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A
Job To Love
You’ve just received a large grant
to research water levels in the land
surrounding your community. You believe
that global climate change is affecting
the water levels and your research will
allow you to test this theory. Your
research takes you to remote areas of
the wilderness where you’re able
to combine traditional knowledge of
the land and its ecosystems with modern
technology. The next day you’re
in a classroom, teaching your methods
and findings to a classroom full of
enthusiastic students. Being able to
pass on traditional knowledge about
the environment is one of the best parts
of your job.
University
professors are enthusiastic researchers
and teach the results of their research
to university students. They combine
life-long learning with a desire to
share the knowledge they accumulate.
They work both in classrooms and laboratories
at universities but also spend time
in the field conducting their own
research. Most professors work independently,
although some may team up with other
professors and students on research
projects. Aboriginal university professors
often work directly with their local
communities, combining traditional
and western knowledge to solve current
environmental problems.
To
become a professor you’ll have
to spend a lot of time in school.
Most universities require professors
to have a Ph.D. which can take about
four years to complete—that’s
on top of the four years it takes
to get a bachelor’s degree and
at least two years to finish a master’s
degree. As a professor, a lot of your
time will be spent researching and
writing papers. This job requires
strong organizational skills because
you’ll have to prepare classes
and find time to do your own research
in addition to the time you’ll
spend marking students’ exams
and essays. Then again, there are
plenty of rewards for this demanding
job. Professors enjoy flexible schedules
and enjoy a degree of freedom not
seen in most jobs. As well, they have
the opportunity to travel around the
world meeting other people and sharing
their research at conferences.
Job
Description
University professors teach students
at universities and other degree-granting
institutions. They also conduct scientific
research and publish their findings
in professional and academic journals
and magazines. For example, someone
wanting to understand how geese find
the same location every year would study
geese throughout university and then
become a professor to share their knowledge.
Most professors work at universities
and other degree granting institutions.
Others work for the government.
Job
Duties
- Carry
out research in your chosen field
- Write
and publish your research in journals
and books
- Present
your research at international conferences
- Design
lesson plans and outlines for courses
- Present
lectures to students
- Grade
students’ examinations and
papers
- Serve
on departmental and faculty committees
- Supervise
students’ own research interests,
particularly at the master’s
and Ph.D. levels
Fact
There are154 universities and 24 colleges
in Canada that offer environmental
science programs.
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High
school courses that will prepare you
for this job are the courses you’re
the most interested in. Normally, you
need to take biology, physics, chemistry,
calculus, social sciences, and English.
Aboriginal studies, history, and languages
will prepare you for working in a multi-cultural
setting. Talk to your career or academic
counsellor about options such as Latin,
environmental science, statistics, algebra,
and calculus.
The minimum education requirement for
this job is a master’s degree in
your field of study. Most professors
hold several degrees. A doctorate degree
(also called a Ph.D.) will allow you
to apply for a tenure track position,
which will give you more job security
and a higher salary.
In regulated fields such as medicine,
engineering, law, and architecture,
professors must also have licences or
professional accreditation.
Look into specific high school pre-requisites
set by the university you would like
to attend. |
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New
professors make an average of $68,000.00
per year.
University
professors with published research
and several years of experience make
an average of $100,000.00 per year.
Financial
Assistance
In addition to the general scholarship
tips listed in the BUILD MY CAREER
section, the following awards are
specific to professors:
Canadian Environmental Scholarship,
University of Calgary
$1750.00 for a student in the first
year of an Architecture and Environmental
Design or Environmental Sciences program.
Contact: Faculty of Graduate
Studies
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T2N 1N4
Cement
Association of Canada Environmental
Scholarships Program, Association
of Universities and Colleges of Canada
(AUCC)
$1500.00 for a student entering or
currently in his or her third year
in Environmental Engineering or Environmental
Sciences.
Contact: Canadian Awards Programs
Association of Universities and Colleges
of Canada
350 Albert Street, Suite 600
Ottawa, Ontario
K1R 1B1
Telephone: (613) 563-1236
email: awards@aucc.ca
website: www.aucc.ca
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Some
of the most useful knowledge for this
job will come from listening to the
stories and wisdom of your relations.
Ask your Elders to tell you stories.
Storytelling can be an effective way
of communicating more complex ideas.
Discover how your Elders have passed
on knowledge of the environment and
practice using traditional storytelling
techniques to improve your own communication
skills. Your knowledge and understanding
of the world could guide your research
and will impress employers.
Relate to people in similar jobs:
- High
school science teacher
- Science
camp co-ordinator
- Ecotourism
guide
- Environmental
trainer
Relate
and interact with other university
professors. Ask them what they like
about their jobs and what you should
do to get started.
Canadian Nature Federation
Suite 606, 1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, ON
K1N 7B7
Toll-free: 1-800-267-4088
Telephone: (613) 562-3447
Fax: (613) 562-3371
email: cnf@cnf.ca
website: www.cnf.ca
Canadian
Network for Environmental Education
and Communication / Réseau
Canadien d’éducation et
de communication relatives à
l’environnement.
Station B
PO Box 948
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5P9
website: www.eecom.org
Relate with other students. There
are Aboriginal student associations
and resource centres at most universities.
Visit these centres to find out what
they have to offer. Also, look into
community, friendship, and multi-cultural
centres.
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