Bob Sobczak is a hydrologist at the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida. Big Cypress, part of the Everglades, is a very water-dependent ecosystem, and Sobczak studies the flow of water throughout the region and tests the qualities of the water in the area. He has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and a master's degree in hydrology from the University of Arizona in Tucson. He spends most of his workday collaborating with colleagues and working outside, often shin-deep in swamp water. Sobczak loves hydrology and everything water related and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of water habitats in the United States and to be able to work in such a water-rich environment. He also writes for his blog, GoHydrology.org.

What do you do, and why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I'm a National Park Service hydrologist, and I work in South Florida at Big Cypress National Preserve. Growing up, I was always captivated by the water cycle diagrams that you see at the front of earth science textbooks, so I would say my interest in hydrology began early on.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
I have degrees in civil engineering from Lafayette College in Eaton, Pennsylvania, and hydrology from the University of Arizona. I've also spent long hours reading natural history books on the watersheds I've lived in. Over the years, I've also enjoyed staying in tune with the current scientific literature and even revisiting my old textbooks.

What types of classes and projects did you have to do?
Many of my classes dealt with water, but as an undergraduate, I was required to take a broad spectrum of engineering classes. I was fortunate to have an opportunity to take many history courses, which I enjoyed, and which also helped expand my interest in pursuing graduate work in hydrology. Hydrology by nature is interdisciplinary. It requires getting to know many aspects of watersheds and the water cycle that courses through them. That includes biologic and geologic components, water supply and meteorology, to name a few.

How did your education help you in your career?
I was a high academic achiever, to be sure, but I also got burnt out with academic learning. After receiving my master's degree from the University of Arizona, I was ready to test the waters as a professional hydrologist. As for finding somebody to pay me, now that was another story. I wasn't sure how ready I was to make anyone a profit, or be of a major benefit.

What was your career path like in this field? 
I got lucky; my first position was as much a job as it was a giant learning experience, in more ways than one. I worked in a collaborative setting for the Cape Cod Commission, and, more specifically, on a multi-town, New England task force put together to look into water supply and water quality problems on the Cape's outermost arm. The job honed my technical skills as much as it did my interpersonal skills, and, because the Cape Cod National Seashore was a part of the task force team, it eventually opened the door to a full-time position with the NPS in Florida.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
The most important thing for me is to be a good colleague, generous with my time and conscientious of others. We have a family attitude at Big Cypress National Preserve.

What do you do on a typical workday?
NPS scientists are expected to keep track of data and spend time outside in the water resource, which, in my case, means a good amount of time shin-deep in the swamp.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? 
Not at the moment. I'm pretty happy where I am and with what I'm doing. It's a hydrologist's dream to work in the National Park Service, specifically in a park unit like Big Cypress National Preserve and the Everglades, where water is such a vital part of the natural landscape.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
You can't be afraid to get your feet wet, for one.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
The more you can travel and see, the better you'll be able to understand what opportunities may be out there to pursue. In the National Park Service, there are opportunities to volunteer in parks, and that is a great way to get introduced to potential career paths in the natural sciences. Most of all, believe in yourself.