Marine Biology
Bob
Do we have any Marine Biologists out there? I am in need of a
little help. I would like to start a career in Marine Biology but, need
a little help. I am attending a school that does not really have any
type of Marine Biology program. I cannot transfer to another school at
this point and time. Am I wasting my time on a straight Biology degree?
Another question I have is, what kind of oppertunities are out
there for one to get a reasearch diving position? How would I go about
it?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!
Thanks
Bob Staaf
Dean Pentcheff
For anyone considering a career in marine biology, there's a very
important thing to understand: marine biology is biology. Period. It
happens to concentrate on organisms that happen to live in the sea, but
that's it. You are far better off getting a solid degree in general
biology/zoology/botany/whatever than specializing in marine science as
an undergraduate.
That said, there is a lot that you can do to tilt your career leanings
toward marine science. Probably the best thing you could do is link up
with someone in the faculty at your university who does work in the sea
and do some work in their lab. This might be assistance on an ongoing
project of theirs, an offshoot project of your own based on their
research, or an independent project all your own (under their
advisement). What`s important is to get used to the way science labs
and scientists (well, one of each, anyway) actually work. You'll get
exposure to them, and they'll get exposure to you. The recommendation
of a faculty member who has seen you in a research setting will carry
far more weight when applying to graduate schools than any class-based
recommedations.
Another (highly recommended) thing to do is to go out to a marine lab
for part of a summer and take a course or two. Many marine labs have a
tradition of running a series of intensive summer courses for
undergraduates and graduate students. Scholarships are often
available. Courses generally last 4-6 weeks. During that period,
you're involved in the course for 7-8 days a week, and 24-27 hours a
day... These are fantastic opportunities. You'll be at an intense
marine research site, seeing what the field side of the research is
about. You'll get to know a whole bunch of similar-minded people and
start making those contacts you've heard so much about. You'll be in
an extremely stimulating and educational environment. The courses are
generally fairly specialized, depending on who wants to teach.
I'd suggest writing to some labs to find out what they're planning for
next summer. If you write and get no response, try again in a few
months - they may not have their plans in order yet. The lab with
which I'm most familiar takes final applications in January for the
upcoming summer. Try the following (at least): Friday Harbor
Laboratories (associated with the University of Washington in Seattle),
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (not to be confused with the
Marine Biological Laboratories at the same location, but which really
doesn't do much marine-oriented biology), and Shoals Laboratory
(associated with Cornell University). You can get addresses from one
of those college/grad school guides in your library, or check with your
university's grad school advising office.
When you find out some course titles, don't hesitate to call up the
professors and ask them about the course. Introduce yourself and find
out what they're planning on covering. Ask them what sort of
background they're expecting of the students. From the brief course
listings it's often difficult to tell if they're going to pitch it at
advanced graduate students or for a more general audience. If you're
way underqualified, they'll probably just reject your application, but
you might as well know that first and apply for something else
instead. On the other hand, these course environments tend to be very
supportive (both from professors and other students), so you may
surprise yourself in your ability to keep up with a subject that you
thought you couldn't handle.
Regarding research diving as a profession... To be blunt, I don't
think it really exists. If you do marine research, and you dive in
relation to it, you're a professional research diver. But research
diving as a profession by itself (like lab technician, for example),
presupposes that there's enough funding for the researchers to support
a diver as a staff member. That's really not true. There are a few
research institutions that have enough money to support some
professional diving (Woods Hole, Harbor Branch, and NOAA's NURP program
come to mind), but these are really commercial diving positions. They
may occasionally end up directly helping researchers, but most of the
time they're really underwater mechanics/welders/pipefitters/etc.
Commercial diving is a very tough, demanding, and dangerous career.
Generally speaking, commercial divers get started in the oil industry
and a few slide over into "civilian" work. Honestly, I wouldn't
consider it myself.
Good luck!
-Dean
--
N. Dean Pentcheff
Biological Sciences, Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia SC 29208 (803-777-8998)
Internet addresses: pent...@pascal.acm.org or de...@tbone.biol.scarolina.edu
Noel Dean Dey
friends with BS in biology who discovered AFTER they got in a masters
program that they really didn't like research. The thought the life of a
marine biologist was just like the movies.
Also, interning is an excellent way to become involved. University of
Delaware, College of Marine Studies (unabashed plug) runs a summer program
for 12 or so students, most or all of them fully funded. They participate
directly in the research, and all have gone away with wonderful memories.
Several have come back later as students.
Good Success.
DEAN
--
N. DEAN DEY CNS/us & CMS* d...@brahms.udel.edu * Marine Biologist-Computer
COLLEGE OF MARINE STUDIES* DEAN...@mvs.udel.edu * Analyst-Cape School Board
UNIV. of DELAWARE * CIS 73260,410 *"Daddy, When will you
LEWES, DE 19958 * (302)645-4230 * get a REAL job?" "