Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Career in Environment Science

The Himalayas are melting, The Pacific is rising, Polar bears are dying and we are losing the untapped information and potential of plant species at an alarming rate. We need to protect the earth not just for ourselves but for our future generations. And as Yugratna Srivastava, speaking on behalf of the world’s three billion children at the UN summit at the Climate Change Conference at Copenhagen asked the assembly of world leaders: “If not here, then where? If not now, then when? If not us, then who?” However, to work in this field, you not only need a passionate concern for the environment, but also a clear idea about what needs to be done for conserving and improving it. If you have a logical mind, and a working knowledge of subjects like geography, geology, botany, chemistry and zoology, along with good communication skills, there are quite a few routes to working as an environmentalist without studying environmental sciences per se. 
Here are some you could consider: 

Environmental Education & Communication: This typically involves conducting awareness programmes in colleges/schools, coordinating community awareness programmes — on rural and specific urban issues and communicating through the media. 

Environmental Journalism: Growing public awareness has generated enthusiasm and concern for environmental protection. People’s voices are now beginning to be heard and reported in the media. Reporting environmental issues such as nuclear tests, construction of dams etc, making documentaries on various aspects of the environment and producing films on various issues concerning the environment are areas that environmental journalists/photojournalists can actively pursue. Environmental Law: This would involve working as a lawyer for an environmental consulting firm, environmental organisation, conservation group, or the government. 

Environmental Activism & Social Work: This would involve working with an NGO, fundraising/lobbying for an environmental organisation, conservation group or actively espousing environmental concerns. Don’t expect a fancy salary, but the work can be very satisfying and purposeful. 

Career in Biophysics

Biophysics applies the principles of mathematics, chemistry, biology and physics to the study of living cells and organisms including structures and fine structures, bioelectric phenomena, radiation effects, molecular behaviour, photosynthesis, membranes and modelling.Breakthroughs in unravelling the DNA have made it possible to study the inner workings of biological systems with unprecedented precision to investigate how the brain processes and stores information, how the heart pumps blood, how muscles contract, etc. The goal of modern research in drug discovery is to develop drugs that act in a specific way with minimal side effects while being demonstrably better than the existing therapies. Conventional approaches of drug discovery end up being a long and expensive process. Hundreds of thousands of samples need to be screened before reaching some potential compounds with desired properties. Not just that, it ends up taking dozens of years and millions of dollars. However, with the advances in protein structure determination, structure-based drug design has emerged as a powerful and swifter tool to develop new drugs with specific properties and minimal side effects. In structure based drug design, the three-dimensional structure of a drug target interacting with small molecules is used for drug discovery. Biophysicists work in universities, industry, medical centres, research institutes and government. The applications of biophysics are quite significant in biochemistry, nanotechnology, bioengineering and systems biology but its range of research is vast and includes topics such as structural biology or enzyme kinetics etc. Like any other field of research, be prepared for extended study-a PhD and perhaps even post-doctoral research to make a headway in this field. MSc biophysics is offered at Panjab University, Chandigarh, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, University of Mumbai, University of Madras among others. The department of biophysics, at AIIMS is a centre of drug discovery and clinical proteomics, which seamlessly combines structural biology, bioinformatics and proteomics.

Eligibility: BSc (H) with minimum 60% aggregate. Selection is on the basis of an entrance exam (90 minutes with 90 objective-type questions). 

Difference between NET and SLET

While the UGC was drafting the concept of NET as a mandatory requirement for determining the eligibility for lectureship in 1989, it also gave an option to various state governments and union territories to conduct their independent tests. It was felt that an eligibility test at the national level might not completely be able to represent the subjects, which are regional. Moreover, there was a plea to permit candidates to take the test in their mother tongue.If it’s NET at the national level, then SET is its counterpart at the state level. The SLET (State Level Eligibility Test for Lectureship Eligibility) has now been re-christened as SET (State Eligibility Test for Lectureship). The test is conducted both in English and in the vernacular languages. The only other difference being that unlike NET which makes you eligible to teach anywhere in the country, the SET entitles you to teach in any college or university in that particular state.The states or union territories that wish to conduct their own exam have to obtain UGC accreditation, which is granted for a stipulated period. In fact, SET is popular not only with the established states but also with the new ones like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand who have joined the bandwagon. About 15 states offer this exam to their domicile students. 

How to Join NASA?

To be an astronaut you need to specialise in aeronautical /aerospace engineering at an advanced level. The men and women who make it to America’s astronaut corps must possess a unique blend of personality traits. A glance at the biographies of the less than one percent aspirants who do make it through NASA’s weeklong screening process reveals top scholars, decorated pilots and accomplished scientists.Astronauts spend years training before they can lift off into space. They learn to operate shuttles, perform experiments in zero gravity (and eat bugs if they must survive in the wilderness should a practice flight go out of control). Early missions used to be short and dangerous. Now astronauts are trained for the long haul. So, you must be capable of negotiating long periods of isolation, extended confinement, boredom and uncertainty drawing on inner resources to sustain yourself.Interestingly, over 1/3rd of NASA employees are of Indian origin. The NASA-Ames Research Centre has implemented a new automated recruiting and staffing system called NASA STARS. For more information on how to apply, please visit the NASA website: www.hr.arc.nasa.gov/students/index. html.For information on other student programmes or job opportunities, visit the following websites:

