Natural Resources
Department: Soil Science
Natural resources encompass our soil, water, air, minerals, flora, fauna and people. Wise use or improvement of natural resources for the benefit of society is the goal of resource management. This important challenge recognizes the interdependence of man with his environment and requires an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to solve society's resource problems. Population growth, rising incomes, life style changes and urbanization lead to more intensive use of all natural resources. These trends present challenges to resource managers who must be trained in the basic principles of several disciplines in order to apply sound management strategies to our resource problems.
Managing our natural resources for the sustained benefit of society will require knowledge of soils, hydrology, geology, and plant and animal life, along with resource policy, economics, and environmental law. Bringing together these specific disciplines to formulate effective resource management that will satisfy society's diverse needs is a challenge that will require people trained to make sound judgments with far-reaching impact.
Available Concentration:
Soil Resources
Prepares students to understand the physical,chemical, and biological properties of soils and to evaluate capabilities and limitations for a broad spectrum of land uses. Courses will address the soil resource from the traditional plant growth aspects to waste management and water management. The role of soil as a basis for all ecosystem understanding will be emphasized.
Soil & Water Systems
This concentration offered by the Department of Soil Science provides students with a framework for understanding those land management factors that will influence the quantity and quality of water that runs off the land and reaches surface waters or filtrates and becomes groundwater. In addition to the basic soil science courses, other selections will include surface hydrology and hydrogeology, oceanography, and limnology. These water management science courses provide the framework for understanding the soil and water system.
Career Opportunities
Below are sample entry level jobs that represent the types of opportunities that students with this major qualify for upon completion of their degree. Included are also additional qualifications that the employer is looking for when selecting candidates. Students should build in ways of developing important skills and gaining career related experience into their college experience.
Consulting
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Environmental Consultant; Corblu Ecology, LLC
The position will initially include extensive fieldwork in relation to mitigation bank monitoring, i.e., vegetation surveys, fish surveys, groundwater well monitoring, and GIS/GPS mapping. Other duties may include wetland/stream delineations and assessments, natural resource mapping, wildlife management, and assisting with sediment and erosion control monitoring, including field inspection of Best Management Practices and monitoring and turbidity analysis associated with construction site activity. The preferred applicant should be willing to travel and have excellent verbal and written communication skills. GIS/GPS and plant identification experience will make you more competitive for this position.
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Conservation
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Fish & Wildlife Biologist; US Fish & Wildlife Service
Major responsibilities include: plan and conduct investigations of moderate complexity to determine the impact of various land and water development projects upon the fish and/or wildlife resources of an area; review and report on permit applications under the Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection agency, or state permit programs; plan and conduct inspections of existing projects of moderate complexity to insure that legal standards and other requirements are met and implemented in a manner most beneficial to wildlife resources; conduct private land habitat restorations including landowner contacts, mapping, surveying, staking, construction monitoring, seeding, etc., and prepares management plans for restored areas; assist in developing comprehensive fish and/or wildlife management plans to insure conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish and/or wildlife and their habitat for a geographic area having a variety of habitat conditions. Requires 3.0 GPA, knowledge of wildlife biology and effects of land & water development projects on wildlife resources, knowledge of environemental laws, excellent communication skills, skill in applying ecological theories, procedures and techniquies to day-to-day decisions.
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Education
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Student Services Contract; US Environmental Protection Agency
Key responsibilities include: originate, develop and write external Web site content explaining the public health and environmental protection impact of water quality research for a lay audience. Edit communications materials for approval and posting on EPA Web sites. Provide regular updates of Web content; develop and write print and broadcast products for the general public that explain the public health and environmental protection impact of water quality research. Provide expertise in translating technical science information into lay language. Edit communications materials for approval and external distribution; edit technical and general communications materials, including science articles, web copy, fact sheets, power point presentations and briefing materials; conduct interviews with EPA scientists and staff to gather information for print, Web and broadcast content; assist with event and meeting planning and implementation, including preparing talking points for speakers, creating PowerPoint presentations, and assisting in the development and implementation of communications plans for events and meetings; provide assistance with video and still photography projects. Requires excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to translate scientific information to the lay public, and strong project management skills.
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Quality Testing
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Technical Services Manager; Synagro Technologies
This position will be responsible for finding and permitting agricultural sites for use of recyclable fertilizer products. This position will also act as a liaison between the permitted farm community, operational staff, regulatory agencies, neighbors, and/or local political leaders. Work closely with TSD to provide feedback on land base status, operational concerns, agronomic issues, public relations, etc. Tasks include: acquire and maintain adequate land base for all projects under your direct management; prepare permit applications, modifications, and NMP’s as needed for sites in assigned areas; Map collection and preparation; review of USDA-SCS soil surveys, tax and topographic maps to determine land base acceptability; participate in site inspection with regulatory agencies; coordinate field scheduling with farmers and operations crews, including field flagging to ensure proper application; act as farmer liaison with Operations staff; act as regulatory liaison with state and local agencies; Provide technical information and presentations to farmers, regulatory agencies, municipal clients and the general public as needed. Requires related experience, ability to work independently and as a team player, strong organizational skills, time management, knowledge of agriculture operations, strong written and verbal communications.
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Research
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Student Research Contract; US Environmental Protection Agency
Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division’s Method Development and Application Branch (MDAB) develops, modifies, improves, evaluates, and validates methods and instrumentation for measuring human and ecosystems exposures, and provides data input for human exposure models. The Branch plans and conducts research and development to advance state-of-the-art sampling technologies, analytical methodologies, and analytical instrumentation for the investigation and characterization of human and ecological exposures to environmental stressors. The tasks associated with this position include sample processing (drying, weighing, sieving, riffling soils and/or dusts) for bioavailability research, tracking samples and maintaining sample database, environmental and biological sample extractions, and preparation of chemicals for bioavailability studies. Requires academic training and work experience in conducting environmental, toxicological, or chemical studies, and general skills in laboratory work.
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Salary Information
Averages are based on skills & experiences gained at the Bachelor's degree level
National Association of Colleges & Employers National Salary Survey
Average salary gathered from recent graduates in this field at the national level |
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2011 |
$29,120 |
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Clubs/Organizations
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