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Careers Overseas

Global Research and Scientific Discovery

Since before recorded history, adventurous intellectuals have been traveling across national boundaries to explore new regions or to investigate intriguing puzzles of the natural world. By the 18^th century, explorers from many European nations were beginning to organize international expeditions, not for the purposes of colonial expansion, but to engage in scientific discovery and inquiry. From the 1764 to 66 voyage of the HMS Dolphin, the first scientific voyage funded and organized by the British Royal Navy, more and more western intellectuals began setting off to study the flora, fauna, and natural history of the world.

Resource Conservation

Natural ecosystems do not adhere to national boundaries and the scientists and researchers who are involved in the effort to study biological and natural diversity therefore regularly conduct their research across international lines. Deforestation and other forms of activity that destroy and degrade natural ecosystems have created a global environmental crisis, with thousands of species nearing extinction due to human harvesting of natural resources. This has generated new impetus for scientific exploration and conservation and, in turn, has created many career opportunities for professionals interested in working abroad with expertise or interest in scientific research and the preservation of animal and plant species.

In many cases, careers in biological conservation and research require specialized academic training. Wildlife biologists, for instance, typically obtain a bachelor’s or other postsecondary degree in biology or a related field and then go on to pursue a postgraduate degree in zoology or ecology. Those interested in careers in environmental protection and conservation are therefore advised to begin by pursuing higher education in the sciences as well as by seeking out volunteer, internship, or study opportunities in conservation or environmental science.

One of the most rapidly growing fields within conservation ecology is climate science, the study of the earth’s climate and the way that the climate affects ecosystems. Climate science is a multidisciplinary field that includes oceanographers, geographers, geologists, marine and wildlife biologists, ecologists, forestry specialists, agricultural managers, atmospheric chemists, physicists, and many other scientific and conservation specialists. Climate scientists not only have opportunities for work through academic or professional organizations, but can also find work with corporations interested in climate management or companies working on products for the renewable and alternative energy industry.

Global Biodiversity

The Missouri Botanical Garden, a research institution in St. Louis, Missouri, funds and participates in dozens of international research programs around the world and researchers, research assistants, and other personnel working for the garden may spend weeks, months, or years living in and exploring botanical environments abroad, typically working alongside local researchers and institutions to broaden the scope of global botanical knowledge. The Missouri Botanical Garden is one of numerous institutions around the world that conduct research on biodiversity and ecology and also manage and fund conservation efforts worldwide.

Forging a career in the biological sciences typically requires specialized knowledge and education. Professional researchers typically obtain postgraduate degrees, though they may begin participating in international scientific studies while still completing their education. The University of California, Santa Barbara, for instance, hosts international research programs in marine biology, ecology, climate science, geology, and more, and facilitates participation for students and researchers at many different levels. Even for those who do not plan to pursue a career as a scientist, international research programs may hire individuals to serve in an assistive or logistical capacity. Students interested in studying biodiversity might begin by contacting the National Science Foundation (NSF), a U.S. governmental organization that has partnerships with numerous scientific research organizations and programs around the world and can help connect students and professionals with a variety of opportunities.

International History and Human Welfare

There are also fields of scientific research that focus on humanity, gathering data that helps to better understand the history of the species and can potentially be useful in improving the human condition in the future. Researchers and research assistants in fields like anthropology and archaeology also depend on international access to complete their research and research organizations in these fields therefore regularly fund and manage overseas research projects and offices.

Anthropologists are researchers who study human societies and so must travel to regions where their subject cultures exist, sometimes spending time living within those societies to better understand their culture and history. Archaeologists study the remnants of ancient societies, exhuming and studying artifacts and other evidence of human activity from history. Those interested in an international career investigating past and present human societies can focus on anthropology or archaeology as a field, or can apply for assistant or volunteer positions with organizations conducting research.

The New Age of Discovery and Collaboration

Over centuries of research, scientists working in many fields have helped to popularize the fact that the ecosystems (both human and non-human) of the world are intricately interconnected and this realization has helped to make scientific research a truly global and collaborative field, often transcending the political and economic competition between nations. While the governments of the United States and Russia have been in nearly constant conflict since the beginning of the Cold War, for instance, scientists from Russia and North American have readily worked together when the opportunity arises, recognizing that the global exchange of knowledge benefits all who participate. International cooperation in science has also become more and more important as the world faces global issues like climate change, disease epidemics, and hunger. Globalization, the processes driving closer economic, social, and cultural links between nations, is a phenomenon that has been viewed with skepticism and fear by those who believe the process has negatively impacted their nations or communities. In science, globalization is a positive and transformative process, helping to bridge gaps in knowledge and adding international data to the global understanding of the planet’s evolution and potential futures. For this reason, professionals in scientific research may have the opportunity to live and work in regions or nations that do not as readily invite international participation in fields like finance, business, or resource exploration. Scientists and the professionals who assist in their research thereby demonstrate modes of cooperation and collaboration that might pave the way for governmental partnerships and programs with the potential to address global issues on a global scale.

Works Used

Farhi, Paul and Rosenfeld, Megan. “American Pop Penetrates Worldwide.” Washington Post. Oct 25 1998. Web. 22 Jul 2017.

“Hollywood, Creative Industries Add $504 Billion to U.S. GDP.” Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Dec 5 2013. Web. 22 Jul 2017.

Citation Types

Type

Format

MLA 9th

"Global Research And Scientific Discovery." Careers Overseas,Salem Press, 2017. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CIOver_0040.

APA 7th

Global Research and Scientific Discovery. Careers Overseas,Salem Press, 2017. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CIOver_0040.

CMOS 17th