Engineer considering a transition into biology research at…
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Engineer considering a transition into biology research at 28 — looking for honest advice
Hi everyone,
I'm 28 years old and currently living in Chile.
I graduated in Mechatronics Engineering and now work as an industrial maintenance engineer at a food processing plant. My role is mostly focused on planning, management, and performance indicators rather than hands-on engineering. It's a stable job with a good salary, but for years I've felt that my real interest has always been biology.
The reason I didn't study biology in the first place wasn't because I wasn't passionate about it. When I finished high school, family and financial circumstances made it much more practical to stay in my hometown and pursue engineering instead.
Even while working as an engineer, biology has remained a constant interest. I spend part of my free time birdwatching, reading about birds, and learning on my own. Ornithology is by far the field that fascinates me the most, and if everything went well, I'd love to dedicate my career to research, perhaps studying the behavior or ecology of a particular group of birds.
I'm currently preparing an application for a Master's program in Biological Sciences. One of the admission requirements is to apply under the supervision of a faculty member, so I'm writing my motivation letter and getting ready to contact a professor whose research aligns closely with my interests.
What makes me hesitate is that I don't come from a biology background. Apart from what I've learned independently over the years, I haven't taken formal biology courses, so I know I'll have a lot of catching up to do. At the same time, I keep seeing examples of people who successfully moved from engineering into biological research, which makes me wonder whether this path is actually realistic.
Ideally, I'd like to keep my current job while studying, although I'm aware that may not be possible. If necessary, I'd look for another job in the city where I'd be doing the Master's.
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has made a similar transition or has worked with people who did. I'm especially interested in knowing how difficult the jump was, whether an engineering background can actually be an advantage in biological research, and what topics you think I should study beforehand to be better prepared before starting a Master's. More than encouragement, I'm looking for honest perspectives about whether this is a realistic path and what challenges I should expect.
Thanks in advance!
#animals
source
Hi everyone,
I'm 28 years old and currently living in Chile.
I graduated in Mechatronics Engineering and now work as an industrial maintenance engineer at a food processing plant. My role is mostly focused on planning, management, and performance indicators rather than hands-on engineering. It's a stable job with a good salary, but for years I've felt that my real interest has always been biology.
The reason I didn't study biology in the first place wasn't because I wasn't passionate about it. When I finished high school, family and financial circumstances made it much more practical to stay in my hometown and pursue engineering instead.
Even while working as an engineer, biology has remained a constant interest. I spend part of my free time birdwatching, reading about birds, and learning on my own. Ornithology is by far the field that fascinates me the most, and if everything went well, I'd love to dedicate my career to research, perhaps studying the behavior or ecology of a particular group of birds.
I'm currently preparing an application for a Master's program in Biological Sciences. One of the admission requirements is to apply under the supervision of a faculty member, so I'm writing my motivation letter and getting ready to contact a professor whose research aligns closely with my interests.
What makes me hesitate is that I don't come from a biology background. Apart from what I've learned independently over the years, I haven't taken formal biology courses, so I know I'll have a lot of catching up to do. At the same time, I keep seeing examples of people who successfully moved from engineering into biological research, which makes me wonder whether this path is actually realistic.
Ideally, I'd like to keep my current job while studying, although I'm aware that may not be possible. If necessary, I'd look for another job in the city where I'd be doing the Master's.
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has made a similar transition or has worked with people who did. I'm especially interested in knowing how difficult the jump was, whether an engineering background can actually be an advantage in biological research, and what topics you think I should study beforehand to be better prepared before starting a Master's. More than encouragement, I'm looking for honest perspectives about whether this is a realistic path and what challenges I should expect.
Thanks in advance!
#animals
source
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