Beekeeper Career Profile and Job Outlook

Beekeeper Career Profile and Job OutlookBeekeeper Career Profile and Job OutlookBeekeepers, also known as apiarists, manage and maintain colonies of honey bees that produce honey and provide pollination services. Beekeeper Duties The primary duty of a beekeeper is to keep hives healthy and productive so they are able to yield honey and related byproducts such as beeswax. A beekeeper is responsible for assessing the health of the hive, checking for mite infestations, monitoring and treating the hive when health problems arise, and maintaining detailed records of health, medication administration, and honey production. A beekeeper may also be responsible for preparing bees and equipment for pollination activities, feeding bees, cleaning and constructing hives, raising and replacing queen bees, dividing colonies when necessary, and replacing combs. Some beekeepers may work directly with honey processing and bottling equipment. Beekeepers must work long hours during the warmer months , spending most of their time outdoors in variable weather conditions. Work may be required on nights, weekends, and holidays. Beekeepers must wear special protective clothing such as veils, gloves, and suits. They also must properly use bee smokers and other hive tools to safely access the hive. Career Options Beekeepers can have small hobbyist operations or be a parte of large commercial production farms. Beekeepers may also specialize in a specific area of interest such as honey production, pollination services for fruit and vegetable farmers, or bee breeding. Beekeepers may also find work with some elementary schools or 4-H programs, where children have the chance to learn beekeeping skills. There are additional opportunities in education at the college level, with employment available through animal science departments and university extension agencies. The bee industry is especially strong in countries such as China, Argentina, Turkey, and the United States, according to t he Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). There are many international opportunities with major commercial operations if a beekeeper wishes to travel and work overseas. Education and Training New beekeeping enthusiasts can gain valuable experience by apprenticing with experienced beekeepers before venturing out on their own. Large commercial bee farms also may offer evening or weekend beekeeping classes that are open to the public. There are a number of beekeeping events across the country, but one of the largest educational events is the North American Beekeeping Federation Conference Tradeshow put on by the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF). This popular national event is held each January and boasts a regular attendance of over 600 beekeeping enthusiasts. The conference features a variety of educational sessions for novices and professionals, a trade show, and the American Honey Show. Many colleges and universities offer short course seminars on be ekeeping for novices or master courses for professionals. Two such programs can be found at Cornell University and the University of Florida. Cornell University offers beekeeping workshops at the apprentice, journeyman, and master levels. The University of Florida offers a two-day Bee College seminar as well as the Florida Master Beekeeper Program (MBP) as part of their Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab. The MBP consists of four levels, the highest being Master Craftsman Beekeeper. There are also a variety of insect-related internships that could be of use. While a degree is not required in order to work in this profession, many beekeepers have an undergraduate degree in animal science or a biological field. It is also possible to pursue a graduate level degree related to beekeeping. Groups such as the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees offer graduate scholarships to be applied to a students bee research. A masters or Ph.D. degree related to beekeeping can be pursued in areas such as agricultural management and entomology. Beekeeper Salary Income for a beekeeper can vary widely based on experience, education, and type of employment (i.e., hobbyist or commercial producer). Sokanu cites an average salary of $25,000. Theres also the opportunity for part-time or hobbyist beekeepers to make money, generally tending to their bees on nights and weekends while primarily holding a job in another field. Additional income may be earned if a beekeeper produces and markets honey or beeswax products. Another earning option is selling starter or replacement bees to other beekeeping operations. Job Outlook The number of beekeepers is expected to show continued growth over the next decade, as mora and more backyard beekeepers are expected to enter the field or increase the size of their operations. While the industry must continue to deal with threats such as Africanized bees, mites, and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), interest in beekeeping and byproduc ts such as honey and wax should remain strong.

