How to be a Successful Ecologist

Abstract: Most of us want to be successful at what we do, and ecologists are no exception. However, there aren't many places where we can turn to for guidance in how to be successful. This talk is my attempt to collate some key points to follow to be successful in today's ecological research environment. I focus on the *research* part of being a successful ecologist: on choosing a question, designing the study, analyzing data, and interpreting the results. Some of what I say might be a bit controversial, so I'll try and be concise in order to leave sufficient time for discussion afterwards.

Bio: Suhel Quader is a scientist at the Nature Conservation Foundation and is head of citizen science programmes at the National Centre for Biological Sciences. He is interested in a variety of themes in ecology, including animal behaviour, evolutionary ecology, public participation in ecological research, and quantitative ecology