From Sea to Shining Sea

Did you know that the US has more ocean than land? Can you name a mountain or canyon under the sea? Have you seen images of corals that grow in Alaska and New England? Explore America's ocean realms on our From Sea to Shining Sea page!

Career in Marine Sciences

If you are looking for information about a career in marine biology, please check out the Q&A below. Please also visit these websites for more interviews with marine scientists:

• NOAA Ocean Explorer: Ocean Careers to Inspire Another Generation of Explorers
• OceanLink: Marine Science Career Profiles
• Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University: Careers & Jobs in Marine Biology & Oceanography

Career Q&A with MCBI Chief Scientist Dr. Lance Morgan:

Briefly describe your job.
My duties as Chief Scientist vary greatly.  I serve as program manager for many of MCBI’s research projects, from assessing threats to deep-sea corals to identifying priority areas for conservation along the west coast of North America. I also supervise the members of MCBI’s science team.  I now spend a lot of time reading, writing and corresponding with other scientists and conservationists, although I once spent a large amount of time underwater looking at marine life. My job keeps me mostly on dry land these days, but I am always looking for an excuse to go snorkeling, SCUBA diving or out to sea on research ships. Most of my work consists of researching the science behind pressing conservation issues (such as destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling) and making the science clear and understandable to managers and policy makers. Sometimes I am called on to give lectures and at times I get to speak with Congressmen and government officials on ocean conservation issues.

What kind of educational background and experiences did you pursue to become a marine biologist?
I obtained a master’s and doctorate degree in marine ecology, and then I worked several years as a post-doctoral researcher at Bodega Marine Laboratory and with the National Marine Fisheries Service. I also worked for many years as a marine mammalogist. I have researched a wide range of animals including marine mammals, fishes and invertebrates.  I first learned to SCUBA dive as a teenager and have subsequently conducted field research throughout the US and Canada, including missions at the Aquarius Habitat off Key Largo, Florida.  Students interested in becoming a marine biologist need to do well in math and sciences.  It is also essential to be able to write well-one of the best skills anyone can acquire.

What are the benefits of being a marine biologist?
On a daily basis, I get to study all of the diverse and wonderful sea creatures and goings-on in the oceans.  I have first-hand knowledge of the advances, and unfortunately, the devastation occurring to our oceans.  I am fortunate enough to work with interesting and devoted associates, exchanging lots of exciting and intellectually stimulating ideas about our oceans. When certain projects work out for the betterment of the ocean, and I have had some part in it, the feeling is immensely rewarding.  I’m doing something that benefits current and future generations.  I have a lot of freedom to grow intellectually, and I constantly find new and challenging projects to work on.

What area the drawbacks of the job, if there are any?
Having intimate knowledge of situations that are in and on the news, which the layperson isn’t exposed to, can at times be frustrating and depressing.  You are also aware on a daily basis of the activities that impact the planet and oceans, and it is hard to escape that.  On a personal level you have to maintain a high-level of motivation to do this since you can are faced with much easier career paths if you are only interested in making money or getting a job to pay the bills.

What advice, if any, would you give to someone following the same career path as yourself?
Marine conservationists are enriched by their work, but unfortunately this is not always the case financially. If you are fortunate enough to achieve a PhD or become a professor at a college or university this situation can be improved (though salaries still lag behind many business positions). Marine conservation biology is a labor of love, with the gratification of making a positive difference in the world one of the rewards. 

Marine scientists work in a number of disciplines — find out which one most interests you (for example, mathematics, chemistry, photography, exploration, computer programming or fishery biology).  It is sometimes easier to move in to a field you are interested in if you can bring top-notch skills. Get your degree from a college that has a good liberal arts and science curriculum. A diversity of world and educational experiences should make you a better graduate student, and ultimately, a better scientist. And, whenever possible, attend events where marine biologist are talking. Most importantly, try and get some real world, hands on experience, which often comes by way of volunteering your time to be a field assistant, intern or research assistant. Remember whatever you do, it is important to do the job well and hustle. You'll often re-cross the paths of people you've previously worked with or for. You want to make sure you establish an excellent reputation, even if you are presently the low person on the totem pole.

What encouraged you to choose to be a marine biologist?
I grew up with the ocean as a backdrop to everything I did, and was fascinated by all kinds of marine life. I became fascinated with SCUBA diving watching the original Jacques Cousteau films. As I learned more about marine biology in college, I became increasingly concerned about the fate of the oceans and sea life, and this led me to become interested in applying research to questions of conservation.

What is so fascinating about animals that would make you want to study them?
Our life on Earth is dependent on the ocean — both the air we breathe and the water we drink depend on healthy oceans. Over 70% of earth’s surface is covered by oceans, and over 60% of it is a mile or more in depth. It is often said we know more about the surface of the moon than we know about the deep ocean. What we do know is that most of the 21,000 species of fish (which largely are in the ocean) are edible, and our insatiable appetite for seafood now brings with it a host of problems for marine life. For example: (1) The United Nations reports that all 17 of the world's major fishing areas have reached or exceeded their natural limits; (2) some of the most productive fishing grounds on Earth, the Grand Banks off Canada and New England's Georges Bank are closed and species such as cod are nearly commercially extinct; (3) The World Conservation Union lists 1,081 fish worldwide as threatened or endangered; (4) roughly 106 Pacific salmon stocks are already extinct and dozens more are seriously depleted; and (5) we have so altered the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem that it takes the few remaining oysters more than a year to filter the entire estuary — a feat which once occurred three times every day. 

Our oceans are in trouble, as a parent, I want to see healthy oceans for future generations.