To tailor your CDG experience to your needs and interests, you will be asked to select one of the following areas as an emphasis:

Your choices are important because discussion sections in the Career Discovery Seminar will focus on careers relevant to your area of emphasis or helping you to explore. Also, your graduate student mentor will have experience in the area of emphasis you have selected.

Animals/Wildlife – This area of emphasis will allow you to explore a wide range of careers dealing with domestic and/or wild animals. Careers working with animals range from veterinary medicine, field biology, agricultural production & business to research or teaching. Previous activities in this CDG have included behind the scene tours of zoos and animal parks, veterinary clinics and wildlife preserves as well as meeting professionals from the university, government and private practice.

Biotechnology – Explore careers in agricultural, food & beverage industries; health care; chemical, pharmaceutical & biochemical industries; and environmental analysis & remediation industries. Previous Biotechnology CDGs have interacted with local biotech companies, researchers on campus and UC Davis alumni.

Ecology/Environment – This area of emphasis will expose you to a broad array of careers associated with the environment. This includes environmental policy & decision-making, natural resource management & conservation, research and teaching. Activities in this CDG have included meeting environmental professionals from university, government and private practice as well as tours of research sites and ecological preserves.

 Food Science/Nutrition – Students with an interest in food science and nutrition have many career options. These include careers in food & pharmaceutical industries, quality assurance, food safety & analysis, public service & governmental agencies, as well as hospitals and other health care settings. CDG students have participated in a number of activities including meeting with UC Davis alumni and representatives from the food and nutrition industries.

Leadership/Business – This CDG will expose you the wide range of career opportunities in business from economics to management. Leadership aspects will be emphasized to help students identify and develop abilities that are essential for effective citizenship, advocacy, and leadership. Past CDG students in leadership have met with a wide range of professionals and politicians as they explored potential career paths.

Sustainable Agriculture – This field encompasses a broad array of careers that share a commitment to a unique set of principles. Careers include; farming, technical & management aspects of agricultural & business enterprises, as well as advocacy & consulting. CDG students have visited working organic farms and nurseries and met with many different professionals (including farmers) to gain knowledge of potential career paths.

Exploratory – Not sure which area to choose? Though ALL of the CDGs are intended to provide you with opportunities to explore your career interests, this group is designed to get students together who are still trying to determine their career interests. This is your chance to explore and discover. Activities and speakers will be arranged based on the interests of CDG participants.