ten points Tell me what you know about becoming a marine biologist as much as you can provide?

Question

in america where is the biggest place to study it besides the ocean and what school is best what does the job intale how long do you have to go to school for it and all the other good stuff

Answer 1

University of Rhode Island. Bay campus; right on the water; research vessel, top ranking in USA; good deal all around. If you do well in undergrad, you can continue your studies for MS or phD through grants, go underway for research projects in japan, etc.

Answer 2

Marine biologists study ocean life and its relationship to the environment. Studies are conducted from boats, at oceanography centers, at aquariums and in certain coastal areas. Advanced degrees in the field are necessary for positions of responsibility and research.
Instructions
STEP 1: Take lots of science classes in high school, including biology, chemistry, physics and advanced mathematics. Become as computer literate as possible. STEP 2: Maintain a high grade point average. STEP 3: Ask your high school guidance counselor to help you get a list of colleges that are known for their marine biology programs. (Try Marine Biology Web at life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/mbweb.html.) STEP 4: Send for college catalogs and applications well before your senior year. Make certain you meet the requirements before you apply for admission. STEP 5: Choose your college carefully, especially if you have a particular emphasis you would like to study. However, realize that your undergraduate studies will be mostly biological science courses that are meant to prepare you for your advanced degree. STEP 6: Apply for summer internships in your area of interest. STEP 7: Decide on your eventual specialty in marine biology before you begin to apply to graduate schools for your master's degree. It is pointless to apply to a school where your desired concentration does not currently exist. Tips & Warnings
For independent research or teaching at a university, a Ph.D. is required.
For some applied research positions, a master's degree will suffice.
Be prepared to commit yourself to years of learning if you want to make this your lifetime career.
Marine biology is a graduate level pursuit, and so the first priority is to obtain a strong undergraduate major in biological sciences. If you already have a strong interest in fishes, or marine mammals, or ecology, etc., you will want to choose a college or university with some strength in those areas, and this can generally be gleaned from a reading of the catalog from virtually any school.

Most major colleges and universities can provide a good basic biology preparation. Math through calculus, some statistics, and some computer science should also be included to round out the preparation in the major.

Selecting the graduate school is more directed to specialization. One should not plan to study crab reproduction at a school where no professors are involved in that specialty, so some ground work has to be done to determine where the people are located who are involved in the desired area of concentration. Your priority interests have, one hopes, been identified by the end of the undergraduate years, so you then go into the current scientific literature at a university library to determine who is publishing in the desired field of interest. For instance, if population biology or behavior among elephant seals is the area of interest, a review of the literature would lead you to U.C. Santa Cruz and Dr. Burney La Boeuf.

Or, if your interest is in coastal ecology, the literature might lead to Dr. Paul Dayton at Scripps. Coral reef ecology would be Dr. John Ogden at Florida Atlantic, etc. If you are not sure of the specialty, then most schools with marine stations can provided coursework in general marine biology, and a specialty can be identified while working towards your Masters degree. Hopefully, a change of institution will not be required, but that's all right even if it is.

For college teaching and/or being a chief research scientist, a doctoral degree is necessary. For teaching at the high school level, or at an aquarium, a Masters degree is sufficient. Being a lab technician is also possible with a Masters degree.

As for job availability, it is difficult to predict for six or eight years from now. However, for anyone doing good strong academic work with a professor who is well known in the field, chances are good that something will shape up.

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography Graduate Department Office recently asked me to put together some information for young adults who would like to know more about careers in the marine sciences. This may not answer your questions exactly, but I think you will find it to be helpful.


Let me begin by saying that Biology and Marine Biology are very large and diverse fields. Many of the questions I often hear have a broad range of answers. It depends on how you direct your career. For instance, many people ask me if Marine Biologists SCUBA dive often. My answer to that question is, "It depends on what type of research they are conducting." If that scientist is studying populations of fish around a coral reef, then she/he would probably dive frequently. If, however, the scientist was examining the chemical properties of a certain toxin, then they might spend most of their time in a laboratory.


