Would you thrive on a typical 9-to-5 schedule? For Edward Slingerland, his answer would be no – the fact that he is on the faculty of two separate universities is proof of that. Not to mention, he is a sinologist and religious studies professor who originally studied molecular biology. After discovering himself, he learned that it is okay to change course if your passion is elsewhere. As he says: “What does your preferred day look like?” – answering that will lead to what you are meant to do.

How do forests thrive and survive? That is the focus of what Dr. Sally Aitken does, in her role as professor and researcher at the University of British Columbia. While her specialty is in forestry, part of her role also involves teaching non-forestry students about the topic, on top of her research and work with graduate students and colleagues – after all, as she says, research is a collaborative effort.

How can we keep our oceans sustainable? As CEO of Ocean Wise, Lasse Gustavsson leads a team that sets strategies to keep our waters strong and also make the organization known to the public. This involves reaching out to governments, corporations, and the general public.

What makes up a species? And can you combine different types of life in new ways? These are the questions that Dr. Christopher Mason tries to answer, as a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine, the medical school of Cornell University. Much of his efforts need funding, which he seeks continuously, and teaching the next generation of genetic scientists. His work takes him all over the world – and beyond, as he also examines long-term health effects of NASA astronauts in space.

To become the Vice President for Salmon, you really have to know salmon. These magnificent beings that are part of one of the world’s great migrations are in trouble in the North Pacific. One of their homes is in the rivers and streams of British Columbia.

The mapping of the human genome was a fearless plunge into groundbreaking science. Dr Fraser says, as a scientist, she had to take risks that allowed her to answer the questions she was asking in molecular biology – at the time a nascent field. She dared to fail at a time when that was still an option.