Careers in Environmental Science

Introduction

Environmental science is a branch of biological science that is concerned with the relationships between organisms and their environment, in terms of the physical, chemical, and biological ways that organisms affect the environment and how they are influenced for the better or worse by their environment.

This relationship ranges from the microscopic world of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms to the globe-trotting territories of species such as the blue whale and migrating birds and insects.

Although concerned with all living things, a branch of environmental science that is increasingly important is the study of how human activities influence the environment. Human-associated climate change, for example, has the potential to affect much of the life on Earth.

Environmental science is, thus, a very broad area that involves many scientific disciplines. This is reflected in the careers available in environmental science. Just a few examples include agricultural scientist, architect, aquaculture scientist, chemist, conservation biologist, environmental consultant, forest ranger, lawyer, microbiologist, oceanographer, remediation specialist, and zoologist.

In general, an environmental scientist is engaged in research, monitoring activities, or enforcement that aim to protect a particular aspect of the environment (examples include rivers, air quality, drinking water quality, and fish stocks). This can involve identifying hazards, designing and implementing strategies to deal with the problems, making sure the strategies are observed, and seeking to correct environmental wrongs.

Historical Background and Scientific Foundations

A Brief History

Environmental science began millennia ago. More than 2,000 years ago, soil conservation, especially efforts to prevent erosion, was practiced in China, India, and Peru. Although these activities were not a career in the sense that we think of careers today—specialized training with the aim of being employed in the particular area of environmental science—even centuries ago people were engaged in environmental science-related ‘jobs.’ By the fifteenth century, the environmental science of soil conservation in these countries had become sophisticated, with the planting of different crops in different years, use of natural fertilizers, and terracing of the steep slopes being done to minimize erosion.

In the United States, more formalized environmental science careers date back to the nineteenth century, with the establishment of the Sierra Club and the growing recognition that environments such as the forest required stewardship, both for their inherent natural value and as a commercial resource. By the twentieth century, environmental science and conservation education programs had been established.

The 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring triggered widespread public concern over the deteriorating environment and the influence of human activities such as the widespread use of pesticides in this decline. Careers in environmental science began to move more into the mainstream. An example was the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. The EPA’s mandate of remedi-ating environmental damage and to protect natural environments from future damage required environmental science expertise.

WORDS TO KNOW

ECOSYSTEM: The community of individuals and the physical components of the environment in a certain area.

GEOLOGIST: A person who studies the origin, history, and structure of Earth.

HYDROLOGY: The study of the distribution, movement, and physical-chemical properties of water in Earth’s atmosphere, surface, and near-surface crust.

REMEDIATION: A remedy. In the case of the environment, remediation seeks to restore an area to its unpolluted condition, or at least to remove the contaminants from the soil and/or water.

The growth of environmental science in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was due to the recognition that the natural environment involves interactions between many living things, and that the chemistry and biology of the environment both influences the residents and can be changed by the activities of the living things. With this recognition came the realization that little was really known of these influences and, in particular, how adverse environmental conditions could be minimized or even reversed. The logic and discipline of science was necessary to understand the environment.

But, a single scientific approach could not hope to unravel the functioning of the environment. Scientific expertise in environmental aspects of air, water (freshwater and marine water), soil, geology, climate, wildlife, aquatics, and other areas was necessary. As of 2008, environmental science includes many different areas of science, which can involve research, management of programs, and monitoring.

As well, since environmental change often comes about following government legislation, an indirect facet of environmental science that is also a career is policy development, environmental activism, and environmental law.

Examples of Careers in Environmental Science

Environmental Engineer An environmental engineer assesses the effects of human activities and other activities on the natural environment or artificial environments (an example is the atmosphere inside of an office building). This aspect is known as environmental impact assessment. Furthermore, the job may involve managing the particular environment to deal with an existing problem or to prevent a problem from happening.

Sometimes an environmental engineer is concerned with researching and developing new technologies that assist or are necessary for a project to be approved. Alternatively, the engineer may evaluate an established project or technology to assess its impact on the environment. Environmental engineering can also be concerned with the nuts-and-bolts designing of facilities such as wastewater treatment plants or recycling operations. Still other environmental engineers examine a site in terms of the potential hazards posed to those who work there or who are in the immediate vicinity. For example, a laboratory building that is near residences is typically equipped with specialized vents that prevent any noxious fumes or the escape of liquid or solid material that might be hazardous.

