The objective of my presentation is to illustrate with my experience a career path to entomology students and postdocs to help them determine if industry is a good fit for them. Life as an industry scientist has been rich in experiences. As a pollinator safety expert working in the developing area of Pollinator Risk Assessment, I work on a diverse range of projects in laboratory and field settings, with honey bees and other bee species. Also, I visit crop systems where pollinators and plant protection products need to coexist, I organize and participate in workshops and professional conferences, and on some occasions, I am a liaison with academia. L.I.F.E. is also the acronym at my place of work for more than six years, Bayer CropScience, which stands for Leadership, Integrity, Flexibility and Efficiency. I embrace these core values in daily life, and I will provide examples. My work environment is inclusive and diverse, and being bilingual has been an advantage in a global company. My professional development is continuous as I learn from colleagues, from seeing the big picture of the challenges that farmers encounter around the world, and the need to protect the environment. One size does not fit all when it comes to Pesticide Risk Assessment and Regulatory Frameworks, and for me, this case-by-case and pragmatic nature of the work is fitting. I encourage the new generation of entomologists to explore career paths within industry; your entomology degree can open the door to many possibilities.
