2019-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45609337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-11-26DOI: 10.4033/IEE.2018.11.10.C
E. Walters
Getting into graduate school can be tough if you have not done your homework. I outline eleven strategies for increasing your chances of successfully being accepted into an ecology or evolutionary biology lab. Try to get good grades as an undergraduate, do well on the Graduate Record Exam (if applicable), join a lab reading group or undertake an undergraduate thesis, take time to forge relationships so you can have strong reference writers, obtain relevant work experience, author a publication, read peer-reviewed literature, attend national meetings, come up with some good research ideas, develop a relationship with a potential advisor, and apply to at least ten schools. If you follow these strategies, you have a high probability of getting into graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology.
{"title":"Eleven strategies for getting into graduate school in ecology & evolutionary biology","authors":"E. Walters","doi":"10.4033/IEE.2018.11.10.C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4033/IEE.2018.11.10.C","url":null,"abstract":"Getting into graduate school can be tough if you have not done your homework. I outline eleven strategies for increasing your chances of successfully being accepted into an ecology or evolutionary biology lab. Try to get good grades as an undergraduate, do well on the Graduate Record Exam (if applicable), join a lab reading group or undertake an undergraduate thesis, take time to forge relationships so you can have strong reference writers, obtain relevant work experience, author a publication, read peer-reviewed literature, attend national meetings, come up with some good research ideas, develop a relationship with a potential advisor, and apply to at least ten schools. If you follow these strategies, you have a high probability of getting into graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology.","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2018-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48753665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-11-26DOI: 10.4033/IEE.2018.11.11.C
C. Dale
In his paper Eleven strategies for getting into graduate school in ecology & evolutionary biology, Walters (2018) offers some practical and well-considered advice for prospective graduate students, based on his 25 years of experience in academia. I agree with most of Walters’ suggestions, and I think his recommendations are valuable for any undergraduate who wants to continue his or her studies in biology. However, I would like to offer some complementary advice from a different perspective. As a recent PhD graduate in ecology and evolutionary biology, my advice would be to take a moment to think before you begin strategizing to get into grad school. Stop for a moment and seriously ask yourself this question: “Why do I want to go to grad school?” Many undergraduates consider a graduate degree a necessary step towards achieving the type of job they want. This may be true in some cases, particularly of a Master’s degree. Holding a Master’s may help your resume stand out to prospective employers, land you a higher starting salary, or allow you to rise faster through the ranks once employed (Murray 2017). However, getting a Master’s can also come with some disadvantages, since you are likely to have less actual experience when applying for a job—and perhaps inflated expectations for salary and responsibilities as well (Dehaas 2013). In fact, according to data from the National Household Survey, in 2011, Canadians 25 to 44 with a Master’s degree had a higher unemployment rate (5.7%) than those with Bachelor’s degrees (4.8%; Dehaas 2013). So the jury is still out on whether a Master’s degree enhances your job prospects. But even if it does, a PhD probably doesn’t. Most jobs don’t require a PhD, and having one may make you ‘overqualified’ for a position, at least in the eyes of those doing the hiring. The exception, of course, is the position of tenure-track university faculty member. But if that’s your intended path, the news isn’t great. Many—perhaps even most—students begin their PhD with the intention of pursuing a career in academia. However, the simple fact is that institutions are producing more PhD graduates than there are faculty positions available (Larson et al. 2014, Kolata 2016). In the U.S., for example, data collected by the National Science Foundation in 2011 indicates that only 9.4% of PhD graduates in the life sciences had secured academic jobs at graduation (Weissmann 2013). Ecology and evolutionary biology is no exception: like most other disciplines, the field of biology has “many more PhDs than academic posts” (Kolata 2016). For anyone pursuing—or even considering pursuing—a graduate degree in biology, these reports don’t make easy reading. To be honest, even though they aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know from personal experience, reading the grim facts makes me wince every time. But I would suggest it’s worth making yourself face these realities before launching into a PhD. It’s very easy at the beginning of your grad
{"title":"Why are you strategizing? Response to \"Eleven strategies for getting into graduate school in ecology & evolutionary biology\"","authors":"C. Dale","doi":"10.4033/IEE.2018.11.11.C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4033/IEE.2018.11.11.C","url":null,"abstract":"In his paper Eleven strategies for getting into graduate school in ecology & evolutionary biology, Walters (2018) offers some practical and well-considered advice for prospective graduate students, based on his 25 years of experience in academia. I agree with most of Walters’ suggestions, and I think his recommendations are valuable for any undergraduate who wants to continue his or her studies in biology. However, I would like to offer some complementary advice from a different perspective. As a recent PhD graduate in ecology and evolutionary biology, my advice would be to take a moment to think before you begin strategizing to get into grad school. Stop for a moment and seriously ask yourself this question: “Why do I want to go to grad school?” Many undergraduates consider a graduate degree a necessary step towards achieving the type of job they want. This may be true in some cases, particularly of a Master’s degree. Holding a Master’s may help your resume stand out to prospective employers, land you a higher starting salary, or allow you to rise faster through the ranks once employed (Murray 2017). However, getting a Master’s can also come with some disadvantages, since you are likely to have less actual experience when applying for a job—and perhaps inflated expectations for salary and responsibilities as well (Dehaas 2013). In fact, according to data from the National Household Survey, in 2011, Canadians 25 to 44 with a Master’s degree had a higher unemployment rate (5.7%) than those with Bachelor’s degrees (4.8%; Dehaas 2013). So the jury is still out on whether a Master’s degree enhances your job prospects. But even if it does, a PhD probably doesn’t. Most jobs don’t require a PhD, and having one may make you ‘overqualified’ for a position, at least in the eyes of those doing the hiring. The exception, of course, is the position of tenure-track university faculty member. But if that’s your intended path, the news isn’t great. Many—perhaps even most—students begin their PhD with the intention of pursuing a career in academia. However, the simple fact is that institutions are producing more PhD graduates than there are faculty positions available (Larson et al. 2014, Kolata 2016). In the U.S., for example, data collected by the National Science Foundation in 2011 indicates that only 9.4% of PhD graduates in the life sciences had secured academic jobs at graduation (Weissmann 2013). Ecology and evolutionary biology is no exception: like most other disciplines, the field of biology has “many more PhDs than academic posts” (Kolata 2016). For anyone pursuing—or even considering pursuing—a graduate degree in biology, these reports don’t make easy reading. To be honest, even though they aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know from personal experience, reading the grim facts makes me wince every time. But I would suggest it’s worth making yourself face these realities before launching into a PhD. It’s very easy at the beginning of your grad","PeriodicalId":42755,"journal":{"name":"Ideas in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2018-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48607560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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