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Ask a Marine Scientist: answers to Career questions!  What
does a Marine Biologist Do? - Received from Rachel in Texas, USA.Q.What does a marine biologist do? Do you scuba dive and go out into the ocean a lot? Or do you mainly work in a laboratory? Do you study historical info, or live animals or both? I'm writing a paper on marine biology and biologists and was wondering. Marine biology is such a varied field, that there is really no such thing as a "typical" marine biologist! For example, a researcher working on the behaviour of subtidal snails might SCUBA dive for animals in the morning, bring them to the lab and observe them in the afternoon to collect various types of data, then go to the library and read journal articles by other scientists about her particular snail species. Then, she might do some statistical analysis of the data using a computer, write a proposal for new research, or go out in a small boat to do a plankton tow for juvenile snails. Other marine biologists work on board large research ships, at aquariums, or in university or government research labs. Some use SCUBA diving for their work, while others do not. Some marine biologists collect most of their research data in the field, therefore spend most of their time outdoors, while others are usually working in a laboratory. Usually, live animals are studied, in conjunction with previously published scientific literature, although excellent marine biology research has been done using museum specimens. Further information about careers in marine biology may be found at several web sites. More Links may be found in our Careers in Marine Science Page. Overall, the life of a marine biologist generally quite varied, and is certainly not boring! Click here for further reading.  BACK
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Q: What type of writing is involved in Marine Biology: I have to write a paper on the career field that i want to go in to. In the paper we have to discuse what type of writing that they do in this profetion. I was wanting to know what type of writting is involved in being a marine biologist A: Writing is an extremely important component of marine biology. All scientists communicate their research results and theories by writing scientific papers. These scientific papers are reviewed by peers in their field and published in scientific journals. Some examples of marine biology journals are Journal of Experimental Marine Biology, Marine Biology and Marine Ecology. Writing grants to fund your research is also extremely important in marine biology. When marine biologists apply for grants they must submit a research proposal and the results of their funded studies. Companies also hire marine biologists to do research and they must write summary reports throughout their research to communicate their findings. Communicating via email with other professionals in the field also involves clear, concise, grammatically correct writing skills. Some marine biologists also write field identification books and books for the general public in their area of interest. These are just a few of many possibilities, like all scientific professions, writing is an integral and essential component of marine biology.
Q: Hi, I have a question. Ok, In my computer class we are doing a project on what we want to be when we get older, and I want to be a Marine Biologist. The teacher says that the major that we choose has to deal with typing, thats where my question comes in, does marine biology use computers and typing materials? A: Yes, marine biology and many jobs in todays world involves using computers. There is quite a bit of typing in marine biology, but mainly if you are doing research. Almost all marine biologists use computers and here are some examples of how computers are used in marine biology: typing up research reports, analysing results, communicating with other professionals in their field, using many types of scientific equipment (i.e. remote sensing and listening to underwater sounds), subsea technology (used to study the deep sea environments), scuba diving computers, computer modelling in understanding populations, fisheries models, GIS (geographic information systems), Mapping out habitats and much more. Computers are a very important part of science and is becoming more important everyday. Typing will also be very important for you to learn, no matter which field you decide to go into. Almost every university course requires you to write papers that must typed and printed out on a computer. Therefore if you develop your typing and computer skills now, your life will be so much easier when you get to university.
Q: Hi, i have a question. Ok, In my computer class we are doing a project on what we want to be when we get older, and i want to be a Marine Biologist. The teacher says that the major that we choose has to deal with typing, thats where my question comes in, does marine biology use computers and typing materials? A: Yes, marine biology and many jobs in today's world involves using computers. There is quite a bit of typing in marine biology, but mainly if you are doing research. Almost all marine biologists use computers and here are some examples of how computers are used in marine biology: typing up research reports, analysing results, communicating with other professionals in the field, using many types of scientific equipment (i.e. remote sensing and listening to underwater sounds), subsea technology (used to study the deep sea environments), scuba diving computers, computer modelling in understanding populations and much more. Computers are a very important part of science and is becoming more important everyday. Typing will also be very important for you to learn, no matter which field you decide to go into. Almost every university course requires you to write papers that must typed and printed out on a computer. Therefore, if you develop your typing and computer skills now, your life will be so much easier when you get to university.