I would also like to point out that I am a research scientist. Many Marine Biologists teach, manage fisheries, work in aquaria, etc., but I conduct research. I will answer most of your questions from this perspective.

Q: What classes should one take to become a marine biologist?
A: Of course, lots of Biology; but you will also need a basic understanding of science in general (e.g. Chemistry and Physics) and mathematics (at least up to Calculus). Computer, technical/electrical, and typing skills would also be helpful.
Q: What special attributes are necessary to be a successful scientist?
A: One has to be a curious and independent thinker. A scientist does not accept a conclusion until he/she has enough evidence to exclude all other possibilities. A scientist also has to be clever and creative so that she/he can dream up experiments to answer her/his questions. Additionally, a scientist must be a 'go-getter'. If scientists conduct their own research, they cannot wait around passively for somebody to tell them what to do. They have to take initiative.
Q: How will Marine Biology be affected by technology in the year 2001?
A: Computers are being used more often in all fields of science as time progresses. The methods of collecting and analyzing data are becoming more advanced, which is prompting a shift in the areas of focus in Marine Biology. By the year 2001, I expect there to be many more research positions occupied by microbiologists, geneticists, and biochemists. In the past, these fields have been limited by technology, but now they are rapidly expanding as new technologies are developed and improved. Keep in mind that all of these fields can be tied in with marine biological studies. Ecological studies may also expand IF attention remains focused on preserving the "natural" state of the environment and biodiversity.
Q: What is the entry level pay for a Marine Biologist?
A: I was paid $12,500/yr to attend graduate school. Once I completed my Ph.D., I expected about $25,000/yr as an entry level pay. According to the Occupational Handbook, the average biologist makes about $31,300/yr. Most biologists with Ph.D.s (who often become professors at universities) make from $40-50,000/yr.
Q: What are some good undergraduate schools for Marine Biology?
A: There are many excellent schools for biology in the United States and other countries. There are several publications that you can refer to for a list of colleges and universities that offer undergraduate programs in Marine Biology. A good one to start with would be "Education and Training Programs in Oceanography and Related Fields", published by Marine Technology Society. This guide can be purchased from the Marine Technology Society at a cost of $6.00. Please write to Marine Technology Society, 1828 L Street., NW #906, Washington, D.C. 20006. Or contact them by phone at [phone].
I feel that the most important primer for a career in Marine Biology is to get as much research experience as is possible. It is important for you to attend an undergraduate institution that is near a "hot spot" in Marine Biology so that you can volunteer to work with prominent scientists. There is a brilliant web page called Marine Biology WEB that provides many valuable resources. This includes a link to a page called Marine Biology Labs and Institutes, which provides a listing of some important "hot spots" around the world.

Q: What is the average number of hours per workday?
A: As an academically employed researcher, the hours are highly variable. Research science is more of a lifestyle than a job. Researchers have certain goals that they would like to reach by certain dates, but most do not have specific hours which they must work, Some work from 9 to 5. Most spend a few late nights or weekend days in the lab each week. For the scientists that I have seen, the average work week consists of about 40-50 hours. Of course, the hours are longer when one is just starting out (e.g. graduate school).
Q: How many years in college are needed to become a Marine Biologist?
A: Lots. If you want to be a research scientist and direct YOUR OWN research, a Ph.D. is almost required. After that your job would require that you keep your brain 'turned on' to the learning mode. In a sense, you would always be 'in school'. This is not as bad as it sounds! I hated school when I was younger, but now I enjoy it. I would strongly suggest not worrying about long-term commitments beyond your bachelor's degree until your junior year of college. A lot can happen between now and then, and you may be a very different person.
Q: Does being a Marine Biologist include being a teacher also?
A: If you work for an academic institution you will probably be required to teach. Some institutions want their scientists to concentrate on research and require very little teaching (one class per year). Others would like a reputation as a teaching institution and ask their scientists to do mostly teaching. There may be some which require no research. I believe that both research AND teaching are necessary fuel for a good scientist.