>>18813684I'm a geneticist, working on the molecular mechanism of ageing. My research pretains to the epigenetic control of transposable elements. I'm currently working on adpating a method we developped for measuring a novel epigenetic marker, to uses in criminology and medical diagnosis.
The career path is nothing special. I guess what is interesting is that a lot of it is informal. When i was doing my BSc, i found that the head of the genetics department was doing research on ageing, which i found fascinating. So i knocked on his door and asked if i could join his lab. And after a bit, he said yes. By the time i started my masters, he had hired me as a part time researcher. And offered me a PhD position after the MSc. But even throughout my MSc i tought other students, i colabed with other labs based on my boss being friends with the head of the institute of criminology, etc... So not applications and forms and letters, just knocking on doors and talking and asking.
Things are about to get a bit hectic in my career though, as i'm about to have a kid. So i'm going to ask my boss to also give me a job in his spinoff company. 'Cause i have to buy a house now, and those things don't come cheap.
Geology is not a meme degree, you can make a lot of money in the oil industry, or mining (obviously not as a miner but as a mine engineer or consultant). That being said, i think genetics research is far more interesting and complex. Then again geology has more field work, which can be fun.
This is the flame nebula. Not a very good photo, it was a bright night and my gear was weaker back then. Still quite pretty though.
