Name: Dr. Heidi L. Adams, Ph.D. 
Employer: School of Forest Resources, University of Arkansas at Monticello
Job Title: Adjunct Instructor of Wildlife Ecology
Years with Current Employer: 3 months
Educational Background: Dr. Adams received her bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a major in Fisheries and Wildlife and a minor in Animal Science. She then went on to get her Master’s degree in Natural Resource Sciences. Dr. Adams moved to Mississippi State University where she earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Resources.
Job Description:As an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas, Dr. Adams is responsible for teaching two undergraduate courses: Introduction to Wildlife Conservation and Wildlife Management. She is also currently involved in two separate research studies. The first is involves determining the extent of wildlife use of cottonwood and switchgrass stands being grown as biofuels. The second is looking at the functional diversity of birds and mammals in loblolly pine stands in the Southeast.
Favorite Component of Her Job: Dr. Adams states, “There are so many things that I love about my job that it’s hard to pick a favorite. I love that I still have the opportunity to learn new things, especially now that I am learning a lot on my own rather than in a classroom. I also love being in the outdoors and staying connected with nature. I also love teaching. Being able to pass on what I’ve learned to others give me quite an adrenaline high. Most of all, I love knowing that everything I do is making a difference, whether it is getting someone interested in wildlife management or making the world a better, more sustainable, place.”
Least Favorite Component of Her Job: Dr. Adams states, “The least favorite thing about my job is preparing lectures for each of my classes…it’s a lot more work than I expected! You really have to get creative when coming up with new, fun, and interesting ways to get the students involved in lectures and class discussions.”
Recommendations for Someone Interested in a Similar Job: According to Dr. Adams, “If you want to pursue a career in wildlife management, I highly encourage you to go to graduate school. Getting a master’s degree will not only give you hands-on experience, but you’ll also learn important things like research methods and data analysis. Plus, the extra 2-3 years you spend in graduate school will definitely give you an edge when it comes time to find a job.”
Additional Comments: Dr. Adams states, “Just like any other job, I have my good days and I have my bad days. I’ll never bring in a six-figure salary and I’ll sometimes have to sacrifice parts of my personal life for my professional life. But, I can honestly say that I have a job that I love. When I wake up in the morning, I don’t dread going to work. I look forward to each day, knowing that I have the potential to learn something new or make a difference in someone or something else’s life. To me, that is the best thing my job can offer me.”
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