A. This is a fair question, and one which I'm sure many marine biologists would like to know the answer to!Professions are not always paid according to how long the training takes. There are many other factors that must be taken into account as well. For example, there are many, many people who would like to become marine biologists, but there are not very many jobs in this field. This results in many people trying to get very few jobs - the end result is that the wages paid are lower than you might expect. Most people who pursue careers in research (where a PhD. degree is required) are not paid as much as medical doctors, even though they often go to university for longer periods of time.Remember though, that there are many excellent reasons other than money to pursue a career in marine biology, such as travel, job satisfaction and working with animals. I think that most working marine biologists would not trade places with a medical doctor, no matter how much money they made!
A. It really depends on what type of mentorship partner you want. You have at least three routes to go (and perhaps more!) You could work with an aquarium staff member, or other person who is doing public education on manatees (state governments?). You could work with a conservation organization that is working to improve manatee habitat, or otherwise improve life for manatees. Finally, you could work with a manatee researcher, who is doing scientific work on these mammals. The Mote Research Institute is a good place to start. You might also try the various aquariums in Florida, such as Sea World. A simple search under "Manatee" on the WWW brings up a huge variety of conservation and government organizations dedicated to manatee research and conservation. Since you have access to a university library, you might also look up recent research on manatees. Articles in scientific journals will often have the author's university or affiliation noted. Good Luck!
A. If you've read our other information about careers in marine biology you'll know that there is a great variety in what people do as marine biologists, or marine mammologists. If you want to work with marine mammals, you have many options open to you, including a career in research, public education (aquariums) or tourism (whale watching, etc.) A research career would enable you to study marine mammals scientifically, and to help us to learn more about them. Of course, as a scientist, you would have to attend university, and obtain at least a Bachelor's degree, and possible a Master's or PhD. You would need to do several university math courses, as well as courses in statistics. Even if math is not your strong point,
you should able to work hard at it - especially if you are very committed
to working with marine mammals!
Q: I want to work with marine animals, daily as a career. I would like to be in the water with them and physically interact with them as well as study their behaviour and how they adapt to their surroundings. Although I am not sure I know what that type of position would be called and what education is needed. I was hoping that you could help me out with that. Thank you for taking the time to read my note. A: The variety of marine animals is enormous! Do you have any ideas about the kinds of animals you're interested in? Do you like invertebrates such as sea urchins, squids, jellyfish or corals? Or perhaps vertebrates such as fishes or marine mammals? A person who works with marine animals in general is known as a marine biologist. If you are interested in studying adaptations of animals to their environment you would be a marine ecologist. To get started in this field you generally need a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, which usually takes 4 years. With this degree you might get a job as a biological technician. If you are interested in pursuing your own research, you would likely have to go on to a Masters of Science degree (usually 2-3 years) and possibly even a Doctorate (Ph.D.) which could take up to 5 more years. The level of education you pursue really depends on what kind of career you would like to get into. Check out our Career Pages for more information on working in the field of marine biology. I also suggest you contact a guidance counsellor at your high school or a college/university that you're interested in attending.
Q: Do you need Physics to be a Marine Biologist? A: I'm not sure what the requirements are in the U.S., but in Canada to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in marine biology, you usually have to take a general science program during your first two years. This includes classes in chemistry, calculus, algebra, biology and at least first year physics. Therefore I would suggest that you enrol in a high school physics class. Physics can come into play in marine biology when considering the physical environment in which aquatic organisms live. Waves, tidal motions and movements in an aquatic medium are all governed by laws of physics. You should consult with your guidance counsellor about the requirements for physics at the college or university you're interested in going to. If physics is not your strong point, please don't be discouraged. While first year physics can be challenging, you will not likely have to take any upper level courses unless you decide to go into an area such as physical oceanography.
