One of the first people the students touring the Novus International facilities in suburban St. Louis is someone who was in their exact same position not very long ago.

Research engineer Sarah Perdue started with Novus just last summer. Like the students she met, Perdue was looking to build on her experience she had gained through the years.

“I would highly recommend to get some kind of experience so that you can be exposed and also looks good on your resume and will give you an ‘in’ as far as moving into a company like Novus.”

Perdue says while disciplines in the animal nutrition field are important at Novus, many science fields find a fit in the company.

“As a chemist, you could do analytical chemistry. If you got into biology research, you could do cell culture cultivation and use that for a product.”

She says it really boils down to being someone who is curious and looks to innovate.

More of my conversation with Sarah is available in the player below.

2010 Novus International Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers Photo Album