Microbiologist – NASA

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Environment and Society
Secondary Topic: Human Geography

Overview: Microbiologists conduct research on microorganisms and try to understand how these organisms live, grow, and interact with their environments. They conduct applied research with aim to increase scientific knowledge as well as immediate problem solving for a task. For NASA, microbiologists have a specific task. Spaceflight poses uncertain adverse health effects to the astronauts due to the interactions between microorganisms, their hosts and their environment. Hence, microbiologists are responsible for analyzing the microorganism related risks including infectious diseases, allergens, environmental and food contamination and the impacts of changes in environmental and human microbial ecology abroad spacecraft. The following are examples of microbiologist job title:

Environmental Microbiologists study how microorganisms interact with the environment and each other. They may study the use of microbes to clean up areas contaminated by heavy metals or study how microbes could aid crop growth.

Microbiologists utilize geographic skills as most natural phenomena they study have variations and trends based on particular geographic locations and hence they need to be able to think geographically in order to effectively understand these organisms or processes. They also collect samples from various geographic locations.

Geographers at work:  Environmental geographers, bio-geographers

Recommended College Courses:  Environmental geography, biogeography, geographic information science, remote sensing, natural resource use and management, human geography, physical geography

Skills:  Environmental mapping and modeling, geographic information systems, computer and database systems, spatial analysis, map reading and interpretation

Occupation Group: Life, Physical, and Social Science

Learn more about Microbiologists from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor:  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/microbiologists.htm#tab-2;

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/microbiology