What Does an Oceanographer Do? An oceanographer is a special kind of scientist who studies the ocean. The oceans are a large environment, and so the science of oceanography must be just as large. Oceanographers study every different aspect of the ocean, such as the chemistry of the of ocean water, the geology associated with the ocean, the physical movements of the ocean water, or even the life that calls the ocean its home. As humans have come to populate most corners of the globe, our impact on the oceans is stressing their ability to continue operating normally. Healthy oceans are crucially important to maintaining a healthy planet. Oceanographers are some of the most important climate researchers in the fight to mitigate the effects of climate change, overpopulation, and overfishing.
Regardless which field an oceanographer selects as their primary studies, they will still need to comprehend the other aspects of oceanography. Many discoveries made in the field of oceanography are the product of multidisciplinary and comprehensive efforts involving oceanographers from all from branches of the science. Marine biologists are oceanographers that study marine ecosystems and their inhabitants. This can involve working with research animals or taking trips into the ocean to perform different experiments, collect data, or track the animals. Physical oceanographers are more concerned with studying the movements of the oceans, in the waves and currents and tides that move the water itself. Chemical oceanographers monitor the chemical composition of the ocean water to better understand how they shape the planet.
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They may study pollution or help find naturally-occurring resources on the seafloor. Geological oceanographers focus on studying the ocean's floor. They may study undersea volcanic activity and its relation to the movement of tectonic plates or the deep oceanic trenches that plunge thousands of feet. Where Does an Oceanographer Work?
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The oceans cover nearly 70% of the Earth, comprising the majority of the planet's biosphere. Fieldwork is critical to an oceanographer's line of work, meaning that oceanographers will often find themselves working on the ocean or in areas that contact the ocean. Since the ocean impacts the global climate and the overall health of our planet, oceanographers may find themselves investigating the ocean's impact on places far from the ocean.
Ocean scientists often have to travel extensively, doing physical tasks and encountering risky organisms or scenarios that test all of their skills. The day to day duties of oceanographers can vary widely, however, every activity they perform is related to their primary task: research. Oceanographers spend lots of time conducting research, which means reading many pages of studies, running experiments, collecting data, and then writing about their results and sharing their findings with the world. Lots of this work is done in a laboratory, but in order to study the ocean, a researcher must spend time in the water, on the water, or near the water.
Some oceanographers learn to SCUBA dive, others spend time on a boat or in a submersible in order to collect data. Many oceanographers work at institutions around the world where they spend plenty of time lecturing or teaching about the ocean. Obviously, many of the most reputable oceanographic institutions are located near the coastline. They pass on their knowledge to new student scientists who are training to become tomorrow's oceanographers. What Is the Average Salary for an Oceanographer? The median pay for geoscientists such as oceanographers was $90,890 per year.
The pay for geoscientists varies according to the industry of employment, with employees in the oil and gas extraction industry making the most, followed by federal government employees and engineering service employees. Oceanography jobs focus on the science of analyzing the oceans: their geographical and marine parameters, the motion and the composition of their waters, biological components, and the management of their resources.
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What Kind of Societies or Professional Organizations Do Oceanographers Have?. a United States government organization tasked with studying the atmosphere, ocean, and coasts and informing the citizens of the United States of their findings. This organization maintains a strong web presence and is a useful source of information regarding oceanic and atmospheric science and industry., a respectable foundation that furthers the cause of aquatic studies worldwide. This organization also contributes to public policy as well as education and outreach.
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