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Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventure here on the Zoo’s website!
Would you like to spend everyday around fecal and urine samples? Probably not, but these samples have a lot more interest, intrigue, and impact than first meets the eye. Chris Tubbs and Rachel Felton would know—they work around it everyday. Dr. Tubbs, a Senior Scientist, and Ms. Felton, a Research Coordinator, are members of the Zoo’s Reproductive Sciences team. They study how chemicals in the environment can interfere with reproductive hormones in endangered species.
How did Ms. Felton and Dr. Tubbs get to where they are today? Ms. Felton earned her undergraduate degree from Missouri State University, with a major in biology and a minor in animal science. She received her master’s degree from the University of Missouri, but, because of some unforeseen circumstances, was not able to complete her masters program there. However, there was a perfect solution for this: she decided to finish her project at the San Diego Zoo!
Dr. Tubbs, on the other hand, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida with a major in biology. He was initially motivated to choose this major because he wanted to be a veterinarian. However, after working as a field biologist for Florida Fish and Wildlife, he decided to follow a slightly different path. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. in marine science with a focus on fish reproductive physiology from the University of Texas. After that, he began his post-doctoral fellowship at the Zoo, eventually moving into the position of a friend who helped him get the post-doc in the first place.
Now that they both work at the Zoo, Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton have steady jobs doing what they love. On any given day, Dr. Tubbs can be seen running the lab, designing experiments, writing papers, and controlling communication. Since he is the senior scientist at the lab, his work is more administrative and less hands-on. Ms. Felton’s job, however, is the opposite. She is referred to as as the “muscle” of the operation. The main portion of her job involves executing experiments, with the occasional task of checking and ordering inventory.
Both Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton have the opportunity to work on some really important research in the endocrinology lab. Since their research centers around endocrinology (and more specifically reproduction), they frequently test and study a hormone called progesterone. Progesterone production peaks in females during ovulation and has sustained high levels throughout pregnancy. Several types of samples can be tested for progesterone levels: blood, feces, urine, saliva, and even blubber. Blood draws can be used if needed, but they often irritate the animal. That’s why Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton often turn to fecal and urine samples, which are discarded by the animal and otherwise useless. The samples may not smell great, but at least you can make a fun game called “Who Dung It?” out of them to show touring interns.
Testing these samples has become a crucial part of breeding programs for endangered species at the Zoo. For example, this lab has been working tirelessly to help find ways to preserve the reproductively extinct northern white rhino. By measuring hormones of the female northern white rhinos, they can determine which ones would be good potential surrogates for northern white rhino embryos. This way, the Zoo can bring more baby rhinos into the world, and hopefully, help restore the northern white rhino populations.
Programs like these are special to Dr. Tubbs. Despite not having paid holidays and sometimes having to cope with failed projects, he says that he has a “rewarding job.” He notes that, no matter where you work, making a difference is not something money can buy.
Besides, there are other perks to the job. Dr. Tubbs’ and Ms. Felton’s jobs have regular hours, are great for balancing work and a personal life, have opportunities for travel, and provide freedom in project choices.
Whether you want to aid endangered species or just look at bamboo in panda poo, research in endocrinology may be the job for you.
Dana, Careers Team
Week Three, Fall Session 2017
Would you like to spend everyday around fecal and urine samples? Probably not, but these samples have a lot more interest, intrigue, and impact than first meets the eye. Chris Tubbs and Rachel Felton would know—they work around it everyday. Dr. Tubbs, a Senior Scientist, and Ms. Felton, a Research Coordinator, are members of the Zoo’s Reproductive Sciences team. They study how chemicals in the environment can interfere with reproductive hormones in endangered species.
How did Ms. Felton and Dr. Tubbs get to where they are today? Ms. Felton earned her undergraduate degree from Missouri State University, with a major in biology and a minor in animal science. She received her master’s degree from the University of Missouri, but, because of some unforeseen circumstances, was not able to complete her masters program there. However, there was a perfect solution for this: she decided to finish her project at the San Diego Zoo!
Dr. Tubbs, on the other hand, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida with a major in biology. He was initially motivated to choose this major because he wanted to be a veterinarian. However, after working as a field biologist for Florida Fish and Wildlife, he decided to follow a slightly different path. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. in marine science with a focus on fish reproductive physiology from the University of Texas. After that, he began his post-doctoral fellowship at the Zoo, eventually moving into the position of a friend who helped him get the post-doc in the first place.
Now that they both work at the Zoo, Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton have steady jobs doing what they love. On any given day, Dr. Tubbs can be seen running the lab, designing experiments, writing papers, and controlling communication. Since he is the senior scientist at the lab, his work is more administrative and less hands-on. Ms. Felton’s job, however, is the opposite. She is referred to as as the “muscle” of the operation. The main portion of her job involves executing experiments, with the occasional task of checking and ordering inventory.
Both Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton have the opportunity to work on some really important research in the endocrinology lab. Since their research centers around endocrinology (and more specifically reproduction), they frequently test and study a hormone called progesterone. Progesterone production peaks in females during ovulation and has sustained high levels throughout pregnancy. Several types of samples can be tested for progesterone levels: blood, feces, urine, saliva, and even blubber. Blood draws can be used if needed, but they often irritate the animal. That’s why Dr. Tubbs and Ms. Felton often turn to fecal and urine samples, which are discarded by the animal and otherwise useless. The samples may not smell great, but at least you can make a fun game called “Who Dung It?” out of them to show touring interns.
Testing these samples has become a crucial part of breeding programs for endangered species at the Zoo. For example, this lab has been working tirelessly to help find ways to preserve the reproductively extinct northern white rhino. By measuring hormones of the female northern white rhinos, they can determine which ones would be good potential surrogates for northern white rhino embryos. This way, the Zoo can bring more baby rhinos into the world, and hopefully, help restore the northern white rhino populations.
Programs like these are special to Dr. Tubbs. Despite not having paid holidays and sometimes having to cope with failed projects, he says that he has a “rewarding job.” He notes that, no matter where you work, making a difference is not something money can buy.
Besides, there are other perks to the job. Dr. Tubbs’ and Ms. Felton’s jobs have regular hours, are great for balancing work and a personal life, have opportunities for travel, and provide freedom in project choices.
Whether you want to aid endangered species or just look at bamboo in panda poo, research in endocrinology may be the job for you.
Dana, Careers Team
Week Three, Fall Session 2017
