So you wanna be an... Oceanographer
Do you find our world just fascinating and exciting? Do you just HAVE to know how something works? Are you often wondering WHY? What about a career in science? American Janelle Fleming has been an Oceanographer for five years. She is currently a post-doctoral researcher with the University of Canterbury/NIWA Centre for excellence in Aquaculture and Marine Ecology. She's been that for over a year now…
What
does an oceanographer do?
In a broad sense, oceanographers study the
ocean. This requires a "multi-disciplinary" approach where a researcher
needs to know a little about everything with a focus on a certain subject. In
general, there are 4 main branches of oceanography: physical, chemical, biological,
and geological oceanography. Physical oceanographers study the currents and physical
properties (temperature, density, salinity) of the estuarine, coastal, and ocean
waters that surround land masses. Chemical oceanographers investigate the different
chemical compounds found in the ocean, like Carbon dioxide, phosphorus, nitrogen,
etc and how they interact with chemicals in the atmosphere. Biological oceanographers
often study the plant and animal organisms that live in or at the surface of the
ocean. Finally, geological oceanographers investigate landforms, rocks and sediments
beneath the ocean.
As a research scientist in oceanography, your job consists of the following: 1) Researching previous work done on a particular topic; 2) Creating new questions to be addressed; 3) Designing experiments or monitoring programs to answer those questions; 4) Analysing the results of your experiments; and 5) Presenting your findings in oral and written formats.
Currently, I am looking at the circulation around Banks Peninsula and how that relates to the transport of larvae from rocky intertidal organisms like the green-lipped mussel.
Why did you decide
you wanted to be an oceanographer?
I grew up in Florida, USA and lived
across the street from the beach. Almost every weekend, my family and I would
be playing in the waters and snorkelling around reefs to see what was there. It
seemed a natural extension to continue studying the ocean as I went to University.
Was
there any other job you ever seriously considered?
Not seriously…the
ocean is my true passion!
What study and qualifications
did you have to get to become an oceanographer?
I have a PhD in Physical
oceanography, a master's in computational mathematics/oceanography, and a bachelor's
degree in mathematics. You don't need all of that to be in oceanography, however!
Many people finish University and work as oceanographic technicians with a marine
research group.
Are there any school subjects
that would be particularly useful to take if interested in being an oceanographer?
Depending on the area in which you'd like to specialise, I recommend
taking science (biology, chemistry, physics, geology) classes and basic maths.
What
other skills do you need to be an oceanographer?
Oceanographers, like
other scientists, can work well with others and are usually organised, creative,
and patient. Oceanographers can spend a good amount of time out on the water studying
their subject, so it's important to be physically fit and enjoy being on or in
the water. Basic seamanship skills and being able to SCUBA dive are pluses!
What is the best thing about the job?
Designing and carrying out experiments are the most fun! It often requires travel and I enjoy visiting new places.
What is the hardest thing about the job?
The hardest part of the job is remaining patient and not rushing to conclusions before the experiments are done!
What
hours do you work?
Generally, I work from 8am until 5pm. However, if
I am working in the field and collecting data, I work with the sea conditions.
This means that sometimes I could work from 5am until 4pm or 8pm until 6am. Other
times, you could be at sea for periods of a week or more. It just depends on the
experimental design and sampling criteria.
Do
you find you have the time to do other things you enjoy? Is it hard to get a good
work/life balance?
I enjoy being outdoors, biking, and swimming and
my job allows me to do those a good portion of the time. Depending on the work
required for a particular experiment, it may seem like I work all the time! BUT,
there is generally "down" time between experiments and I feel like I
have work and life in balance. :
What advice would
you have for girls out there who might be thinking of becoming an oceanographer?
Go
for it! Try to spend as much time in or on the water as possible. While you're
in school, I would recommend volunteering at a marine park or a research lab and
learning what they do. It could even turn into a summer job between University
terms!
