World Science Festival: What Are the Coolest Jobs in Science, and How Do You Get Them?

At Friday's "Cool Jobs" panel at the World Science Festival, a microbiologist, parasitologist, bioengineer, and biologist demonstrated that science is in fact not only important but also pretty darn cool. The four panelists presented themselves and their work in very different ways. Microbiologist Hazel Barton showed pictures of herself completely covered in mud while studying microbes in caves. Bioengineer and "Da Vinci Detective" Maurizio Seracini played a trailer for a documentary on his discovery of a long-lost famous mural by the mysterious painter. Biologist Tyrone Hayes provided vivid examples of the impacts of pesticides on frogs. Dickson Despommier showed architectural drawings of vertical farms—a topic we've touched on before. But even more inspiring—especially for somebody who already knows that science is cool, which we do—was how the guests explained their career progressions. Barton stressed that she had taken a meandering path to become a microbiologist, originally focusing on biology because ...