Sutherlin FFA

A Botanist is a biological scientist that studies plants. The field is very broad. It includes the study of more then 300,000 species of plants.

Botanists generally need a doctoral degree. If you want to be a botanist, you should major in botany or biology as an undergraduate. It will take about four years to earn a bachelor's degree and another one or two years for a master's degree. You need to study for an additional two or three years to obtain a doctoral degree. To keep up with new information in plant science, botanists must continue to study throughout their careers.

Working conditions vary widely throughout the field. Some botanists work indoors in clean, well-lighted laboratories and others spend much of their time outdoors or in greenhouses. Some travel from time to time so they can collect plant specimens. Botanists often spend part of their time in offices and classrooms. Their working hours are generally flexible but can often total more than forty hours a week. Botanists should be curious and patient. They should enjoy working with plants and have the manual dexterity needed to handle delicate specimens and equipment. They should be willing to spend long hours in the laboratory or greenhouse, planning and carrying out experiments. Although botanists often work independently, they must be able to work well with others as members of scientific research teams. They should also be able to communicate their ideas to others.