SM-100 Seminar: Career Path Navigation – Perspective of a Career “Fed” in the Biological Sciences

Shannon James graduated from MUW thirty years ago in 1995 with a Cum Laude B.S. in Biology, completed an M.S. in Entomology from University of Tennessee Knoxville, and has built a career in applied regulatory biology spanning more than twenty years.

The majority of her career has been with the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA, APHIS, PPQ). Wherein she has held positions as Laboratory Technician, Lead Scientist, Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist, Pest Survey Specialist for the states of Oregon and Tennessee, and National Operations Manager for Domestic Programs.

Shannon’s early research is cited in standard operating procedures at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, has enabled the nursery industry to sell and move billions of dollars’ worth of plants, and provided new tools in the fight against vectors of human pathogens. Her contributions in later positions and collateral duties improved national program delivery and have been adopted as guidance in reviewing competitive funding requests.

Join in on her SM 101 presentation September 24 to hear how Shannon overcame challenges and collected keys to success in her post-graduate activities.