Graduate in Marine Biology
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daniel f aleman
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Well, just responding to your statements in post #27..."my bubble was shattered!"
Naming and ranking schools as to their "quality" is fairly general as to that of recommending to one particular person to pick a particular PhD program at a particular university.
Also, I've met a few WHOI PhDs that I wouldn't work with too, which really steams me... (as I think: "I wanted to go there, and this guy... what a dummy... let me see those bonafides again.")
Naming and ranking schools as to their "quality" is fairly general as to that of recommending to one particular person to pick a particular PhD program at a particular university.
Also, I've met a few WHOI PhDs that I wouldn't work with too, which really steams me... (as I think: "I wanted to go there, and this guy... what a dummy... let me see those bonafides again.")
Yes, you are spot on. But when I was young and stupid, I had at least some faith in the notion that graduate program rankings asssumed a minimum set of standards to its students. Which they apparently do not. Not until I got into grad school myself and went to a few master's and PhD defenses did I realize that it's all about the committee members deciding to pass/not pass their students. I get to listen to my prof complain about this at least twice a week, to boot.
Fortunately undergraduate programs don't have that problem, and can be judged with more reliability. Which is why I helped get my intern into UCSC, that program is still super sweet, especially for divers. However much I love my old alma mater (TAMUG), it sucks for diving and I'd be disinclined to recommend it on this board.:no
Fortunately undergraduate programs don't have that problem, and can be judged with more reliability. Which is why I helped get my intern into UCSC, that program is still super sweet, especially for divers. However much I love my old alma mater (TAMUG), it sucks for diving and I'd be disinclined to recommend it on this board.:no
daniel f aleman
Contributor
We are hardest on our alma mater sometimes. Overall TAMUG is a damn good school, a Sea Grant, and there's nothing else like it really. I went on a visit to TAMUG in the summer of 1982 and I met with Dr. Iliffe, he blew me away. He was my cave instructor, and he helped change my diving career. http://www.marinebiology.edu/Faculty/Iliffe.htm, and http://www.tamug.edu/cavebiology/AboutUs.html
loquat149
Contributor
daniel f aleman:
My only complaint about TAMUG now (after seeing Iliffe at this year's NSS-CDS seminar) is that he wasn't there when I attended ('83-'87).
Dave
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Like Dave my training is as a Fisheries Biologist, but only after completing the same core courses as every other student: Bio Ocg, Chem Ocg, Physical Ocg and Geo Ocg. Frankly I've been really glad for that training which, if nothing else, gave me a good understanding of ocean circulation.
As far as programs are concerned: Good advise all the way 'round. I'm relieved that what I was expecting to see re: Marine Bio vs. Bio Ocg did not come to pass. Long Beach is a sleeper that I'd forgotten, it's kind of off the map, I guess because there are so many dominant schools in that region.
I'd still take a good look at the American Museum program; it's rather unique (and likely not to meet the needs of every one). When I was deciding to go to grad school I worked rather hard to try and create such a thing on a "one-off" basis for myself so that I could study directly under C. Lavett Smith. It was a bit too complex, and would only have worked for the independently wealthy. I had to make do with the pleasure of working with him, in a much more limited fashion, later on.
As far as programs are concerned: Good advise all the way 'round. I'm relieved that what I was expecting to see re: Marine Bio vs. Bio Ocg did not come to pass. Long Beach is a sleeper that I'd forgotten, it's kind of off the map, I guess because there are so many dominant schools in that region.
I'd still take a good look at the American Museum program; it's rather unique (and likely not to meet the needs of every one). When I was deciding to go to grad school I worked rather hard to try and create such a thing on a "one-off" basis for myself so that I could study directly under C. Lavett Smith. It was a bit too complex, and would only have worked for the independently wealthy. I had to make do with the pleasure of working with him, in a much more limited fashion, later on.
OP
Basically from all of your replies I gather that marine biology is a more specific field and biological oceanography is a more fundamental and broad field. It sounds to me like in order to get the most out of this field, biological oceanography will be more valuable to me. In the end, I would like to do my own research involving shark behavior and biology and I would also like to teach university level. Of course that is a very small explanation of what I would like to do with my life but given that information, what might be the course I could take? Any opinions and remarks are welcome. Thanks again!
daniel f aleman
Contributor
Notable shark research labs are located in Hawaii, Florida (Mote) and I believe that funny little graduate school near Santa Cruz whose name eludes me. I think there's also one at Hofstra, since a friend of mine is a *beginning* shark researcher and he just came from there. Typically everyone wants to work with one of two people, Sam Gruber or Eugenie Clark. Clark must be near retirement by now, and Gruber is currently engaged in a big land fight against resort developers in Bimini.
Shark biology is the #2 most competitve marine biology sub-discipline, smack dab between marine mammals and sea turtles. That said, we could always use more ichthyologists, and sharks are fish. Find yourself a nice fish lab, and work it from there. Coursewise, you'll need to bone up on general ick and comparative vertebrate anatomy/physiology. If it's behaviour you're interested in, ethology and marine ecology are quite useful.
Shark biology is the #2 most competitve marine biology sub-discipline, smack dab between marine mammals and sea turtles. That said, we could always use more ichthyologists, and sharks are fish. Find yourself a nice fish lab, and work it from there. Coursewise, you'll need to bone up on general ick and comparative vertebrate anatomy/physiology. If it's behaviour you're interested in, ethology and marine ecology are quite useful.
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