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Romans 12:9 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. What is Biology? And What Can You Do With It?. Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D. What is Biology?. Biology = The study of life (Bio = Life logy = The study of)
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Romans 12:9 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
What is Biology?And What Can You Do With It? Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D.
What is Biology? • Biology = The study of life (Bio = Life logy = The study of) • What is life? While philosophers spend a lifetime pondering this question, biologists give life a fairly pragmatic definition: • Life is defined by the following characteristics: • Organization - Living things are called organisms • Reproduction • Reaction to the environment • Growth and development • Uses energy (Thermodynamics)
Biology Bio- Phys. Bio- Chem. Bio- Phys- Chem. Physics Chemistry Phys.- Chem. Biology is aMultidisciplinary Science
Biol. Chem. Physics Mathematics Perspectives on Biology A mathematician’s perspective
Biology Chem. Physics Math Perspectives on Biology A biologist’s perspective
Biology is the MostInterdisciplinary Science • Because organisms are made of chemicals • And chemicals are governed by the laws of physics • And physics uses mathematics to describe natural phenomena • And mathematics is the most useful tool in the world • Biologists must master chemistry, physics, and mathematics to master biology • Biology is the most interdisciplinary science
Biology Offers the Greatest Range of Job Opportunities of all the Sciences • Aside from teaching, opportunities in biology can be shoe-horned into two general categories: • Pure biology - The study of organisms for the sheer joy of what might be discovered • Applied biology - Taking what has been discovered and using it to create wealth, relieve suffering, or for some other benefit
Places Where Biologists Work • Research laboratories - NIH, NRL, Argon, Lucent Technologies . . . • Hospitals - Doctors, Pharmacists and other health professionals are all applied biologists • Zoos - Administrators, conservationists, animal keepers • Government agencies - EPA, BLM, Library of Congress . . . • Universities - Researchers, Teachers, Arborists . . . • National Parks and Forests
More Places Where Biologists Work • Consulting firms - Industrial hygiene etc. • Law firms - There is a big demand for lawyers trained as biologists • The Armed Forces - Army Core of Engineers, Fort Detrick . . . • Because Biology is so interdisciplinary, and what biologists know is of such importance, there are few places where there are not openings for biologists.
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