Academic Research Assistant
I. JOB SUMMARY
Main Topic: Places and Regions
Secondary Topic: Environment and Society
Overview: A Research Assistant working in an academic setting assists with collecting and analyzing data, writing sections of research papers to be peer-reviewed and published, writing sections of professional reports and publications, and assisting in writing applications for grant funding. They either work directly with faculty, for research groups, or for research centers run by universities and their departments. Although research assistants can work within a wide range of subjects and disciplines, geographic knowledge of the subject is especially pertinent in disciplines such as sociology, environmental science, political science, wildlife biology, criminal justice, and most importantly: Geography! In human and cultural driven research, it is important to know about the geographic background of the area or population that is being studied, their culture, societal structures, values and traditions. In studies focusing more over scientific and physical topics, knowing the physical geography and natural processes of the area of interest is a very important aspect of the research project.
Geographers at work: Human Geographers, Cultural Geographers, Physical Geographers, Environmental Geographers, Regional Geographers
Recommended College Courses: Human Geography, Introduction to Cultural Geography, Regional Geography, Research Methods, Location Analysis, Qualitative Methods, Introduction to Physical Geography, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Natural Resources Use and Management, Global Environmental Change
Skills: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods, Physical Geography, Human Geography, Field Methods, Geospatial Technologies, Regional Geography
Occupation Group: Education, Training, and Library
Learn more about Academic Research Assistants from DiscoverPhD and Zippia: https://www.discoverphds.com/advice/after/research-assistant
Written by Ally Schlandt