An environmental engineer does not work in isola-ion, but rather interacts with the public, scientists, other ngineers, civil service workers such as police and fire-ghters, legislators, and politicians. This coordinated pproach helps ensure that the engineering solutions are easible, recommended, safe, and appropriate.

Geological Engineer A geological engineer is concerned with problems that involve soil, rock, or groundwater. The solution to these problems may require the design and construction of a facility or structure at the surface or underground. For example, the building of a dam requires the expertise of a geological engineer to ensure that the dam will be strong enough to hold back the water. Dams and other structures may require tunnels or shafts through the surrounding bedrock.

Geological engineers are also vital in designing solutions to minimize the chances of landslides in areas that are less stable. They may actually design these and other engineered solutions, or may participate as a consultant to offer their advice in a project to other companies, government agencies, or non-profit organizations.

In the era of computer-aided design, engineers including geological engineers need to be comfortable with the use of computers and computer design software.

Environmental Health Scientist An environmental health scientist does research or carries out investigations geared at identifying, minimizing, or eliminating pollutants or other hazards that are a health concern. The work can involve examination of air, water, and soil for both biological and non-biological material. Examination of a river for an oil spill is very different from sampling air for the presence of a biological agent such as the bacterium that causes anthrax. These aims call for different skills, so an environmental health scientist is really an umbrella term that includes people who are experts in different areas.

Being an environmental health scientist can mean spending days at a desk analyzing reports and preparing summary documents of a clean-up operation. However, other days might be spent at the site of a spill or other environmental situation. In the era of bioterrorism, organizations including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and state law enforcement agencies have a need for the skills and training of an environmental health scientist.

Hydrologist A hydrologist is someone who is concerned with bodies of water—how clean or polluted they are, where they are located, and the patterns of water movement. Since many compounds can dissolve in water and are transported elsewhere with the water flow, knowledge of water bodies is important in helping determine the extent of a waterborne contamination and how best to remediate a spill.

Some hydrologists specialize in surface water while others are expert in groundwater. Measurements of the movement, chemistry, and biology of surface and groundwater uses a variety of specialized equipment and even computer modeling.

Specific tasks that an environmental hydrologist can perform include monitoring of rainfall, water flow, water levels, and the amount of sediment in the water. In coastal regions, an environmental hydrologist may be involved in monitoring tide levels and coastal erosion to help protect and maintain coastline.

As well, the construction of structures including bridges and dams requires knowledge of the water flow and, in colder climates, the potential for ice buildup. For example, as part of the environmental assessment that was necessary before approval could be given for the construction of the 6 mi- (10 km-) long bridge connecting the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, an environmental hydrology assessment was done of the likelihood of ice jam formation at the base of the bridge’s supports. The study led to the design of supports that minimized ice buildup, essentially eliminating the risk of bridge destabilization due to ice accumulation.

Organizations like the EPA employ hydrologists, as do private consulting firms. The latter offer advice on the clean-up of spills and other contamination events, flood control, and efforts to improve water quality for drinking and recreation.

Microbiologist A microbiologist is a scientist who studies microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Many different types of microbes are naturally present in the soil and water. Others are present in soil, water, and air accidentally. Still others are deliberately introduced into a polluted environment to help degrade the contaminant. Finally, others are also deliberately introduced in a terrorist attack.

Environmental microbiologists are particularly important in preserving water quality, and in determining the identity of the microbial contaminant when water quality has been compromised. Typically, water samples are taken and the microbial contaminants are identified following their growth on various food sources in the laboratory. As well, techniques of molecular biology can now identify microbes without the need to grow them, based on unique sequences of genetic material. By monitoring the microbiological composition of water, the success of a remediation strategy can be followed.

Both government agencies and private companies employ environmental microbiologists for water quality monitoring.

Soil and air monitoring are also important facets of environmental microbiology. Monitoring of environmental air quality has become more of a concern with the knowledge that the deliberate malicious release of disease-causing microbes such as Bacillus anthracis—the bacterium that causes anthrax—is possible. A key facet of this type of environmental microbiology research is devising techniques that detect low levels of the airborne microbe very quickly.