  • NASA Jobs: www.nasajobs.nasa.gov
  • Federal Government Student Jobs: www.studentjobs.gov
  • Education Associates Programme (EAP): www.edassoc.arc.nasa.gov
  • Undergraduate Student Research Programme (USRP): www.education. nasa.gov/usrp/
  • Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Programme (SHARP): www.mtsibase.com/sharp/

Career Courses after 12th

BE
  • BE Fire Tech & Safety Engineering
  • BE Chemical Engineering
  • BE Electrical & Electronics
  • BE Electronics & Tele Communication Engg
  • BE Civil Engg
  • BE Computer Sc. & Engg.

B.Tech

  • B.Tech ( Aero Space Engineering)
  • B.Tech ( Metallurgical and Materials Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Aerospace / Marine Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Automobile Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Automobile Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Bio-technology)
  • B.Tech (Chemical Engg.)
  • B.Tech (Civil Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Computer Science & Engg)
  • B.Tech (Computer Science and Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Dairy Technology)
  • B.Tech (Electrical & Electronics Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Electrical Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Electronics & Communication Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Electronics & Telecommunications) & MBA (Telecom) Dual Degree
  • B.Tech (Electronics and Communication Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Food Tech.)
  • B.Tech (H) in Aerospace Engineering
  • B.Tech (Information Technology & Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Information Technology)
  • B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Paint Tech. )
  • B.Tech (Textile Engineering)
  • B.Tech (Textile Manufactures)
  • B.Tech Bioinformatics
  • B.Tech Marine Engineering
  • B.Tech( Electronics and Telecom)
  • B.Tech(Industrial Bio-Technology)
  • B.Tech. Computer Science
  • B.Tech. Electronics & Communication
  • B.Tech. in Bio-Technology
  • B.Tech. in Information Technology
  • B.Tech. Mechanical
  • B.Tech.(H) in Agricultural and Food Engineering
  • B.Tech.(H) in Chemical Engineering

B.Arch

  • B.Architecture

BCA

  • BCA

B.Sc

  • B.Sc Biotech
  • B.Sc IT
  • B.Sc Computer
  • B.Sc Electronics
  • B.Sc Chemistry
  • B. Sc Degree in Fashion, Interior and Textile Design
  • B.Sc. Games & Interactive Media
  • B.Sc. Electronics Media
  • B.Sc. Jewellery Design
  • B.Sc. Fashion Technology
  • B.Sc. Mass Communication, Journalism & Advertising
  • B.Sc. Multimedia & Animation
  • B.Sc. Interior Design
  • B.Sc. (Business Computing and Information Systems)
  • B.Sc. (Applied Physical Science)
  • B.Sc. Life Sciences
  • B.Sc. (Hons) Nursing
  • B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Technology)
  • B.Sc. (Microbiology)
  • B.Sc. (Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Tourism)
  • B.Sc. Medical Technology
  • B.Sc. Natural Sciences
  • B.Sc. Agriculture
  • B.Sc. Plant Biology & Plant Biotechnology
  • B.Sc. Bio chemistry
  • B.Sc. Bio Technology
  • B.Sc. Physiotherapy
  • B.Sc. Mathematics hons
  • B.Sc. Aquaculture
  • B.Sc. Nutrition & food Tech

BA

  • BA  (Hons in Sociology)
  • BA (Hons) Economics
  • BA (Hons) English
  • B.A. Journalism
  • B.A. Media & Communication)
  • B.A. Psychology)
  • B.A. Tourism
  • B.A. (Apparel Design & Merchansidising)
  • B.A. (English)
BFA  Bachelor of Fine Arts BBA BBA (Hotel Management) BBM  Bachelor of Business Management BBM  Shipping BMM  Bachelors Degree in Mass Media BHM Bachelor of Hotel Managemet BELLB 5 years

B.Com

  • B.Com    Plain
  • B.Com    Honours
  • B.Com    Insurance
  • B.Com    computers
  • B.Com    Foreign Trade
  • B.Com    Banking & Insurance
  • B.Com     Account & Finance
  • B.Com    Professional
  • B.Com + Cosmic Certified Accountant
  • B.com Corporate Secretaryship
  • B.Com Hos in ecommerce, Economics and Financial Accounting
Bachelor of Visual Arts

Diploma

  • Diploma in 3D Animation & Visual Effects
  • Diploma in Advertising & Marketing
  • Diploma in Animation Film Making
  • Diploma in Boradcast Journalism for Electronic Media
  • Diploma in Event Managment
  • Diploma in Event Managment and Promotion
  • Diploma in Post Production
  • Diploma in interior designing
  • Diploma in Television & Broadcasting
  • Diploma in Radio Jockeying
  • Diploma in Sound Engineering
  • Diploma in Television & Broadcast Studies
  • Diploma in VFX & Digital Film Making
  • Diploma in Equity Arbitrage Trading & Operation
  • Diploma in Financial Accounting

Certificate

  • Certificate Program in Insurance
  • Certified Industrial Accountant