Working and Careers in Water and Aquatic Science

A marine biologist is a scientist who studies saltwater organisms and their relationship to the marine environment.

Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

A marine biologist may do work in the ocean, coastal wetlands, seashores, estuaries, or anywhere else there is saltwater. They may work on a boat, may SCUBA dive, use a submersible vessel, or study marine life from shore. A marine biologist may work in a laboratory, where they may examine tiny creatures under a microscope, on a large research vessel, or even at a marine life educational park and aquarium where they may work with dolphins and whales, fish, sea birds, invertebrates and many other animals in a giant marine tank at an aquarium. Marine biologists have at least a bachelor’s degree, and many also have a master’s or doctorate degree that gives them added options for exciting employment opportunities.

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Texas Aquatic Science is a cooperative education project sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Additional project support came from the Ewing Halsell Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration Program. Rudolph Rosen, Ph.D. wrote and edited the Texas Aquatic Science textbook. Videos were produced by Randall Maxwell. Sandra Johnson, Ph.D. served as educational consultant and authored the accompanying Teacher’s Guide.