Extracarricular Ecology/Microbial Ecology Work
Currently, I work at a pathology (SIV/HIV) lab and I promised them 2-3 years (I just graduated with my undergrad in bio and was desperate for a research job with funding).
However, I am realizing that conservation ecology, specifically microbial ecology is the field I would like to work in, not public health. I also just got my duel citizenship EU/USA and want to go to grad school for my master's in europe.
Does anyone have advice for how I can continue to gain ecology experience while working full time as a lab tech? Specifically any ideas for volunteer work. If it helps I live in Pittsburgh. If anyone else has been in a similar experience how did you go about switching fields while locked in a field you didn't want to be in.
Side note if anyone has advice for gradschool/research in europe (specifically italy) that would be helpful too.