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Here are 3 tips from a Marine Biologist.
15 August 2020
By Danel Wentzel
Marine Biology is an extremely wide term used to describe an array of science, which all in some way or another focuses on an aspect of the ocean – from tiny single celled plankton to massive blue whales, and everything in between. Within marine biology you find specialists in ichthyology, ecology, botany, oceanography, mammalogy, ornithology and the list goes on and on… And within each of these fields one can go into even more specific areas of study.
For example.
At the moment I am doing my honours thesis in marine biology in the microbial field. I am specializing in the single celled, centric diatom, Anaulus australis, which forms blooms at Muizenberg beach in Cape Town. As you can see, there is literally an ocean of opportunity out there and so much more remains to be discovered, studied, and understood. And that’s exactly why the world needs more of us. The world needs passionate individuals trained in the scientific know-how to continue dreaming, exploring and discovering the mysterious blue ocean.
Anaulus australis bloom at Muizenberg beach. The image is one of many I am sorting through to try and determine the seasonality of these patches.
Here are 3 of my tips for aspiring marine biologists, which I would have loved to know sooner in my career, if you want to pursue a career in marine biology.
Tip 1 . Know your basics
If you are passionate about studying the ocean then try and get familiar with the basics early on. Take as many advanced math and science classes as you can in high school (even if that might not seem like the most fun option). I didn’t take advanced math and I can honestly say I had a really tough time compared to the smart nerds who did – also I probably still can’t do differential equations.
Another great way to learn information is attending talks, going on marine biology courses and workshops or even just talking to a marine biologist. Trust me there are a lot of us out there and we are very lonely people who enjoy the odd conversation.
Tip 2. Read up
Try and be as informed as possibly BEFORE diving into a program. All degrees have stereotypes associated with them and the last things you want to do is make any decisions based on assumptions. For instance marine biology isn’t all about diving with sharks and whales and training dolphins, the chances are more likely that to dissect a dolphin than to actually train one.
So research, research, research! Really take the time to look up what interests you, and you’d be surprise you might end up not wanting to go in the direction that got you interested in marine biology in the first place. For intense three years ago I would never have thought that I would study phytoplankton, I nevertheless enjoy nerding about them.
Tip 3. Work hard
Don’t be afraid of hard work, sometimes in really tiny spaces. Sure all the fun and excitement comes from the field, when you happily get muddy, fishy, hot, cold, and tired as you make observations and collect your data. But the true reward is when you are back in the lab, analysing your data, and writing up your findings into a neat report. Because who knows, maybe those findings will help change the world.
So guys and girls, ask questions and take advantage of the opportunities that come across your path, even if they aren’t exactly what you originally expected – you might be surprised and just learn a valuable thing or two.
Thinking of becoming a marine biologist?
Feel free to send me any questions you may have and stay tuned I will be posting some more tips and tricks soon.
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