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Mycology - A Day of Your Life?

I was wondering what a normal day looks like in your degree. Are you lab-based? In a team? Researching solo? Microscope research?

biology stem mycology
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Fahad Elahi’s Answer

As a mycologist, your day can be quite varied depending on whether you're in research, industry, or teaching. Usually, it involves a mix of working in the lab and sometimes going out into the field. You might start by planning your day in the office, looking over data or getting experiments ready. Then, you could spend time in the lab growing fungi, checking samples under a microscope, or doing DNA tests. While much of your work is in the lab, you might also go out to collect samples in forests or on farms, especially if you focus on the environment. Working with others is common on big projects, like applying for grants or teaming up with ecologists, but you might also do solo work like writing papers or identifying species. In the afternoon, you might have meetings, teach classes, or analyze data. If you enjoy solving nature's puzzles, this hands-on work can be very fulfilling.
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Karin’s Answer

Hi Colton,

Mycologists are biologists who specialize in fungi. Applications can be found in several industries including food production, biofuel, pulp and paper, medicine, pharmacology, agriculture, biotechnology, nanotechnology or environmental management. Other employers are universities, research institutes and government agencies.

To become a mycologist you first need to get a bachelors degree in e.g. microbiology or biology. There is no need to specialize too early. Microbiology gives you lots of options for specializations and careers. Choose a university that has notable research in the field of mycology though and try to get involved in undergraduate research and industry internships early on.

You can get entry-level positions with a bachelors, but to advance in the field and especially if you are going into research you will need a graduate degree (MSc and/or PhD). That's the time to specialize. By that time you should have some experience and an idea what you are interested in and where you want to go with your career. Choose your graduate program accordingly.

Depending on your specialization and your career choices, you might be working in the field or in the lab or on a microscope or a combination of all of the above.

I hope this helps! All the best to you!

KP

Karin recommends the following next steps:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-a-mycologist
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-for-microbiologists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw0MzDxMKHI
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