Q: What types of tools do marine biologists use? A: Marine biologists work in many different areas and do many different things. For example, a marine biologist looking at sea urchin movement would travel to a collecting site in a boat and use SCUBA gear to gather the urchins into bags or buckets. Back in the laboratory, she would use seawater tanks to keep the urchins in, and perhaps a flow chamber which sends water flowing past the urchins in a certain direction. She would also have a notebook and maybe a video camera to record where the urchins move in relation to the water flow. She might use calipers (a special kind of ruler) to measure the size of the urchins and a scale to weigh them. After all the data is collected, she would enter it into her computer and use statistics to examine her information. A marine biologist or biological oceanographer working on phytoplankton (protistan plankton) might go down to a dock and use a bucket to collect surface water. He would use a thermometer to measure the water temperature, and a salinometer to measure the amount of salt in the water (known as salinity). Back in the laboratory, he might use a centrifuge to concentrate the phytoplankton and large glass flasks full of seawater and nutrients to grow the phytoplankton in. The flasks would be placed in an incubator in which light and temperature is regulated. He would also use a microscope to examine his phytoplankton cultures, and a counting grid to count the number of cells per amount of liquid. These are only two different types of
marine biologists and some examples of the tools they might use. Think about
the kinds of tools that a deep-sea marine biologist might use (submersible
vehicle, collection jars, microscopes, etc.) or perhaps a whale
researcher (boat, hydrophone and tape recorder, tissue sampling device,
etc.). As you can see, there are many different areas of marine biology
and even more different kinds of tools that marine biologists use.
Q: Hi, I have a few questions. I was wondering, what degree is recommended for a person to go into marine biology? What is the average pay for a marine biologist? And most of all what are the top ten colleges for marine biology? Thank you for taking the time to answer. A: To get started in marine biology, you usually need a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc.) in biology which takes about 4 years to complete. Whether you go on to a Masters or Doctorate degree depends on the type of career you would like to get into. As for the average pay for a marine biologist, please see the previously posted question entitled "Marine biology careers". Regarding the top ten colleges for marine biology, I'm assuming you're looking for information on schools in the United States. Since OceanLink is based out of Canada, I'm afraid I don't have much information for you. I would suggest looking into schools on the coast, since in-land colleges usually don't offer much in terms of field work opportunities. You might also consider whether you're interested in a co-operative education program, which is a great way to get relevant work experience while working towards your degree. Most schools have full course descriptions on the internet, so in addition to talking to your high school counsellor, you should do some web searches for the most up-to-date information.
Q: I would like to become a Marine Biologist, how can I get involved in this before college? A: One
way to gain experience in marine biology is to do volunteer work or find
a summer job in an area you're interested in. Even though Nevada is not on
the ocean, you could try inquiring at local colleges/universities and museums.
Likely any experience in biology you could gain would be quite useful, even
though it may not be marine-related. You also might be interested in talking
to local biologists working in freshwater habitats (limnologists), as any
initial work in the aquatic sciences may help you determine an area of interest
(e.g. fishes vs. plankton). Check out our Career
Info section for more information on careers in marine science.
Q: What Specializations can someone of your science explore??? A: There are many specializations within the broad category of marine science. Here are a few examples: physical oceanography, phycology (the study of marine algae), ichthyology (the study of fishes), biological oceanography, marine geology, benthic marine ecology, fisheries science, marine aquaculture, deep-sea biology and marine toxicology. As you can see from these categories, the diversity of fields within marine science is enormous.
of: Cetaceans/marine mammals, marine birds, fish, invertebrates, marine plants, etc. Biodiversity This is an incomplete list. You may wish to present a paper showing the diversity and complexity of "Marine Science" as a whole. Good Luck!
Q: What Kind of equipment, tools, or instruments do marine biologists use every day to find out information about animals, the temperature of the water in certain places, or plant life in the ocean??? A: Marine biologists use many different tools and instruments depending on the species they are studying and the aims of their research. A fisheries scientist would use boats, nets and radar to sample populations of their target species. Back in the laboratory they might use a scale, measuring board and microscope to measure and examine the fish collected. The temperature of the water can be measured by using a simple thermometer, or more sophisticated devices such as a CTD (which can measure Conductivity, Temperature and Depth throughout the water column and store the information in a computer). And finally, biologists examining seaweeds might use quadrats (measuring grids) to estimate the density and diversity of different species, a Quantum meter to measure light levels and a salinometer to measure salinity.
