Section Styles spotlight-header
I am a
QUANTITATIVE ECOLOGIST
Tina Cheng, PhD
Presented by Bat Conservation International
Habitat loss is a leading threat to bat survival worldwide.
As a quantitative ecologist, I combine my love of math and my passion for nature to uncover new ways to protect endangered species of bats.
MY WORK SETTING
Indoor vs. Outdoor
I spend a lot of time outdoors sampling, and then working with the data indoors at my computer.
People vs. Alone
I spend most of my time collaborating with other people.
Creative vs. Defined
A lot of my work is creative and new - especially in the field - but modeling data has many clear procedures.
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I spend my days trekking to far-off-field sites, while using statistics to come up with creative ways to conserve bat populations. Quantitative Ecology uses statistical analysis to answer questions related to the natural world around us. These types of ecological problems can be very complex and often require large data sets and the use of statistical analysis software.
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Quantitative Ecology uses statistical analysis to answer questions related to the natural world around us. These types of ecological problems can be very complex and often require large data sets and the use of statistical analysis software like R and Python.
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Quantitative Ecologist can explore scientific data collected and try to understand what it means. These insights help inform conservation-focused management decisions.
MY WORK NEEDSEssential Skills:
COLLABORATION
My team is composed of lots of different types of scientists working together to solve a problem.
STATISTICS
Quantitive ecology is all about statistics, taking data and making sense of it to inform change.
FIELD HARDINESS
I sometimes spend weeks outdoors, even camping, in remote and tricky areas to navigate. I have to stay on top of my game while ensuring the safety of myself and my team.
CREATIVITY
There are so many different ways that we can help the climate crisis and habitat loss specifically. It’s just about having an open and creative approach.
DAYS IN THE LIFE
Days in the Life
Come along and explore what three days at my job might look like!
How I Work
Check out what my place of work looks like on an average day.
This is what my workspace looks like!
A storage closet with camping gear. It keeps my boots, a tent, backpack, & helmet for expeditions.
A laptop and monitor.
A world map.
A speaker to play music.
An encyclopedia of animals.
Did you know...Models are works in progress!
In quantitative ecology, a model is a way of analyzing and organizing data that gives you the power to make predictions or insights. As we get more data from experiments or observations, the models become better. There are often many different ways to model the same data, and each one comes with pros and cons. A perfect model would require having all of the data in the world, and since we don't have that, all models have some degree of error. Scientists are always looking for ways to better model, capture, describe, and characterize the systems they're interested in, and are driven by a simple question: how do we get to the information that is most valuable?
Rewarding
These are the parts of my job I find particularly rewarding.
Working with people! My job requires a lot of collaboration.
Having a positive outlook on bat conservation and the climate crisis.
But everyone is different! Drag the circles to place them where you rate them.
Challenging
These are the parts of my job I find particularly challenging.
Camping or hiking in extreme outdoor conditions.
Solving lots of mathematical problems.
Section Styles movable
These are the people I work with:
Biologists
Biologists help us solve some of the more animal-focused research questions.
Outdoor Guides
We’re often in remote or protected areas, and require a local outdoor guide to assist us to reaching our destination or helping us stay safe.
Exotic Animal Veterinarians
They are often involved in similar research questions, specifically when it comes to bats who so easily carry and transmit diseases among animal species.
WHAT’S NEXT?
What’s next for my field of work?One of the most exciting things about working in STEM is how fast things change. things that aren't possible today could be possible tomorrow.
Quantitative Ecology for Habitat Restoration.
A lot of the approaches we use in quantitative ecology are directly applied to habitat restoration. As climate change and populations rise - we can work to counter the effects of habitat loss through well-informed restoration techniques. Ecosystem restoration both on land and in the oceans and other bodies of water is essential to maintaining a balanced and healthy planet.
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