Real-Life Decision Making
It's been a long couple of years, but you've finally finished your PhD in ecology. Now it's time to start thinking about getting a job to pay off those student loans!
While you were working on your PhD, you were also doing some fieldwork for companies and government agencies in Florida and Indonesia. They've told you if you need work, they could use your help.
You've also been thinking about going the academic route and maybe taking advantage of an offer to become a researcher and assistant professor with a university.
If you stay with the university you'll have to teach as well as do research, so you won't get to travel as much. On the other hand, if you take work with private firms or governments abroad, you will see many exciting places but your freedom to research what you please will be restricted.
The department at the university is anxious for your answer and you expect you'll be getting a nudge from your contacts in Indonesia and Florida any day now. You have to make a decision. What do you think you should do?
"Many might say the private sector is where the most valuable work is being conducted," says Janet Keough, a wetland ecologist.
What are you going to do?