Q: For my animal science class we have to write a two page paper on three Agriscience careers. Marine biology was one of the careers that I have picked, I have a couple of questions the answers can be brief. Are their any age and physical requirements? A: Marine biology is an incredibly vast field and the people working in it do all sorts of different jobs. Some biologists may spend all their time in a laboratory and office, while others may be primarily out in the field, operating boats and scuba diving. Therefore the physical requirements vary according to what area you're working in. As for age, you generally have to have some sort of college or university education to be a marine biologist. Most people finish their B.Sc. when they're in their early 20's, although that doesn't mean that you can't have a summer job in marine biology when you're only 16. Marine biology is definitely one of the more difficult areas to find a permanent job in, although I can't really estimate whether there will be more or fewer jobs in the future. For the new OceanLink section called Marine Science Career Profiles, I have been interviewing a number of people working in marine science here in British Columbia. When asked the question "What advice do you have for young people interested in a career in marine science", the responses have often been that you must not only have a strong knowledge of marine biology, but you must also incorporate another discipline (like statistics, computer science or mathematics) into your background. You can then be more "sellable" to employers who must sort through piles of resumes and find someone who stands out. And as in any career, there are opportunities for advancement. You may advance from a technician to project manager or research scientist, although graduate-level education is often required for research positions. For more information on careers in marine science, see our Career Info section.
Q: How do I become active in marine Biology at the age of 13? I really want to start working in the field. Thanks A: Here are some ways of becoming active in marine biology at the age of 13. First what you are doing right now is great! Searching the internet for cool and interesting sites on marine biology, is one way to learn about marine biology. Search through the OceanLink website, we have tons of information on marine biology in the OceanInfo section, AquaFacts section, and our Ask a Marine Scientist section has a HUGE Answer File that contains tons of info on marine biology. If you are interested in careers in marine biology check out the Career Section of the OceanLink website. There also some really great links to other marine biology sites in the OceanLink Link section. I also suggest you check out your local library for books and magazines on marine biology, pick books on any area that interests you and learn more! If there is an Aquarium in your area, go and ask if they are accepting volunteers. You can also take a SCUBA diving course to be a certified diver and you can take some trips to the ocean to dive. You can even start a freshwater or saltwater aquarium in your house. This is a great way to learn about aquatic plants and animals. As you can see there is a lot out there for you!
Q: What kind of a future is there for a marine biologist in aquaculture? If I were interested in aquaculture what would be my best plan of attack as far as study, internships, etc.? A: There is a huge field for marine biologists in aquaculture. There are many opportunities in both temperate and freshwater marine systems. I am more familiar with temperate aquaculture and therefore I will focus on the opportunities there, but I encourage you to check out tropics as well. There are a large number of marine species that are being farmed in the ocean, everything from plankton to fish. Some of the major aquaculture organisms on the Pacific coast include, salmon, oysters, scallops, clams, mussels, kelp, red algae, and phytoplankton, just to name a few. Since the human population is growing so quickly, our natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate. I think we can no longer rely on wild populations to sustain the growing human population and therefore aquaculture will be an important key to providing food the human population. It is great that you are interested in pursuing aquaculture as a career. There are two paths you can depending on how much schooling you want to do. You can get a technical diploma from a univeristy or college, which are approximately two years long and these programs will usually involve a work study term as well, with a company you are interested in. Another path you can pursue is after receiving a biology degree from a university you can do you graduate studies that would involve a study that contributes to aquaculture research. I definitely encourage you to pursue an internship position in the field, as this would be a great way to gain experience and possibly get a permanent job in the field. I am not familiar with any post-secondary schools in California that offer a program in aquaculture, but if you check out the websites of colleges that interest you I am sure you will find the information you need. If you are interested in travelling, the East Coast has lots of aquaculture opportunities. Good luck, you have picked a very interesting and applicable field of study!
Q: I'm doing a report on oceanography. Can you tell me what the definition of oceanography is and what specific things an oceanographer might do? A: Oceanography is the scientific study of the ocean. Oceanography is a huge field and some of the areas of study include: ocean bottom geographic features (depths, volcanoes, trenches, oceanic plateaus, fracture zones, ridges and basins), plate tectonics, chemical composition of the ocean water (salt content, carbon dioxide levels, density, ect.), interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere (coriolis effect, weather systems, hurricanes, monsoons, cyclones, El Nino, etc.), ocean climates, ocean currents, waves, tides, chemical cycling in the ocean, plankton and sediments, just to name a few. I suggest you also check out the OceanLink website under the Career Info section you will find an interview with Dr. Louis A. Hobson, an oceanographer at the University of Victoria.
