z

Young Writers Society


Ask an Academic



User avatar
935 Reviews



Gender: Other
Points: 2806
Reviews: 935
Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:40 am
View Likes
Shady says...



First and foremost, this thread is in no way meant to be competition for the lovely @Magebird's thread: Ask a (Studying) Biologist and I encourage you to ask her any ecology/nature questions you have!

The point of this thread is to be complementary and answer any questions you may have about how research labs work or ask more specialized questions about topics outside of ecology and nature (seriously, as Mage your questions about those, I am... okay... at ecology but it's not my strength at all).

Now, for a bit about me, I am an ichthyologist (fish biologist) that plans to become a Professor of Biology with an active research laboratory. For my master's degree, I studied the speciation of freshwater fish from Mexico. I'm currently working on my Ph.D. and am focusing on deep-sea fishes.

That means I can answer general fish questions like:

- What's the difference between fish and fishes?
- What would a fish likely look like if it lived in ___?
- Are fish ever able to survive out of the water? (spoiler: some can, yes)
- Why are fish commercially important to humans?
- What's the coolest feeding strategy that fish have?
- What's the coolest defense strategy that fish have?

Specifically, I study the genetic basis of adaptations and how fish have evolved these adaptations over time.

That means I can answer more specialized questions like:

- Where do new species come from?
- How can we tell if something is a new species?
- Who gets to name new species?
- How does DNA affect how a fish looks?
- How does the environment affect how a fish looks?
- Can you tell what a fish eats just by looking at it? (spoiler: a lot of the time!)
- How are deep-sea fish different from shallow-dwelling fish?
- How are saltwater fish different from freshwater fish?

A lot of my research happens in a lab, so I can answer questions about methodologies you might have about how science happens. Examples:

- Where do scientists get their ideas?
- How do scientists design their experiments?
- How do you know if an experiment was successful?
- What happens if an experiment fails?
- How do you work with DNA?
- How do you analyze data?
- What sorts of equipment would you find in a molecular biology lab?
- How do scientists fund their research?
- What do scientists do with their knowledge once an experiment is complete?
- How do we know that science is reliable?
- Who gets to do research?

I've also worked in field-based studies before so I can answer questions like:

- What's the most effective method of catching fish for research?
- What permits do you need to do research on fish?
- How many people do you need to have on the research team?
- How can scientists identify fishes in the field?
- What happens if you catch an endangered species?
- What happens if you accidentally injure or kill an endangered species?
- What do scientists do with the fish they catch?

And finally, since I'm a graduate student, that means I know a lot of the ins and outs of academia, so I should be able to answer any questions you have about working at a fairly large university. These could include:

- What do you learn as an undergraduate biology student?
- How is graduate school different from undergraduate studies?
- How do you apply for graduate school?
- What is life like as a graduate student?
- What is it like to teach college-level lab classes?
- How are faculty members different from instructors?
- How long do advanced degrees take to earn on average?
- What do you need to do to be successful in academia?
- What is academic bullying?
- What are some biases that make it more difficult to be a scientist?

I can answer questions beyond these, too! These are just the first questions that came to mind that you might find helpful. I'm a nerd about fish and reptiles (as a hobby, not my career) so I can probably answer any question you have about them. I've been specializing in evolution and molecular biology the past few years so I can answer questions about those, as well. It's also likely that I'll be able to apply my knowledge across different animals as well (i.e. I know how tooth structure is different in fish depending on what they eat, so I could figure that out for mammals too).

If you're not sure, feel free to ask your question and I can tell you if I can answer it or not! Now, let's talk some science <3
  





User avatar
590 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Nonbinary
Points: 1234
Reviews: 590
Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:23 pm
View Likes
Mageheart says...



I don't have any questions to ask you, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I love how you made this thread! It's a great place to ask any questions I might not be able to answer - especially about the nitty-gritty details of being a college student. I'm only two years into my undergraduate degree, so you're definitely more knowledgeable when it comes to the ins-and-outs of the more technical/administrative parts of college. :)

(Also, fish are really cool and something I definitely need to learn more about! >>)
mage

[ she/her, but in a boy kinda way ]

roleplaying is my platonic love language.

queer and here.
  





User avatar
542 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 41664
Reviews: 542
Sun Dec 27, 2020 10:56 am
View Likes
Liminality says...



Woop - looks like I'm the first in the feeding line ;) (for fish food, that is). I'd love your thoughts on two questions:

1. Fish-related: what are fish like in low-light, warm/hot environments? (I'm thinking something like the volcanic area of the deep sea??? sorry, don't know if that's the right term for it)

2. Academia-related: what is networking like for research?

Thanks in advance! :D
she/her

.
Have you met my friend, The Story Review Template?
  








Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
— Corrie Ten Boom