Ep. 78 - Staff Biologist, Toledo Area Sanitation District - Jacob Sublett

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with 2009 Van Buren graduate Jacob Sublett, the staff biologist at the Toledo Area Sanitation District. In the interview, Jacob shares how a typical day looks for him, how he focuses on mosquito control in his career, how the field of biology offers a plethora of career opportunities, and much more. Whether you are interested in a STEM or science-focused career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Jacob shares will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show! 1:43 - What a typical day looks like for a staff biologist. 2:20 - Jacob is a mosquito biologist 2:55 - What Jacob does during the winter when mosquitoes are not active 3:50 - 30 species of mosquitoes are found in Northwest Ohio 4:33 - Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world. 5:29 - Implementing an integrated mosquito management program 7:55 - Larval control is also important 9:43 - Mosquito activity and reproduction are impacted by the weather 11:16 - Mosquitoes might be the closest to an “all-negative” species, but there are some benefits mosquitoes provide. 12:50 - Jacob is the only staff biologist in Lucas County. 13:34 - Jacob’s career plans when he left high school 14:30 - Experiences in research led Jacob to becoming a biologist. 15:35 - Jacob’s time with the Wood County Parks Department. 16:35 - What Jacob did as a woodland specialist 18:12 - STEM fields offer many career opportunities. 19:45 - Qualities of those who might do well as biologists 21:16 - The most interesting experiences Jacob has had as a biologist 22:03 - What Jacob knows now that he wishes he had known while in high school - take courses that will give you a skill that you can apply in the workforce Questions? Connect with Brian on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/brian-bratt/) or e-mail ([email protected]). Connect with Jacob by e-mail ([email protected]).