The Life Of A Marine Biologist
By McKenna Rivers
What Is A Marine Biologist?
A marine biologist studies sea life forms and their habits. Most are considered to be experts on sea creatures and aquatics. By using their knowledge of how sea creatures live and what they require, they can work on experiments in a lab, conduct research, and help with unscheduled rescue missions. Marine biologists can be called to help out with oil spills and other disasters that can affect sea animals. On average a marine biologist earns about $80,000 annually. Since it is a highly specialized field, it is a very competitive profession. Education and experience will help you become a marine biologist.
Education
A scientist may find that they only need a bachelor’s degree in Zoology or Biology to become a marine biologist. For those who want to move with their careers and become aquatic scientists a master’s degree will also be needed. The biologist has to keep up with the changes of sea life. They also have to go to many workshops, seminars, and go through ongoing training to reach their goal. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, The Scripps Research Institute, University of California (Santa Barbara) and the University of Miami (Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science) are a few of the top ranked colleges in Marine Biology. When looking for a job, the employer will look at what degree you have and how much experience you have with the tools used.
Tools
One of the most common tools used by the biologist's are boats. If the scientist is lucky he will be able to have a submarine to operate. Scuba gear is used to dive deep into the ocean to observe the animals. To capture images and footage of marine animal behaviors you may want to work with photographic and video systems.