Any idea how I can combine diving with a job in science? Am I dreaming?

[victoriawtx]

I am (hopefully) going to graduate the end of spring with a doctorate in microbiology. Since learning how to dive, I have been dreaming about a way that I might be able to combine the two. I have been in a lab all this time on dry land. My mentor wants me of course to follow in his footsteps which is something I am not sure that I want to do (BORING).

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could look into getting a job in the marine biology field? I have been working with soil bacteria so far and have little if any experience with marine micro except for a class. So I am not sure if they would even want me! LOL Thanks so much for any advice or suggestions you may have. I know this is an odd-ball question.

 

[PK]

Try volunteering at an aquarium to check it out.

Or:

There are also marine exploration dives that Earth Watch does. Also, there are oceanographic institutes that may doing scientific research interesting to you. Institutes that come to mind are Pelagic Fisheries in UK, MBARI in LA area, and Woods Hole in Massachusetts.

Make your dream happen!

 

[Rick Murchison]

Do not pass go, don't wait... Go to the UT Marine Research Institute at Port A & introduce yourself. It may not be the place for you to work, but they know everybody who is anybody in marine microbiology.
Good Luck.
Rick

 

[scuba_katt]

I'm studying Marine Science in Australia and like you my dream is to get paid to work in an area of science that I love!

There are loads of institutes/research departments that could involve microbiology and marine science - consider something like the effect of soil runoff (and the critters living in it) on the reefs in the Caribbean (or anywhere else !!). Consider the pesticides used in crops/soils that wash into our oceans....

There are gazillions of possibilities - its merely a matter of discovering what you are really interested in, and making good contacts in the industry.

I agree with Rick's post above, go make yourself known at local marine science departments, and make yourself available for unpaid volunteer work which might help get your foot in the door for a paid job....

Good luck! & let us know how you go!

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Right now, you're in better shape to do what you want than I was. You've got your doctorate, and that's the ticket you need. A bachelor's degree doesn't hack it anymore.

But realize that, in biology, the diving is only a tool to pick up what you need to study, or to see what has happened in the real environment (observation) rather than just the lab. There are many, many problems we're just beginning to understand that need the help of a microbiologist. By being able to dive, you present different talents than do others who cannot. Diving is now a tool to get you to places others cannot go.

I can't give you more than a few ideas. You probably already have some too. Here's a few ideas:

--Study the life of Wheeler J. North. He was one of the first diving biologists, and there is some info available on the net now that he passed away (last month, I believe). His life could give you some ideas for your studies.

--Look at different environments where there is a micro problem, and see if incorporating diving will help find a solution. It could be gathering sand/mud samples someplace for analysis. Or looking at the gut contents of larger animals.

--If you're so inclined, get into submersibles and explore the deep areas where they are finding colonies completely dependent upon microorganisms to break down sulfur (deep water hot springs), and have set up ecosystems independent of sunlight.

--The effects of pollution on the micro environment, in rivers, streams, reservoirs, etc. are places that really need someone to take a look at them. There are Indian tribes now looking for people to do some of these types of investigations, I think.

--Call Dr. Sylvia Earl, and ask her opinion on what needs to be investigated.

--Look for problems in search of solutions, that can be funded somewhere with the right proposal and that require diving for sampling/observation/etc.

--See if there are still underwater habitats avialable as study platforms (I'm not sure there are, but there were some still out there about ten years ago). Then propose a study that would be only doable from that habitat.

'Hope this helps.

SeaRat

 

[Spectre]

PK once bubbled...
Institutes that come to mind are Pelagic Fisheries in UK, MBARI in LA area, and Woods Hole in Massachusetts.

There is also the Isle of Shoals off the coast of NH/Maine, I believe their official association is with Cornell. Another one is Friday Harbor in Washington [state].

I'll check with my official 'marine bio source' although she might be a little reluctant to give up info, as she'll be out looking for a job soon as well

 

[Diver0001]

victoriawtx once bubbled...
I am (hopefully) going to graduate the end of spring with a doctorate in microbiology. Since learning how to dive, I have been dreaming about a way that I might be able to combine the two. I have been in a lab all this time on dry land. My mentor wants me of course to follow in his footsteps which is something I am not sure that I want to do (BORING).

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could look into getting a job in the marine biology field? I have been working with soil bacteria so far and have little if any experience with marine micro except for a class. So I am not sure if they would even want me! LOL Thanks so much for any advice or suggestions you may have. I know this is an odd-ball question.

Last summer I dove with a German Marine Biologist who was working on some sort of long term analysis of bottom polution in the Baltic sea. Your experience in microbiology might be useful for this sort of project. I don't recall which Univerisity it was but how many Universities can there be in Germany?

Also, if you're willing to learn a thing or two about Fisheries management I happen to know that the University of Ambon in Indonesia has a long running programme for fisheries management in which they were (early 90's) cooperating with certain Canadian universities (SFU in Burnaby, for example). It's a shot in the dark given that you're not a real fisheries-biologist but you never know how these things will work out. I once got offered a job on the top of mountain in Zimbabwe when I bumped in to the dean of the Computer Science department of the University of Harare while hiking (I only have a B.sc.). I figure if *that* can happen anything is possible.

R..

 

[lanun]

website is www.worldfishcenter.org

don't know much about it - a collegue handed me a pamphlet - located in a few countries - one type of research they do was in aquaculture and biodiversity.

i occasionally see some of their staff (culturally diverse, by the way) at the local Fisheries Department cafeteria.

 

[cat]

it may take some effort and some sneakiness on your part. I'm in a similar position (theoretically finishing doctorate, starting the inevitable job hunt) but with a slight difference - I'm already in the aquatics end of things (Aquatic chem/bio JOAT - and this took time and work - I started as an analytical chemist). Talked to a lot of people in the consulting side of things and yes, some of them dive occasionally as part of the job - installing sampling devices and taking benthic samples are two things that occasionally require divers.

Your skills as a soil microbiologist will be valued by a number of consulting firms (environmental microbiology is pretty hot right now - maybe you should try to find a company that you like and that's near good diving!) which do both terrestrial and aquatics work - see if you can't segue into the aquatics side while on the job. You're probably better off with a smaller company - larger ones may tend to look at PhDs funny if they say they want to help with grunt field work outside the normal scope of their qualifications. I know a few senior consultants who formed their own companies to get away from that attitude - they enjoy the fieldwork too much to give it up!
If you want to talk more about this (or just jaw about aquatic science) and/or get some job posting links from me, please send private email, so we don't bore the forum too much
cat

 

[Amanda]

ut:

This is a question I was about to ask, actually !!
But I'm 20 years old and just beginning my studies in Biology.
Next year I'll hopefully be accepted in an Institute called "Environnment, Technology and Society".
My dream is working in coastal management and reef protection. It is a strange dream cause it's 1/4 Biology, 1/4 Geography, 1/4 Sociology and 1/4 Management... Hard to choose which way to go first !

And of course I'm trying to meet as many people as I can in all sorts of fields: marine biology, coastal management, even ingeneers that have worked in the reefs of Indonesia (since I've been living there), and actually I'm working on building a NGO to protect the shark massacre for fin's soup in China.

So I'm glad to see I'm not the only one to do all the questionning !!

Cheers