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What is the best way to connect with organizations to apply my degree in marine biology?

I am a high school student planning on going to college to major in marine biology and data science. I want to make the most out of my marine biology degree - I have my eye out for valuable experiences or opportunities that will allow me to network with organizations, but what else can I do?#student-development #high-school-students #majors #careers #networking #marinescience #marinebiology

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Jason’s Answer

Hi Rachel,

There are a number of ways to do the networking you are mentioning. A good way to start would be to establish a LinkedIn profile and connect with people in the industry you are interested in. Its a good idea to talk with as many people in the actual field of interest as possible. We often don't even know what we don't know and those already working in that industry can help illuminate the subject for us. Linked in has an "in mail" messaging tool that helps communicate - just be respectful and sincere and I find most people on LinkedIn to be quite helpful.

Another thing you could do is look for a mentor. Mentors can help be a great help as you navigate schools and job dynamics. There are many people out there with vast experience who would love to help give the next generation a leg up and pass along their along their acquired wisdom.

While you are still in high school, another option would be to volunteer. There are likely a number of volunteer opportunities that you could participate in from working at an aquarium to gathering samples for the Marine Biology department at the university, or other marine service oriented projects - cleaning up trash on the beach etc. You will find that like-minded people are also participating in these activities and its a great way to start building out your network and potentially finding mentors.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to answer my question! Rachel
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Marcia’s Answer

I completely agree with the previous answers to your question. I have personally found LinkedIn to be a great doorway for networking and finding opportunities related to specific career interests. I suggest making a career-oriented LinkedIn profile. This way your possible connections will know what you are interested in. From here you can do a LinkedIn search for people with similar interests and request a connection. Next, search for groups and organizations on LinkedIn in your career interest area. This will lead you to even more opportunities. As you get more comfortable with LinkedIn, start posting questions and comments on what others are talking about. This will show you are motivated to learn and be a great connecting activity, not to mention the knowledge you will gain. LinkedIn members are great about sharing resources, so this will be a great place to start especially this early in your career path. I hope this helps with your question and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.
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Taeyoun’s Answer

As Jason stated above, there are many opportunities available in the forms of volunteering, summer internships for highschool students, and more. I have searched on google for marine biology volunteering opportunities for high school students" and there are many opportunities. I suggest you try them out and get to know the people in the field. I will link some of the searches I found in the "next step section"

Taeyoun recommends the following next steps:

https://www.marinecareers.net/summer
https://www.teenlife.com/category/summer/marine-biology-summer-programs/
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Bhumip’s Answer

Hello,

Thanks for your question.

There are several ways to connect with organizations in order to find out how you can apply your Marine Biology and Data Science (MB&DS) knowledge.

First, please find out which aspects of MB&DS you are most passionate about by discussing these matters with your Biology and Mathematics teachers.

Then, find out which local or nearby institutes have programs related to these topics.

Finally, plan to attend a few open house events and/or information sessions in those local or nearby institutes
in order to (a) find details and (b) establish contacts/connections.

You may end up volunteering and/or doing internships there which can further enrich your experience and help you narrow down your focus.

A few possible next steps are mentioned below as well.

Many Thanks again.

All my Best.

Bhumip recommends the following next steps:

Discuss your Marine Biology and Data Science related questions with your trusted friends and teachers
Take appointments with your Biology and Mathematics teachers for detailed discussion
Visit the Oceanographic Institute in Falmouth, MA
Visit the Marine Biology dept. in Bristol, RI campus of the University there
Summarize your experience from these trips and develop an actionable plan for the next steps.
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