What's oceanography and what do oceanographers do?
Oceanography is the study of the world's ocean; it's the search to better understand the ocean's structure, its properties and the processes that take place in the ocean or that happen elsewhere but that affect the ocean.
There is much information on the web about what oceanography is and what oceanographers do.
For instance, you can visit these websites to find out some good, general information about oceanography.
National Ocean Service's website maintained by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
University of British Columbia's website
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's website
How to become an oceanographer?
There are many ways to become an oceanographer. Some folks (such as myself) begin by getting a bachelor's degree in oceanography or in marine sciences and then specialize in one area later, by getting a master's degree and/or a PhD. An undergraduate degree in oceanography or marine science, usually requires students to learn a lot about all fields of oceanography. Thus, you should be prepared to study a lot of chemistry, physics, geology, biology and math as well. The emphasis in those majors is the interdisciplinary nature of oceanography and the curriculum for someone majoring in oceanography or marine science is quite different from that of someone majoring in marine biology for example. Undergraduate degrees in oceanography, however, are rare in the United States, and some interesting alternatives would be to major in earth science, environmental science, geography or ecology.
Here are some examples of schools in the US that offer undergraduate degrees in oceanography/ marine sciences, or alternative interdisciplinary majors with a strong emphasis on ocean sciences:
Major in Marine Science: University of Miami, Florida, USA
Major in Earth Science: Scripps Institution of Oceanography/ UCSD, California, USA
Major in Marine Science: College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment/ University of Delaware, Delaware, USA
If, instead, you would like to become a marine BIOLOGIST, you should read this.
Other folks start with a degree in one specific field of science (such as biology, chemistry, geology, physics), math or even engineering, and then get a graduate degree in oceanography. There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing a path into oceanography- it's a matter of preference. One way to choose which degree to pursue first is to ask yourself: are you the type of person who likes to understand the big picture before you dive into the details, or do you prefer the idea of mastering a set of skills first to then learn about the broader context? Searching for this answer should help you in your decision-making process.
In any case, if you already know that you want to study the ocean, it would be wise to attend a school that conducts research in marine science/ oceanography, as this would increase your chances of getting involved in research early on. The other thing to keep in mind is that no matter how you get involved, succeeding as an oceanographer will require you to acquire and develop some specific tools or skills. When I say this to students, they usually think I'm talking about learning how to dive or how to do field work. While diving and field experience may indeed be useful to some oceanographers, they don't come close to the most important skills you need to have as a scientist: data analysis and communication skills. Do you understand graphs? Can you interpret data, identify trends in a time series, use correlations to explain cause and effect? If not, make sure you take a couple of statistics and/or data analysis classes. Are you able to articulate your ideas in writing and orally? Can you convert information that is presented as graphs and numbers into words? These are the skills that you should start investing in as early as possible. Everything else can be learned later, when you need to, but if you don't know how to process, convert and present information, you will struggle.
There is much information on the web about what oceanography is and what oceanographers do.
For instance, you can visit these websites to find out some good, general information about oceanography.
National Ocean Service's website maintained by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
University of British Columbia's website
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's website
How to become an oceanographer?
There are many ways to become an oceanographer. Some folks (such as myself) begin by getting a bachelor's degree in oceanography or in marine sciences and then specialize in one area later, by getting a master's degree and/or a PhD. An undergraduate degree in oceanography or marine science, usually requires students to learn a lot about all fields of oceanography. Thus, you should be prepared to study a lot of chemistry, physics, geology, biology and math as well. The emphasis in those majors is the interdisciplinary nature of oceanography and the curriculum for someone majoring in oceanography or marine science is quite different from that of someone majoring in marine biology for example. Undergraduate degrees in oceanography, however, are rare in the United States, and some interesting alternatives would be to major in earth science, environmental science, geography or ecology.
Here are some examples of schools in the US that offer undergraduate degrees in oceanography/ marine sciences, or alternative interdisciplinary majors with a strong emphasis on ocean sciences:
Major in Marine Science: University of Miami, Florida, USA
Major in Earth Science: Scripps Institution of Oceanography/ UCSD, California, USA
Major in Marine Science: College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment/ University of Delaware, Delaware, USA
If, instead, you would like to become a marine BIOLOGIST, you should read this.
Other folks start with a degree in one specific field of science (such as biology, chemistry, geology, physics), math or even engineering, and then get a graduate degree in oceanography. There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing a path into oceanography- it's a matter of preference. One way to choose which degree to pursue first is to ask yourself: are you the type of person who likes to understand the big picture before you dive into the details, or do you prefer the idea of mastering a set of skills first to then learn about the broader context? Searching for this answer should help you in your decision-making process.
In any case, if you already know that you want to study the ocean, it would be wise to attend a school that conducts research in marine science/ oceanography, as this would increase your chances of getting involved in research early on. The other thing to keep in mind is that no matter how you get involved, succeeding as an oceanographer will require you to acquire and develop some specific tools or skills. When I say this to students, they usually think I'm talking about learning how to dive or how to do field work. While diving and field experience may indeed be useful to some oceanographers, they don't come close to the most important skills you need to have as a scientist: data analysis and communication skills. Do you understand graphs? Can you interpret data, identify trends in a time series, use correlations to explain cause and effect? If not, make sure you take a couple of statistics and/or data analysis classes. Are you able to articulate your ideas in writing and orally? Can you convert information that is presented as graphs and numbers into words? These are the skills that you should start investing in as early as possible. Everything else can be learned later, when you need to, but if you don't know how to process, convert and present information, you will struggle.
Books and films on the importance of DATA ANALYSIS
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness (Book by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein)
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't (Book by Nate Silver)
Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics (Books, Movie, Blogs and Podcasts by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner)
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't (Book by Nate Silver)
Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics (Books, Movie, Blogs and Podcasts by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner)
LEARN MORE ABOUT OCEANOGRAPHERS AND MARINE SCIENTISTS, THEIR TRAINING AND LIFESTYLES
Dr. Sylvia Earle's biography
Also watch her TED talk here
Dr. Bob Ballard's biography
Watch his TED talk here
Dr. Jane Lunchenco's biography, head of NOAA
Dr. Ellen Druffel's biography
Dr. Enric Sala's biography
Watch his TED talk here
Several profiles of women oceanographers can be found here
Biographies and profiles of marine scientists working in top research institutes can be found here (Woods Hole), here (Scripps), here (SOEST) and here (Rosentiel School)
A list of undersea explorers can be found here
Also watch her TED talk here
Dr. Bob Ballard's biography
Watch his TED talk here
Dr. Jane Lunchenco's biography, head of NOAA
Dr. Ellen Druffel's biography
Dr. Enric Sala's biography
Watch his TED talk here
Several profiles of women oceanographers can be found here
Biographies and profiles of marine scientists working in top research institutes can be found here (Woods Hole), here (Scripps), here (SOEST) and here (Rosentiel School)
A list of undersea explorers can be found here
