2 answers
steph
Student
Buckeye, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
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What is the best route to getting into marine biology as a 16 year old?
Hi, I'm 16 and in 10th grade, and I'm interested in pursuing a career in marine-biology
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2 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer
376
Answers
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Steph,
That's an exiting choice! Wonderful!
Oceanography is a very interdisciplinary field where you study the chemistry, biology and geology of the oceans. Marine biology focusses on the biological part, organisms in the water.
Therefore, in highschool you should take all the science and math classes you can get so you have a solid foundation. If you have any coding classes, add those as well.
There are a number of summer programs or summer camps. Unfortunately, they are all pretty far away. Check out these examples:
https://marinebiology.uw.edu/community/opportunities-for-k-12-students/
https://msi.ucsb.edu/education/oceans-to-classrooms/opportunities
https://archipelago.gr/en/get-involved/placements-and-internships/ (this is in Greece, not sure if they take teens, but they have online internships)
https://www.lumiere-education.com/post/10-marine-biology-internships-for-high-school-students
https://www.internhq.com/fields/marine-biology/
https://www.pathwaystoscience.org/discipline.aspx?sort=EAR-MarineSci_Marine%20Sciences%20*%20Oceanography
https://www.teenlife.com/category/summer/marine-biology-summer-programs/
If you can't participate in any of those, I would recommend that you find out if there is any environmental group in your town, where you could volunteer. Maybe there is a school club, or maybe you can start one.
You could ask at the wastewater plant if you could do an internship or volunteer there. It's not the ocean of course, but they'll likely have a lab and do water analysis.
If you have any larger industries in your city, they would likely also have an analytical lab because they have to keep their wastewater within the permissible levels of pollutants.
Good luck!
KP
That's an exiting choice! Wonderful!
Oceanography is a very interdisciplinary field where you study the chemistry, biology and geology of the oceans. Marine biology focusses on the biological part, organisms in the water.
Therefore, in highschool you should take all the science and math classes you can get so you have a solid foundation. If you have any coding classes, add those as well.
There are a number of summer programs or summer camps. Unfortunately, they are all pretty far away. Check out these examples:
https://marinebiology.uw.edu/community/opportunities-for-k-12-students/
https://msi.ucsb.edu/education/oceans-to-classrooms/opportunities
https://archipelago.gr/en/get-involved/placements-and-internships/ (this is in Greece, not sure if they take teens, but they have online internships)
https://www.lumiere-education.com/post/10-marine-biology-internships-for-high-school-students
https://www.internhq.com/fields/marine-biology/
https://www.pathwaystoscience.org/discipline.aspx?sort=EAR-MarineSci_Marine%20Sciences%20*%20Oceanography
https://www.teenlife.com/category/summer/marine-biology-summer-programs/
If you can't participate in any of those, I would recommend that you find out if there is any environmental group in your town, where you could volunteer. Maybe there is a school club, or maybe you can start one.
You could ask at the wastewater plant if you could do an internship or volunteer there. It's not the ocean of course, but they'll likely have a lab and do water analysis.
If you have any larger industries in your city, they would likely also have an analytical lab because they have to keep their wastewater within the permissible levels of pollutants.
Good luck!
KP
Cheyenne Robb
Conservation Education
2
Answers
Clermont, Florida
Updated
Cheyenne’s Answer
Volunteer at your local aquarium or science museum. This is a great way to get hands on experience and will look amazing on your resume and to colleges.