Jobs Opportunities: Biology - Knoxville/Gatlinburg Area (environment, trip)

[jmsst2]

Hello,

Well, I have some questions, but I'm not sure if anyone will be able to help me with specifics (since the question is rather specific). I currently live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I recently took a trip down to TN to visit a friend. My friend lives in a town called Kodak, which is rather close to Gatlinburg. I loved TN, it was so beautiful and the weather was GREAT (I escaped freezing temperatures from PA, and went to a 70 degree atmosphere!).

I recently graduated from college with a degree in biology, and I was giving TN some serious thought for two reasons. First, as I explained, I love the atmosphere and location (not too busy, but close enough to take day trips for excitement). Also, I am thinking of attending the University of Tennessee for graduate school.

My question is this; does anyone happen to know the demand for people with a degree/background in the biological field? I am geared more towards environmental biology, and going to be going to graduate school for Epidemiology.

Thanks for any information you can provide. Also, if there is anything else you think I should really know about I would be grateful, as I only spent about a week in the area.

Also, I don't think I have ever been to a place with so many pancake houses!!! It seemed like there was one on every corner. It made me laugh every time I saw one (after the 20th one I saw).

Thanks again!

[tsimmu]

I have a Masters in Biology -- there's really nothing around here for only a B.S. I tell most people to definitely plan on getting a graduate degree (Ph.D. even better) as most areas of environmental ed require one of two things. Either a biologist with research and theory application experience as one would get in graduate school or one with experience in education as more and more env ed programs now align their lessons with state and local standards. I would recommend staying up North and pursuing one of those routes. That's also why I've since gotten an M.S. and Ed.S. in education, as well. I'd look locally and in the same region before uprooting myself b/c the outlook is not that good with only a B.S. from my experience.