Marine biology careers

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underwaterman

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Hey guys I just want to know if there is anyone on this board that has a degree in marine biology or knows a lot about the field because iam very interested in this and I am possibly going to major in it. So iam just asking for anyones advice on this i.e. schools, careers using this, salary etc...

Thanks. Zack
 
underwaterman:
Hey guys I just want to know if there is anyone on this board that has a degree in marine biology or knows a lot about the field because iam very interested in this and I am possibly going to major in it. So iam just asking for anyones advice on this i.e. schools, careers using this, salary etc...

Thanks. Zack


Hi Zack

Since you're from the US, you might be able to get some more accurate info from someone from the US regardings schools, I believe Firegoddess (on this forum) is majoring in marine biology, and by the looks of it, in your area as well.

I did my degree partly in Grenada and partly in the UK, due to the university at the former closing down the programme (bummer). You will find that having a strong science/biology background will be nesessary and math as well for the stats :)

One of the things we were told the day we started is that if we wanted to play with dolphins we were in the wrong room. It is not an impossibility, but that isn't quite what marine biology is about. If you're in it for the money, you'll probably be dissapointed, though in North America where science research is extremely well funded you should not find too much trouble getting into a good position.

There are two main ways to go, one is to keep in field academia-research and I would say it;s the most common one, get a BSc, Msc and Phd and do research and teach. There is obviously work in the fields of conservation, ecotourism and consultancy amongst others. Job wise it's a great field to be in, but it is competitive, but it can be quite cutting edge though you can always get stuck doing something extremely boring. Travel is also a good one if you land yourself a good spot.

From what I experiences it might be wise to try and think about what you'd like to do more specifically - is it more tropical marine biology, deep sea biology, marine microbiology, intertidal ecology - and there is a lot more. I am aware you won't be able to tell now which suits you better, but it is worth finding out what universities specialise in and though you'll probably get a well rounded education in most places. Also keep evaluating yourself, your interests and the development of the various fields so you can figure out which direction you'd eventually like to head in.

Go to the following site, it's by Jeff Levinton who's quite well known in the field. His site has a wide range of references and a section or two on becoming a marine biologist.

http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mbweb.html

If you need any more help feel free to PM me and I'll see what I can do. This is all I can think of at the moment (it's late!), hope it helps :D

btw welcome to the board :)
 
Hi Zack,
I have a B.S. and a Ph.D. in biological oceanography, which is very similar to marine biology. It is another angle you may want to consider.

The main difference between marine biology and biological oceanography is that biological oceanography focuses more on ecology (the organism and its interaction with the environment) and less on the detailed biology of individual organisms. Biological oceanographers have more of a background in marine chemistry, marine geology and ocean circulation. Of course, in practice the line often gets very blurry between biological oceanographers and marine biologists.

What Aqua Buoy says is basically dead on too. Don't expect to be playing with dolphins. That's basically the first thing everyone tells you and it is true. A lot of science (in any field) is pretty unglamorous and can be very hard work. On the other hand, I love working in the field, the ocean fascinates me, and I love the feeling when I figure something out so it has its good points.

I work for the National Marine Fisheries Service and my research focuses on primary productivity of phytoplankton in Narragansett Bay, and its relationship to various chemical and physical processes (nutrients, dissolved oxygen, tides, stratification, mixing etc). I also get to work with lots of fun high tech instruments (see my picture in my profile).

Here is a smattering of websites to check out on both oceanography and marine biology so you can get an idea on the sorts of things other people in the field do:

http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://www.whoi.edu/
http://www.mbl.edu/
http://www.hboi.edu/
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
http://sio.ucsd.edu/

Unless you want to go to graduate school I would not recommend marine biology or oceanography. An M.S. or a Ph.D. is really important if you want to get a good job. Like Aqua Buoy said, you won't get rich, but with a Ph.D. you should definitely make a good living.
 
underwaterman:
Hey guys I just want to know if there is anyone on this board that has a degree in marine biology or knows a lot about the field because iam very interested in this and I am possibly going to major in it. So iam just asking for anyones advice on this i.e. schools, careers using this, salary etc...

Thanks. Zack

Howdy, I'm also from Texas and I'm a Marine Biologist. I have a BS in Marine Biology and a MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. I would recommend that if you're serious you plan on getting a PhD. If you don't you'll likely be doing scut work for your entire career. I have pretty much left the field and am working in the planning field. Also, depending on your maturity, I'd recommend skipping the MS and go straight to PhD if you can find someone to work with. This is just my experience and others will likely have other recommendations.

What field are you interested in? Do you have a specific field you're interested in?
 
When I was a kid I wanted to be a marine biologist but then I discovered aquaculture. I have a BS in Aquaculture/Environmental Sci. and 7/8 complete of a MS in Aquatic Pathology. I chose aquaculture because ichthyology was my main interest before and aquaculture is a practical application of ichthyology and marine biological principles. It really depends on whether you prefer pure or applied sciences. You can usually find a job with a decent salary with just a BS in aquaculture because it is a very rapidly expanding field. Additionally you can work for the government, a corporation, or in the academic sector. Texas A&M has some excellent programs related to aquaculture and other related marine sciences.
 
underwaterman:
Hey guys I just want to know if there is anyone on this board that has a degree in marine biology or knows a lot about the field because iam very interested in this and I am possibly going to major in it. So iam just asking for anyones advice on this i.e. schools, careers using this, salary etc...

Thanks. Zack

I have an undergrad degree in marine science/biology from LIU/Southampton and currently am working on an MS in oceanography. :)

LIU/Southampton doesn't exist anymore :( but I believe they transferred students to SUNY Stony Brook (New York - Long Island area). I am going to URI now (Grad School of Oceanography) and the Kingston campus offers a bachelors in marine biology, which from some of the folks I know is a good program.

To be honest, to get a well-paying job in this VERY competitive field, you should get a graduate degree.
 
I have an A.B. from Harvard where I focused on applied math and biology, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from UCSB in marine ecology. I chose a scientific career because I didn't want to make lots of money by becoming an investment banker, lawyer or the other kind of "Doctor" (who went to school for two years less than I did).

I would not skip the M.S. IF the following holds. Some states allow people to teach in junior and state colleges with an M.S. and don't require a credential to do so. This may keep options open IF you decide not to complete the Ph.D.

The advanced degrees are pretty much a necessity unless you have some pretty incredible field experience and/or publications.
 

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