Environmental Scientist

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

An environmental scientist could...

Overview Listen to this section

Have you ever noticed that for people with asthma it can sometimes be especially hard to breathe in the middle of a busy city? One reason for this is the exhaust from vehicles. Cars, buses, and motorcycles add pollution to our air, which affects our health. But can pollution impact more than our health? Cutting down trees, or deforestation, can contribute to erosion, which carries off valuable topsoil. But can erosion alter more than the condition of the soil? How does an oil spill harm fish and aquatic plants? How does a population of animals interact with its environment? These are questions that environmental scientists study and try to find answers to. They conduct research or perform investigations to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution or hazards that damage either the environment or human and animal health. Environmental scientists are the stewards of our environment and are committed to keeping it safe for future generations.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of an Environmental Scientist?

1. Writing: ? Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
2. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
3. Complex Problem Solving: ? Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
4. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
5. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

6. Science: ? Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
7. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
8. Active Learning: ? Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
9. Coordination: ? Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
10. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks an Environmental Scientist might do:

• Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
• Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
• Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
• Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
• Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
• Conduct environmental audits or inspections or investigations of violations.
• Process and review environmental permits, licenses, or related materials.
• Provide advice on proper standards and regulations or the development of policies, strategies, or codes of practice for environmental management.
• Prepare charts or graphs from data samples, providing summary information on the environmental relevance of the data.
• Research sources of pollution to determine their effects on the environment and to develop theories or methods of pollution abatement or control.
• Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.
• Monitor environmental impacts of development activities.