If you ask Angela Brooks-Wilson whether she is an administrator or scientist, she will say, “Both.” As the dean of a science department of Simon Fraser University, it is always a challenge to keep up with what is going on at the time and what the goals of the faculty are. She doesn’t do it alone, thanks to a solid team that handles staff, students, and infrastructure to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

When a large company needs a revolutionary new plastic and can’t figure out what to do, they come to Chris DeArmitt. He got into it when a fellow scientist told him that the demand for plastic knowledge is more than the supply of plastic itself, inspiring him to start his journey. And being taught to “use your own brain” growing up and surrounded by great teachers, this career’s pathway seemed to be tailor-made for him.

David Smith is a doctor and internist with a rich history in the field, ranging from biomimetics technology to traumatic brain injury. But it was far from a straight line to get to where he is today.

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.

Amanda and Jeff Lee were a Vancouver BC power couple, both key members of the Vancouver Sun and Postmedia newspaper group. Then one day, Amanda took a “Science of Fear” challenge put on by one of her clients. That challenge was to experience what is known as a “bee beard” – that’s where the queen bee was placed on a string around her neck and thousands of worker bees were released to climb up her throat and onto her face.

Dr Zharkova’s work in examining the sun as it moves into a solar minimum in the late stages of solar cycle 24 and into solar cycle 25 has captured the interest of an international audience. Her work suggests the long range forecast for the sun in the next two or possible three solar cycles will lead to a dramatic decrease in the volume and intensity of solar radiation in our solar system.

In this edition of Careers That Matter, we meet volcanologist Glyn Williams-Jones, whose enthusiasm for his job makes you want to say, "Where do I sign up?" He says volcanoes are just like people: they each have their own personality. Each one is unique, each one shifts, expands and, at times, explodes.