Q: How does your job combine fieldwork, management, and research? A: Marine biologists do
research in order to answer questions about genes, organisms, populations,
communities, and ecosystems. Sometimes they can answer questions through
experiments in a lab, but often they will need to be in the field (outside,
where the organism(s) live). They may do fieldwork to make observations,
to collect organisms or samples for labwork, or to run entire experiments
in the field.
Q: What contributions does marine biology make to society? A: Marine biology contributes
to human society in many ways. Humans are completely dependant on resources
from natural ecosystems.. all food, water, building and other materials,
and medicines come from natural ecosystems around us. Many of these resources
are found directly in the ocean (food, chemicals from plants and animals
for medicine and other products, oxygen and other nutrients). In fact 70%
of the protein that humans consume is from the sea. Not only this, but the
ocean and all of its organisms are a vital component to the rest of the earth's
biosphere. The ocean covers 70% of the earth, and the many processes that
go on within it are connected to the non-marine ecosystems that we depend
on.
Q: I am very interested in doing a marine biology course but feel that I know too little about it. I live in England and was wondering if you could suggest some places where I could go for experience in this field.Thankyou, this will help me so much. A: If you're looking for
a taste of marine biology, I suggest looking for places where you could volunteer
(public aquariums, marine reasearch/education stations) in your area. There
are some links to marine stations in the UK on the OceanLink
marine labs links page.
This is a good question. The tricky thing
about careers/jobs in science is that they are so diverse. There isn't one
way to be a scientist.
Q: Hi, i am doing a project for which I need to find info about these three careers: 1.Harbor Master--2.Fisheries Officer--3.Glaciologist--and extra one--4.Ethnobotanist... can you help me? thank you. A: Well, I am not sure what it is you need to know about each of these careers but here is some info that should get you started:
BACK
TO CAREER INDEX OR ANSWER
FILE What
a marine biologist does - received
from Tabatha in Australia
Q: What exactly do Marine Biologists do? This question may seem a bit stupid, but it actually isn't answered directly!!! A: A marine biologist
is someone who studies life in the ocean - it is a pretty large category,
and what a marine biologist "does" is
very variable.
Q: Where is the best place to go to start a career in Marine Biology? A: I'd say the best place to go to start
a career in marine biology is a college that has a good biology program.
Colleges are a great place to start a biology degree because they are small,
and you get lots of opportunity to talk to teachers and other students. A
good plan from there is to transfer to a university with a good marine biology
program, perhaps one that is affiliated with a marine field station.
Q: How much does a marine biologist get paid? A: Wow, there are so many different positions that one can have as a marine biologist, and just as many salaries. Here's a general range (in Canadian dollars): anywhere from $12, 000 a year for a marine biologist research technician to $150, 000 a year for a University PhD marine biologist professor with 20 years experience. If you think you might be interested in marine biology as a career, you should speak to your guidance counsellor and check out the career info page on our site.
A:Hi. Thanks for an interesting question. From what I know there is not a set dress code to be a marine biologist. Marine biologists working in the field can basically dress as they please. There is only a dress code when working in the more formal institutions such as Aquariums and Universities. As for the General location of Marine Labratories they are all over the world. The station that I work in is called the Bamfield Marine Station located in Bamfield on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. This website will give more information regarding marine institutions all around the world: OceanLink Link's pages
Q: Would be a naval diving inspector be useful in my pursuit of studying marine mammals in their natural environment? A: Being a dive inspector certainly would not hurt
your chances for studying marine animals in their natural environment. Learning
to Scuba dive is important to marine biology no matter what else happens.
Q: Hello. I was wondering what the living conditions are at the Bamfield Marine Station. Whats the housing like, do you cook your own food and how many people visit in the course of a day? A This is the first time I have had a
question like yours. The housing at the marine station here is actually pretty
good. We have a set of eight nice cabins, student dorms and the annex. The
annex is the worst of the accomodations as its basically a converted Atco
trailer. There are also some suites on the station that are a little bigger
which is where I live.
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