For my interview project, I am going to interview my
father-in-law. He is a retired fish biologist who runs his own consultation
business. The work he has done revolves around protecting fish habitats and
populations in rivers and streams throughout the United States. His current
business lets him still keep active with the fish protection side, but he has
also worked with developers and land owners when placing wind turbines. It’s
not really fish related, but his science background allows him to get bird
studies and also plant and wildlife counts. His connections over the years, has
him working with conservation groups such as: Advocates of the West, and Trout
Unlimited. I have worked directly with him on a few projects, so I will able to
put a lot of my own experience in this piece.
Here are the questions I have asked him so far:
1. What is your professional title?
2. What types of classes did you have to take in college?
3. What made you decide on your career path?
4. What is the main purpose for you career? (what do you do
when working)
5. What types of companies or departments have you worked in?
6. What would you say has been your biggest/proudest
achievement?
7. Now that you are retired, what types of projects do you
still work on?
8.
As much as you love being retired, do you honestly ever see yourself not having
an active role in the field? (do you ever see yourself just saying to ‘hell
with it’ and not taking on projects)
9.
Environmental issues are important, but can you explain why water quality for
aquatic life is so important?
10.
Have most of your projects been government affiliated or have there been more
private projects? (like the Sun Valley stuff we did)
11.
When in the field, what exactly is being done? What measurements? What data is
being collected?
12.
Have you ever had to use your professional knowledge for legislation purposes?
13.
Where have you done your work? (Different states or exotic locations)
14.
What advice would you give to somebody who was looking at getting into the
field?
15.
How important is science writing when it comes to your profession?
16.
I’m sure the math is the same, but have you noticed a large change in the
technology being used?
I think these are good questions and the open a lot of doors to personal stuff as well as the technical and "science-y" stuff. It sounds like you'll have a really solid perspective to write this from and plenty of background info to really help you frame the story. I keep thinking of the Oliver Sacks reading for this week--his intimate relationship with the subject of his writing made the piece feel so warm and comfortable. I think you have the opportunity to bring the reader all the much closer to your story because oof your involvement in it.
ReplyDeleteSusan Andrus