Actually, I've had it since the beginning of summer, but I only recently started actual lab work. Allow me to explain: I work for a Genetics lab at UW that focuses especially on Corn chromatin, as well as a Great Lakes-area project to create an efficient corn plant for ethanol production. A lot of the work I did earlier this summer involved planting and tissue sampling in the field on the west side of Madison, as well as at other research stations around the state selected for their soil conditions. I made this thread because I was just happy that they liked me enough to give me my own lab bench today at the main Plant Science building on campus! I actually feel almost like a scientist even though this isn't the sort of field I'm interested in (Neurobiology is where I'm headed).

And so a question to you, science members of TOTSE: what was YOUR first real science job? What did/didn't you like about it?

my first real science job was at an inorganic analytical lab. testing for metals of mining interest in geological samples, or samples from the different stages of purification to make sure it was all working as it should. it was one of these low quality high throughput labs with absolutely no considerations except for profit.

The work was soul crushing, repetative and extremely boring. The pay was complete rubbish so i left after six months when it was clear they had no interest in promoting me until i had got my degree (dispite having plenty of experience with nearly every instrument in the place).

Ive moved onto bigger and better things now though, and i have gained a valuble insight into what the warning signs of a shit lab are.

My most "scientific" job was working as a Tree Cultavist in 10th grade. I'm now a creative writing major at UWEC in my senior year.

Now your job is looking at the chemical breakdown of Chromatin which is a base component of the organic ethonal being developed in Wisconsin, right?

Do me a favor and destroy all your results, ethanol production will be the death of the American economy and the destruction of all woodland available for farming. Don't even get me started on chemical pollution from fertilizers.


My first science job was I worked in a university lab making alternating alloy nano-pillars to be used in spintronics processing.

I was still an undergraduate so I didn't do much but assemble testing equipment and listen to a professor (who was born in moscow in the 80s) bash on communist china all day long.