Monitoring An important aspect of environmental science is monitoring. This job is done by environment compliance officers. Their work can consist of monitoring the progress on the remediation of a polluted site to ensure that the work is proceeding as planned and that the site is restored to an acceptable condition according to the target criteria that have been set in the federal, state, and/or local legislation guiding the clean-up. Additionally, a compliance officer can monitor the outputs from factories, farms, homes, and other locations to make sure that the air, soil, and water in the vicinity are not being polluted and, if so, to help correct the situation.

A career in environmental compliance can involve many tasks. Inspection of facilities including wastewater treatment plants, solid waste disposal plants, rivers, streams, and lakes are at the local, regional, and federal levels. Other inspections can be done to ensure that stored chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are properly contained and are not a threat to the surrounding environment. Sites can be sampled in a variety of ways as a means of determining if they are contaminated. Monitoring can also involve examining or approving permits, licenses, or applications to make sure that the paperwork complies with the requirements. A compliance officer may also be part of the process that sets up the strategies to deal with spills and other types of environmental contamination.

These various tasks require someone who is adept at field work as well as searching out information.

Oceanographer Oceanography is a term that refers to the study of the ocean. This is a broad category. Oceanographers in general, and environmental oceanographers in particular, tend to be more specialized. Physical oceanographers study the pattern of ocean movement and the influence of environmental factors on

ocean circulation. Such research has linked the warming of Earth’s atmosphere to changes in ocean currents and upwellings—the movement of colder and deeper water to the surface.

Chemical oceanographers study the chemical composition of the ocean and, increasingly, how human influences are changing this chemistry. We now know that human-related climate change is making the ocean more acidic, which is making it more difficult for some forms of life to survive. Biological oceanographers study the variety, distribution, and changes in sea life. Such studies have also indicated that human activities including run-off of pollutants from coastal areas and global warming are adversely affecting ocean life.

Warden A fish or game warden is concerned with enforcing the laws that have been enacted to protect fish and wildlife. This is a career that is an indirect, but very important, part of environmental science. Scientists may determine the conditions that are best to protect various species, but without their enforcement the benefits of the research will be minimal.

An important part of a warden’s job, and one that does directly affect environmental science, is monitoring fish and wildlife populations. By keeping track of the populations, wardens may be the first to notice a population decline or increase. A decrease can be an indication of an environmental change or increase in poaching. A population increase can also be a concern, since the territory may not be big enough or contain sufficient food and water to support larger numbers of a particular species.

The enforcement aspect of the job involves checking to make sure that hunters and fishers have the required permits. If not, a warden may issue a fine or even take the hunting/fishing gear and any catch.

Zoologist A zoologist studies animals and other wildlife. By understanding the numbers, distribution, and life cycles of these creatures, the effects of environmental change can be better understood. In addition, construction of pipelines, highways, and dams can be designed to minimize the effects on migrating species and the natural population in the area.

Training for Environmental Science Careers

The aforementioned examples are not a complete list, in terms of the occupations and the opportunities for employment.

Typically, careers in environmental science require an undergraduate university degree in the area of interest. For those interested in research and senior management positions, post-graduate training may be necessary.

Impacts and Issues

Environmental scientists are vital in the stewardship of the environment. Protecting, preserving, and remediating the environment depends on scientific knowledge of air, water, soil, and wildlife.

The impact of environmental science is large. For example, environmental science is fundamental to the formation and implementation of environmental policies, design of facilities such as dams and pipelines that do what they are intended to do with the least environmental harm, monitoring, and environmental activism that seeks change.

An environmental science career offers the chance to make a meaningful contribution to environmental quality while pursuing a challenging and even financially lucrative occupation. As of 2008, with the acknowledgment of the reality of global warming and the knowledge that global environmental change will still occur for at least the next century even if all sources of atmospheric warming could be stopped now, environmental science will continue to grow in importance.

The adaptation of both developed and developing countries to environmental change will require increased understanding of the environment. Local knowledge of the chances of more severe weather, drought, floods, insect-borne disease, and temperature change is vital to devising strategies for health care, water accessibility, emergency response, and public transport.

See Also Environmental Activism; Geochemistry; Horticulture; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Oceanography; Photography, Environmental; Surveying; Water Conservation

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Environmental Careers Organization. The ECO Guide to Careers that Make a Difference: Environmental Work for a Sustainable World. Washington: Island Press, 2007.

Fasulo, Mike, and Paul Walker. Careers in the Environment. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Robbins-Roth, Cynthia. Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower. New York: Academic Press, 2005.

Brian D. Hoyle