Biology is a fairly broad section of science encompassing everything from the study of cells to cladistics as well as conservation and astronomy. Such a vast multitude of majors also entails a similarly large and varied array of pathways leading towards them. All Paths Lead to Biology is a series by the Broke Biologists delving into the stories of how biologists have arrived to where they are and what drives them.
In this volume: Richard Frische, pictured inset in the Atacama Desert.
Science was an interest from a young age for Richard Frische, as the German-American biologist recalls, “I spent summers at the Kennedy Space Center, and at the time, the only TV programs in English in Germany were Discovery and National Geographic back when they had those amazing documentaries.” However, growing up with a penchant for science didn’t narrow down a singular pathway, “I was thinking of doing an undergraduate degree in biochem or maybe applied biology but I wasn’t sure about it, I was 19 and didn’t know what to do.” Still unsure about which field to focus his passion in, Richard turned to a different option: Germany’s Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) or Voluntary Ecological Year.
The FÖJ enables teenagers and young adults to spend a year working in a range of environmental and land management programs by helping them secure internships on both a national and international level. Intrigued at the prospect of working overseas within a scientific setting, Richard applied and sought to join a project in Chile, but ran into some administration issues that meant his year working a single internship turned into a year working in different settings. He spent some time at Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve as a tour guide, before working as a zookeeper at an endemic species conservation project, and later as a park ranger at the Villarrica National Park. The work was as diverse as it was enriching and it helped him choose a path, deciding to return to Germany and study a Bachelor’s in Biodiversity and Ecology at the University of Göttingen.
Richard spent his undergraduate years further exploring new scientific disciplines and courses, hoping to learn as much as possible from multiple different fields, “I kind of struggled with staying on track, I was focusing on courses that seemed interesting and took too many random, nice looking courses,” he recalls with a snigger. Upon graduation, he sought to dip his toe in the job market, but his resume generated little interest, “The situation in Germany is that traditional biology like biochem funnels you towards lab work directly from bachelor level, while for ecological positions you need a masters or doctorate to get anywhere. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say that my degree has been that useful apart from being a stepping stone towards something else.”
Now 25 and working through an MSc. in Biodiversity & Sustainability at Leiden University, Richard has further narrowed his path, “My first masters internship focuses on ecotoxicology, and I’d like to make the second one on freshwater systems. In the future I’d like a stable job before going down the PhD route - I’m not sure what the specific topic would be, but it’ll involve freshwater and have some biodiversity elements.” Still working on his research throughout the pandemic-related closure of the university, Richard is also still feeding his addiction to gathering knowledge. Currently enrolled in several courses like biogeochemistry and an interdisciplinary honors course on human relationships with nature, Richard laughs, “I know I said I took too many different random courses during my bachelor’s, but I wouldn’t have made it where I am if I didn’t explore as many aspects of science as I did.”
(Photo courtesy of Richard Frische; This interview was originally posted on the Broke Biologists)
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