What forces influence a person’s decision to pursue a career in science? And what factors determine which among the many possible pathways a budding scientist chooses to follow?
John A. Wiens traces his journeys through several subfields of ecology—and, in so doing, gives readers an inside look at how science actually works. He shares stories from his development as an ornithologist, community ecologist, landscape ecologist, and conservation scientist that convey the excitement of doing ecology. Recounting the serendipities, discoveries, and joys of this branching career, Wiens explores how an individual’s background and interests, life’s contingencies, the influences of key people, and the culture of a discipline can all shape a scientist’s trajectory. Becoming an Ecologist illustrates why ecologists ask the questions they do, how they go about answering them, and what they do when the answers are not what they expected.
Bringing together personal narrative with practical guidance for aspiring ecologists, this book provides a window onto a dynamic scientific field—and inspiration for all readers interested in building a career by following their passion for the natural world.
Table of Content
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Charting Pathways
1. In the Beginning: Emerging of Interests
2. Molding of Interests
3. Starting on the Pathway to Becoming a Scientist
4. Defining a Pathway
5. Beginning an Academic Career
6. Expanding My View of Grassland Birds
7. Extending the Pathway: The International Biological Program
8. Scrambling for an Explanation: Climatic Instability and Ecological Crunches
9. Detouring to Another Pathway: Modeling Bird Bioenergetics
10. Moving from Grasslands to the Arid Shrubsteppe
11. Challenging the Paradigm
12. Changing Places: Pathways and Practicalities
13. Testing the Paradigm: Are Australian Bird Communities Different?
14. Shifting Directions in the Shrubsteppe
15. Finding Things Out: Field Experiments in the Shrubsteppe
16. Becoming a Landscape Ecologist
17. Dealing with Scale
18. Following the Landscape Ecology Pathway
19. Traveling Along Pathways with Students
20. Pulled onto a Seabird Pathway
21. Dealing with Advocacy: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
22. Shifting Pathways to Conservation
23. Bolstering Conservation Science in the Nature Conservancy
24. Doing Conservation Science
25. Writing into Retirement
Conclusions: What Are the Lessons for Today’s Aspiring Ecologists?
Appendix: Scientific Names of Species Mentioned in Text
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
John A. Wiens turned a childhood interest in birds into a career in ecology. He served on the faculties of Oregon State University, the University of New Mexico, and Colorado State University, where he is University Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He then worked for the Nature Conservancy as chief scientist. His work emphasizes the ecology of birds, landscape ecology, and conservation.
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