It is the goal of the department of Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at ODU to educate students in the Hampton Roads area about the opportunities that are available in the marine sciences. The presentation is geared towards high-school level students that are interested in the marine sciences and can be modified to suit the needs of individual teachers.
Use the Power Point presentation (which is outlined below) to assist you in describing the various marine science-related jobs to your audience.
Fields of Interest: This is a good introduction to the students as to how ocean and earth sciences can open up many opportunities for them. Ask the students if they already know what some of those titles mean and what people do that have those titles.
Marine Biologist/Veterinarian: Explain that there is a difference between those who study marine mammals (a marine biologist) and those who study biological oceanography. Ask the students if they know what the difference is and what responsibilities each might have. Marine biologists need at least a bachelor's, but they can do more with a master's. Veterinarians are required to attend veterinary school after their bachelor's and right now there are more vets than there are positions.
Marine Stranding Team Member: Coastal Virginia has a local stranding team that is based out of the Marine Science Museum and they help whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sea lions, seals, otters, and manatees. A bachelor's degree is at least required in this field. In the last couple of years, strandings have been at an all-time high, but researchers are unsure as to whether they are caused by natural occurrences or human interaction (coastal lighting, boat traffic, etc.).
Biologist: A biologist can study many different arenas associated with the marine environment. Emphasize to the students that they study microscopic organisms (you might need to explain this and give some examples depending on your audience), land plants, coastal plants, aquatic plants, fish, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, birds, and earth processes. A bachelor's degree is required to work in laboratories, for parks, for environmental organizations, as a teacher, etc. A master's degree may increase a student's options for jobs as well as pay better. With a doctorate, they can teach and do research at a major university. (Refer to Dr. Dobbs, Dr. McConaugha, or Dr. Mulholland's profile from the department list and/or the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
ODU Biologists in Action: The upper left picture shows graduate students sampling a salt marsh for diversity and abundance; the bottom left picture shows a researcher sampling the turtle grass and testing the environment around it in Bermuda; the right picture shows a scientist pulling in a plankton tow, which samples the microscopic plants and animals just
below the surface of the water.
Aquaculturist: Scientists that become involved in aquaculture are responsible for testing and maintaining the systems in which they are growing plants and/or animals. A bachelor's degree is the minimum degree requirement for an entry-level position at a farm. Aquaculture farms are important to the economies of local areas. (Refer to the profile from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profile can also be passed around after the presentation.)
Fisherman: In coastal areas, there are a lot of opportunities for fishing. Commercial fishermen bring in money to local economies, but are also regulated by the state government and are responsible for maintaining healthy fisheries (emphasize how important it is that there is delicate balance between how much they take and how much will be available for
future catches). Charter boats that take people fishing for a price also require a working knowledge of local species, fishing equipment, and boat maintenance. A degree is not required for any of these positions, but do involve manual labor. (Refer to the profile from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profile can also be passed around after the presentation.
Geologist: There are many things a geologist can study, since geology relates to all processes that make up the Earth. Marine geologists may study the sediment on the ocean floor, the minerals and rocks in the oceans, the oil reserves below the oceans, or coastal processes that influence human and wildlife distribution. As with a biologist, the more degrees a student pursues, more opportunities and better pay will become available. (Refer
to Dr. Bischof, Dr. Darby, Dr. Noffke, Dr. Oertel, Dr. Rule, Dr. Swift, or Dr. Whittecar's profile from the department list and/or the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
ODU Geologists in Action: The left picture shows graduate students operating a box core to take a sediment sample from the bottom of the water body that they are working in; the bottom right picture show what a layered sediment sample may look like; and the upper right picture shows a student pointing out layers of rock that were once deposited under an ancient sea, which gives us a clue about the history of the Earth.
Chemist: As a marine chemist, you would be interested in the chemicals, nutrients, minerals, etc. that are in the water and at the bottom of the seafloor. Chemists study where these things come from and how they interact with the marine life and Earth processes. As with a biologist, the more degrees a student pursues, more opportunities and better pay will
become available. (Refer to Dr. Burdige, Dr. Cutter, Dr. Rule's profile from the department list and/or the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
ODU Chemists in Action: The upper left picture shows a professor of chemical oceanography testing the chemistry of the water around the turtle grass in Bermuda; the bottom left picture shows a student lowering an instrument that measures the salinity and temperature of the water as it moves from the surface to the bottom; the right picture shows a graduate student
instructing undergraduate students on the workings of a Rosette sampler, which collects water at different levels in the water column.
Hydrologist: Hydrologists study the cycle of water as it moves from the Earth's atmosphere to the Earth, how it flows on and in the Earth, into the sea, and eventually back into the atmosphere. It is important to understand where our water comes from, how much we have, and how clean it is. As with a biologist, the more degrees a student pursues, more opportunities and better pay will become available. (Refer to Dr. Whittecar's profile from the department list.)
