We asked each of our scientists to give us their thoughts on their professions and what they think the future holds for humanity.

What would you recommend for students wanting to pursue a similar career?
I recommend that undergraduate students take a wide spectrum of courses including biology, chemistry and ecology at a sound liberal arts and sciences college or university. First and foremost, you need a broad education to understand all the components of such complex problems and you need to be able to distinguish sound science from a good story or a political agenda. Spend at least one year on an undergraduate research project and begin early thinking about selecting an excellent graduate school. Choose your undergraduate and graduate mentors carefully. Keep an open mind about deciding what particular area might turn you on for a career, because it is not possible in your early twenties to see more than a few degrees of the spectrum of career possibilities.

When you spend a few years soundly educating yourself about any important subject it always becomes interesting. You may be surprised what interests you once you understand how something works. Second, while I always push students to work as hard as they can at becoming educated, they should not neglect their personal and moral development and the importance of making lasting friendships.

What do you like best about your profession?
New ideas excite me and I have the most exciting time working out solutions to difficult scientific problems one on one with students and postdoctoral fellows. I derive long lasting pleasure from seeing beautiful, well-supported scientific facts emerge, where previously there was only theory.

What makes you most fearful for the future?
There have always been strong political forces to widen the gap between the "haves and have nots" and perhaps it is just a law of nature at work. Charles Dickens wrote about a time in England in which the gap between the rich and poor was institutionalized. There were people then and there are people today, who rationalize that because this gap in wealth, education and opportunity among different social groups exists, it is natural and they have no moral or political responsibility to work at narrowing it.

While I believe that evolution by natural selection may be the law of nature, I also believe that such Darwinian socialism is immoral and cannot be justified in any way. Moral and civilized people must constantly work against these forces to keep them in check and keep trying to make the world a better place. The cynical and materialistic views of the 1990s have kept many young people from dedicating their lives to a better future.

What makes you most hopeful for the future?
There are two reasons that I am very hopeful for the future. First, our lives are so much better than those of our grandparents. We live longer and enjoy better health. We seldom see our children die young of common preventable diseases. We have more freedom to choose careers that interest us and still can make time to develop personal relationships. Second, the majority of people under 30 and many older individuals are willing to dedicate themselves, or at least some part of their lives, to making the world a better place. The great advantage of being a university professor is seeing this pervading optimism and positive will is shared by most young people.