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How Do You Become a Marine Scientist?

Marine Biology is a career which many people dream about when they are young, but very few people end up doing. This is usually due to a lack of information about marine science and careers at school. As the marine environment is the biggest ecosystem on Earth, there are many areas in which a marine scientist can work, and thousands of species which can be studied. This can make it a daunting career for students who are mapping out their futures. However, with changes such as global warming and biodiversity loss, the role of marine careers is more important than ever to understand the role played by the marine environment in the health of our planet.

So, what can you do to get yourself a job in this fascinating and important field?

Grey seals resting on the rocks in North Wales. (Photo by Athena Allen)

Where do I begin?

The first, and maybe most important, step to building a career in marine science is a passion for the marine environment. You don’t need to decide on a favourite marine animal or habitat immediately, but an overall interest in the oceans is a great place to start. Topics of interest could include how marine animals adapt to living in the sea, how marine ecosystems work, or even how humans can use the sea as a resource. Personally, my interest in the marine environment started during childhood summers spent on the beach, both in the UK and abroad, looking for animals in rockpools or admiring fish in the shallows. It is also important to have a passion for the protection of the marine environment. Many of the habitats at sea are under threat from warming oceans, pollution, or being over-fished. A large role is played by marine scientists in the reduction of harm to these habitats. Once you find a topic you are passionate about, allow the passion to grow by reading books, watching documentaries or searching the topic online!

Common rockpool creatures found on UK shores including anemones, barnacles, limpets, and dogwhelks. (Photos by Athena Allen)

Education or experience?

There are two routes that you can take into a career in marine science. The first, and most common, is through education, and the second is through experience and hands-on skills.

The education route is usually taken through university degrees. There are lots of university degrees offered across the UK which are relevant to marine careers. For example, Oceanography courses focus on waves, tides and currents and Marine Biology and Ecology courses focus more on the plants and animals that live in the oceans. If you prefer biology lessons you may prefer Marine Biology courses, but if you are keen on physics then take a look at Oceanography. University degrees are great for developing your knowledge on the marine environment as well as many other useful skills.

People often assume that a university degree is needed to be a marine scientist, however this is not the case. Marine jobs are often very practical, and large projects will look for young ecologists to take on assistant or intern roles. Citizen science projects (projects for which the general public help to collect data) are also usually looking for volunteers and working with them allows you to meet other marine scientists. Examples of these projects include searching for marine mammals, seaweed searches and beach cleans with the Marine Conservation Society [1], beach and rockpool surveys with local Wildlife Trusts [2], and The Rockpool Project [3]. Through this route you can learn on the job and work your way into a marine career.

Author taking part in a rocky shore survey along the Isle of Anglesey coastline as part of a citizen science project. (Photos by Athena Allen)

How can I get involved whilst I’m a student?

There are many ways that you can get involved in the marine field whilst you are still at school or a university student which will increase your marine knowledge and help to grow your passion.

It is true that most volunteering and memberships are often aimed at older students (18+), however there are resources that can be used during your time at school. One useful tool for access to marine news and interesting events is marine societies. Subscriptions are available for all age groups and memberships are specially designed for young people. The two memberships which I held during secondary school were a Young Marine Biologist membership with the Marine Biological Association [4] and a membership to the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Youth Ocean Network [5]. Through these memberships I was able to attend Young Marine Biologist club where different topics were discussed each week with other marine-passionate teenagers and read the fascinating articles in the monthly magazines from both societies, broadening my knowledge of current research. These memberships can be carried through after you leave school.

It can be helpful to add to your marine field experience whilst you are at university as well, even if you are studying a marine degree. As mentioned in the previous section, citizen science projects are always a great way to get out in the field and be part of a marine study. Volunteering opportunities are also offered by large companies during academic holidays (for example, turtle conservation in the Mediterranean); however, they are often expensive as they take place overseas. Volunteering locally is a much less expensive way to increase your fieldwork skills and get to know the creatures that call the UK coastlines home.  Other organisations that offer volunteering in the UK include the Wildlife Trusts and local coastal field centres. If you are particularly interested in a type of animal, you can also find citizen science projects which focus on these animals (for example, if you are interested in squid, cuttlefish and octopus there is a Cephalopod Citizen Science Project which you can follow on social media).

It can be daunting to start making your way into the marine field, but joining societies and helping out at citizen science projects is a great way to start to build your knowledge and get in contact with helpful people.

Marine science is an interesting and important field, and the task of making sure that these special environments remain safe and healthy is a difficult one, so come and join the effort!

References

[1] Citizen Science | Marine Conservation Society (mcsuk.org)

[2] Citizen science projects | The Wildlife Trusts

[3] Citizen Science – The Rock Pool Project

[4] https://mymba.mba.ac.uk/membership/categories-ymb.html

[5] https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/fun-learning/young-people/youth-ocean-network/

Athena Allen BSc(Hons), MSc, Qualifying member of CIEEM is a Marine Ecologist at NatureBureau Ltd, a firm of environmental and ecological consultants. Her work as a consultant has allowed her to engage in a range of projects from European Commission environmental legislation to sustainable shark fishing and a number of research projects on her specialised taxonomic group of choice, cephalopods.

Athena Allen BSc(Hons), MSc, Qualifying member of CIEEM is a Marine Ecologist at NatureBureau Ltd, a firm of environmental and ecological consultants. Her work as a consultant has allowed her to engage in a range of projects from European Commission environmental legislation to sustainable shark fishing and a number of research projects on her specialised taxonomic group of choice, cephalopods.

Contact Athena at: athena@naturebureau.co.uk

Take a look at Athena’s job profile

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