Material does the impossible Grows under pressure

Material does the impossible Grows under pressure Material does the impossible Grows under pressure Material Does the Impossible Grows Under PressureSqueeze something from all sides and its supposed to shrink. At least thats what the laws of physics, to say bedrngnishing of common sense, tells us. In fact, an object that becomes larger under pressure would seem to violate the very word compression.But Jingyuan Qu, a researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, has created a model of just such a seemingly impossible object.Its a cube, filled with tiny, sealed, drum-like hollow spaces. When the pressurebe it air, or water, or some other substancearound the cube increases, the coverings to those hollow spaces warp, like a drumhead. They are connected to levers, and as the coverings warp, the levers rotate, translating the pressure to overall expansion.Its not the material volume that expands, says Qu, but the interface where your unit cell ends. Although the material gets compre ssed, the overall size gets increasedotherwise it would be impossible from the laws of physics.The ideaand the geometryof the cube sprang from work Qu did earlier this year on a similarly counterintuitive object. That one shrank when heated. To do so, it needed bars made of two materials with different thermal expansion properties. The difference between them made the bar bend. We translated this bending into overall shrinking, says Qu.Though similar in construction, the negative compression cube uses only one material. That makes it ripe for 3D printing. In the world of 2D printing the use of three colors gives you millions of color choices. With 3D printing, we are more or less stuck with the material properties of the materials we print with. But Qus metamaterials may change that. By tweaking the unit structure, you will be able to determine an objects response to compression, andif printing with two materialsits thermal expansion properties as well.Diagram of the cube designed b y Prof. Jingyuan Qus team. Image Jingyuan Qu, Muamer Kadic and Martin WegenerHowever mind-boggling the concept of negative compression, creating the structure was fairly straight forward, says Qu. One of the challenges was to get our minds clear as to what is happening here, and why this is not a violation, he says. But the actual simulations were quite easy to do.Qu says its only a matter of months before he has managed to produce an actual object with negative compressibility. Though his lab is focused on smaller scale unit cells that would be used together to created larger objects, the concept is not limited to the micro.Everything is scalable, he says. The only thing that would be some kind of issue is that with a large scale unit it might problematik apart of its own weight.However large the units may be, they will have applications anywhere that an instrument or object needs to remain unaffected by pressure.You could maybe come up with something with almost zero effective com pressibilityif you had some machines with sensitive parts working in high pressure environments, this would be something you could think of, says Qu. Maybe in a submarine which goes really deep in the ocean. The submarine gets deformed as a whole, but you want to have certain parts that do not.What we gain here is the ability to tailor compressibility. Michael Abrams is an independent writer.One of the challenges was to get our minds clear as to what is happening here, and why this is not a violation. But the actual simulations were quite easy to do.Prof. Jingyuan Qu, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Recruiter Secrets Job Seekers Should Know

Recruiter Secrets Job Seekers Should Know Recruiter Secrets Job Seekers Should Know 16Whenever you are in the role of a job seeker, there tends to be a lot of unanswered questions, usually surrounding the lack of response for the much-wanted interview. While there is no magic formula to make things happen quickly, there are job search tips and recruiter secrets job seekers should know in order to improve their chances at job search success. Over the years, successful job searching has evolved to keep up with technology and the use of social media. Although the general rules, so to speak, may have been changed, the foundation of a successful job search has remained the same. If you are looking to gain an edge in your job search, check out the following recruiter secrets. This includes following instructions, communicating professionally, and being timely in your job search. Recruiter Secrets Job Seekers Should Know Recruiters are sticklers for instructions. Follow instructions. Although there are systems that scan resumes and cover letters, there are real people skimming your documents too. You increase your chances greatly if you simply follow the instructions in the job posting. EVERY interaction with a company is a reflection of you. Through phone calls, emails, and meetings, the way you present yourself and interact with others is a direct reflection of your work, personality, and abilities. Be consistent across your personal brand. Be consistent throughout your documents, interactions, and social media happenings. Recruiters are looking at these different pieces of the puzzle and if they don’t add up, neither will your chances of landing the job. Mind your correspondence. It is inevitable that you will correspond with recruiters. So, through this process, do so correctly. Use a professional personal email address (such as first and last name), don’t use slang, mind your grammar, dont point out mistakes made by the recruiter or company, and always use a professional tone. Be honest, nicely. Recruiters want honesty, but not the brutal honesty you may give friends and family. If you are in a situation where you HAVE to say something, instead of saying things like You are a difficult person to work with, try using phrases such as “I can be a team player, but sometimes my best work is completed independently.” It is honest, but not brutally honest. Slow and steady does not win this race. The quicker you respond to job advertisements and the more diligent you are at responding to phone calls and emails, the better your chances of making a good impression and getting the interview or job. In addition to utilizing the above recruiter secrets, job seekers should make sure to update their resume, network, and consider any valuable job search services. By building and utilizing a personal job search toolbox, job seekers can focus job search efforts, get their brand out there, and be more productive in their job search. Do you know of any other recruiter secrets that job seekers should know? Share your tips with us below!