Physicist: As a marine physicist, you would study the movement of water, what causes it, and what effects it has on marine life, chemicals in the sea, and coastal effects. Physicists may also work with meteorologists to predict hurricanes and problems associated with them, such as storm surge, to calculate coastal areas that are in danger. As a biologist, the more degrees a student pursues, more opportunities and better pay will become available. (Refer to Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Gargett, Dr. Grosch, Dr. Hofmann, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Klinck, Dr. Royer's profile from the department list and/or the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
ODU Physicists in Action: the left picture shows a marine technician helping to get a current meter back on board a research vessel; the right picture shows researchers bringing an optical buoy (which measures light penetration in the water) on board a research vessel.
Meteorologist: Studying the conditions of the atmosphere is important in understanding the oceans. All energy that the Earth receives comes from the Sun and changes as it moves through the atmosphere, depending on the conditions. Weather conditions cause different marine conditions and cause processes on Earth to occur that subsequently affect the oceans. People and computers work together to predict deadly coastal weather conditions, such as hurricanes. A meteorologist is required to have a bachelor's and specialized training in meteorology.
Field Researcher: As any type of scientist, field research may be and usually is a required part of the job. Depending on what type of research you would be involved in, you may work from a boat, in polar or tropical regions,from the coast, atop a volcano, in a muddy marsh, underwater, or a combination of all of the above.
Laboratory Researcher: Similarly, once data or samples are collected in the field, laboratory analysis is usually required. As a laboratory technician, your primary job would be to analyze samples someone acquired in the field. As a researcher or professor, you may hand off your samples to a technician to do the dirty work, but that doesn't mean you should never involve yourself in the lab work and analysis.
Ocean Engineer: Engineers can be involved with the marine environment in many ways. They can be a part of a company that builds coastal structures like breakwaters and piers, they can maintain a fleet of research vessels for a university, or work offshore on oil platforms. Engineers typically have at least a bachelor's, but a master's degree will provide more opportunities and better pay. (Refer to the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
Archaeologist: This is a great example of how science can cross many disciplines. An archaeologist has at least a bachelor's degree and has a strong background in the history of trade, navigation, shipwrecks, and people. The main goal of an archaeologist is to discover historical sites and to present evidence that answers questions about specific events. (Refer to the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
Environmentalist: A bachelor's degree can earn you entry-level positions at non-profit organizations, state/national parks, or private firms working on educational programs, public relations, finance, or lobbying. Some of the jobs that deal with the internal workings of the organization may require a master's degree. (Refer to the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
Educator: Teaching at a primary or secondary school only requires a bachelor's degree, whereas a master's earns more pay and an opportunity to teach at a community college level. With a doctorate, you can be a professor at a major university and conduct scientific research. There are a lot of responsibilities associated with teaching, and can vary with the different levels of students. (Remind the students that professors at ODU are educators in many ways and use examples of how they interact with students on these different levels. Refer to the profiles from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profiles can also be passed around after the presentation.)
SCUBA Diver: A SCUBA instructor has to go through rigorous training (but does not require any college degree) to provide an educational and safe environment for their students. As an instructor, you may work for local dive shops and dive at least once a week during the "on-season." As a researcher, you may be responsible for a team of divers.
Ecotourism Guide: Guides can be involved in marine science in playful ways, such as leading a group of tourists through a cypress swamp on kayaks, teaching SCUBA divers about a local coral reef community, or showing students how to properly collect sea life along a coastal environment. Depending on the business that you are working for, no college degree or a bachelor's degree in environmental science may be required.
Photographer/Videographer: While no degree may be necessary for a good photographer, it is always good to have credentials behind your name, either in journalism or art. photographers and videographers can work as freelance artists (they control who they work for and what jobs they take) or for major newspapers, journals, magazines, and TV corporations. Getting a job as a photographer specifically for marine science can be
difficult. (Refer to the profile from the www.marinecareers.net site included in the presentation binder; the profile can also be passed around after the presentation.)
So, how much money would I earn?: Emphasize how much each of these positions depends on what educational training each person has had, where they decide to take a position (different parts of the country have different "standards of living"), and their employer government, private company, non-profit, etc.) (Refer to the tables from the www.marinecareers.net site in the presentation binder.)
What do you need to do?: It is important that the student researchers colleges before deciding where to apply, because some schools have better training for certain majors than others. Look at professors research interests as well and decide whether or not you would want to work in a lab for that professor over the school year or summer. Find a business, museum, organization that offers internships or volunteer opportunities in the field that you're interested in. Changing majors in the middle of your junior year of college because you realized you don't like what you're studying is a waste of time and money! (Pass out the reference handout created as a starting point for students interested in these types of careers.)
