Your Bright
FUTURE
For students eyeing an ocean-themed career, the possibilities are endless and the preparation can start now. BY MELISSA BRODEUR – PROGRAM MANAGER, NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL
Have you ever dreamed of diving deep beneath the ocean’s surface in a submersible to discover new species of marine life? Or would you like to study how to keep a critically endangered species of sea turtle from going extinct? Maybe create a new technology that easily removes plastic material from the oceans? If you’re a water lover, you know that our regional coasts, Great Lakes, and
our oceans. We also need communication and policy experts to help transfer knowledge and highlight the importance of ocean issues. In other words, we need a new generation of marine science experts. Whether you’re reading this as a high school or college student, the parent of a budding scientist or even just looking for a career change, there is a world of opportunity in marine science and its many related fields.
CHARTING A COURSE
open oceans have an enormous impact on our environment, health, safety,
By studying the ocean, you can do more than just find a job—you can help
security and well-being. The ocean also stimulates our economy through tourism,
make a difference for our blue planet. Armed with a solid knowledge of ocean
recreation, trade and fishing; it drives weather patterns and climate, influencing
science, you will be well equipped to tackle important, timely topics such as
extreme events; and it can provide clean, renewable energy.
changes in global climate and weather, ecosystem health, sustainability and
Amazingly, much of the vast ocean is still undiscovered. We have more detailed maps of the moon, Mars, and Venus than we do of our own seafloor, and
resource conservation. Ocean science is, by nature, multi-disciplinary. This means you can study
there’s a myriad of ocean-related problems that need solving. The bottom line is
the ocean whether you want to focus on physics, chemistry, biology, geology,
this: We need researchers and explorers to help us discover and learn more about
technology or mathematics.
