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The majority of plant biologists work somewhere on the continuum from basic plant biology on one end--the main focus of this feature--to the development of agricultural products on the other.

"Undergraduates should get experience in a lab, the field, or a museum, to see if that sort of research suits them." --Scott Edwards

Briscoe believes that evolutionary biology is an important--and growing--discipline that will continue to offer a range of career opportunities.

For an ecologist, working in one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth is always thrilling, and Bruna hopes his research will contribute to the area's conservation.

"The club's development was very often a thrilling trial-and-error evolutionary approach, as no one involved in it had ever done anything similar before."

A combination of techniques—from computation to medicinal chemistry—helps scientists pick better drug targets, often because of gaining a better understanding of how diseases work. Those improvements help patients and job hunters. Instead of reducing the opportunities in this field, the increasing specificity of the drug discovery business keeps spawning new opportunities in academia and industry.

For scientists who can cope with the region's weather, New England offers a remarkable density of top research institutions, a comfortable lifestyle, and myriad opportunities to perform high quality work.

By doing some homework ahead of time, it's possible to select a career-oriented Bachelor's or Master's degree. In fact, some of today's professional Master's programs aim specifically at giving students experience in research labs or companies. In this article, experts from academia, industry, and government give advice for training and grabbing the best position.

Ensuring a successful postdoctoral appointment and using the experience to launch a solid career require careful preparation. Scientists who responded to this year's postdoctoral survey, sponsored by
Science Careers, outline strategies based on their personal histories.

Despite its small population and relative remoteness, Australia occupies a powerful position in global science in general and life science in particular. The ingredients of its success: a strong research infrastructure, solid governmental support, effective collaboration among academic, industrial, and governmental institutions, and an ambience that attracts scientists from around the world.