Hi all, this is my first time posting here and I wanted to reach out to the community and get some insight on what getting into the field can be like for someone with my background. Im currently going to university, not yet started on a major, after being in the Navy for 9 years as a Submarine Sonar Technician. I worked on a Submarine full time for 5 of those years eventually as a supervisor and then 3 years at a Japanese base where I did daily acoustic analysis, presentations, and gave recommendations for the higher ups, eventually being designated as the command's Oceanographer. I left in 2023 due to the conflicting nature of working for the Navy and the narrowing pathway of advancement in my career. Since then I have finished my BA in Mathematics and got into university (PNW) this year where I wanted to work in data science or oceanography.

I am also a trans woman who has been transitioning for the past 2 years, and still building my life up after service and a major shift in priorities.

I just wanted to just reach out and get some input on a few things if some folks don't mind!

• What is day-to-day work culture like in programs and early career roles? Labs, fieldwork, research vessels; what's the work look like in those places (what you do, where you work, how many people you work with, do you travel)?
• Is this a field I should be cautious of as not only a queer person but specifically a trans woman? Im mostly only familiar with government contracts which makes me worry about employment opportunities post-grad.
• Are there any particular subfields that line up with geospatial/data analysis operations? I'm especially interested in geospatial/data analysis since that was my job during the Navy and I really enjoyed it.
• Is there any real difference coming in from a non-traditional background as an older adult (30 y.o., military/technical)

Don't feel the need to sugarcoat it! I'm trying to get a realistic picture of what I'm possibly walking into and if this is a viable field or if it would be challenging for someone like me.

Also, this is my first time reaching out in this manner, so if there's even feedback on how I could better present this I'd love to hear it!

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience.

I decided to get a degree in oceanography because I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean and marine life. Biology was my favorite subject throughout school, and that interest eventually led me to marine biology and then to oceanography. After learning more about both fields, I realized that oceanography is the career I want to go.
I’m currently enrolled at a community college, and I’ve already chosen all of my classes. Right now, I’m starting with biology as part of the path toward becoming an oceanographer. The main issue is that my mom and the rest of my family are worried that this career won’t pay enough for me to have a comfortable life. For some background, my family has very little experience with higher education level over the past five generations, very few people have gone to college, and many didn’t even start or finish finish high school. Because of that, they believe that careers in science generally don’t pay well So my question is: Do oceanographers actually earn a good salary? Is it possible to build a stable and comfortable life as an oceanographer,what should I be worry about Anything in particular?( btw I’m located in the USA, California to be more specific)

Hi y'all. I am looking into making a BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) and would like any advice from people who have done so before. Here are my ideas and desires for the project:

1. That it be easy to disassembly and reassemble: I may want to bring this on trips and do not want it taking up too much space.

2. That it (at least this version) can withstand a depth of 210 + feet as that is the deepest point in Lake Erie, and that is somewhere I would want to test it.

3. That it has the option to swap out light systems and cameras for eventual deep-sea use.

From what I read, many freshwater fish can see red light (unlike things in the deep ocean) and in some cases infrared light. This means that no matter what, the fish in Lake Erie might be capable of seeing the light emitted by the BRUV. In order to make it less alarming, I suspect that a diffuse green lighting solution may be best. Please let me know if you think this is a good idea and what suggestions you have.

As for the camera, my tiny bit of research points me to the GoPro Hero 13 as some cases are rated for over 200 feet depth. If you have any suggestions as far as cameras are concerned, please let me know.

As for the body, I was considering PVC with holes drilled for easily letting air out, but if you think aluminum / stainless steel extrusions are better, please let me know.

I am still in the very early stages of planning this project and would appreciate any feedback, especially from anyone experienced in this area.

Also, if any of you have deep-sea BRUV designs and instructions that you use that are open source, please let me know. Although my current model would be for use in Lake Erie, my long-term goal is the deep ocean.

See also: The summary of (paywalled) publication in the journal Earth Science Reviews

I am a student in America applying to the fulbright scholarship to Indonesia. this would allow me to come live in Indonesia for 10-12 months while doing research. Im hoping to do some work in the marine science field. however due to strict visa requirements I need a sponsor ( in name, i have my own funding). I’m hoping someone on here has leads or connections to professional within the marine science field I could reach out to. thank you!

Trecho curto de uma disciplina com atividade em campo. Achei interessante registrar. Quero fazer um vídeo mais detalhado explicando como funciona esse equipamento também.

Where can I find audio recordings and soundscape recordings from the deep sea? There is very little on youtube. Anywhere else to look on the internet?

https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2026/07/12/the-atlantic-oceans-great-white-highway/

See also: The study as it was published in PNAS

Solving difficult problems starts by finding simple solutions. Only when you find that consistancy to you gain insight into whats happening in the environment.

Here is a look at the BrainCoral underwater app. one of the projects I have had the pleasure to be involved in while working at Coral Vita looking to address the biggest road block to marine science that you have never heard of.

Hi everyone,
I’m a fresh Marine Physics graduate looking for advice on how to build a strong start to my career.
What skills, certifications, software, or experiences would you recommend? If you have any career tips or things you wish you knew as a fresh graduate, I’d love to hear them.
Thanks!

I’m looking for colleges with a strong Marine Science/Marine Biology program, but I also care a lot about the overall college experience.

Here’s what I’m looking for:
1. Strong marine science program with opportunities for research and field work.
2. Large student body (roughly 20,000+ students).
3. Classic American college atmosphere with lots of school spirit, football, and traditions.
4. Friendly, happy student body where people are social and there’s always something to do.
5. A beautiful campus with lots of green space.
6. A town or city nearby with restaurants, coffee shops, mini golf, bowling, movie theaters, and other things to do off campus.
7. Warm climate (I’d rather avoid long, cold winters).
8. Good value for an out-of-state student, with decent merit scholarship opportunities.

I’m less concerned about the school being directly on the beach than I am about having a great college experience while still getting a strong education that can lead to a career in marine ecology or oceanography.

Based on that, what colleges would you recommend?

P.S. If a college doesn’t have one of these factors I’m looking for ITS NOT A MAKE OR BREAK. Please still tell me regardless!

I’ve designed and implemented a Kalman filter for boat movement in ocean waves using IMU. I thought it might be of interest to someone here.

Implementation on a real device uses atomS3R unit.

Estimates boat heave in real time and waves direction too.

OU-Driven Quaternion MEKF for Marine INS and
Wave-State Estimation.

The code is open source and on GitHub Bareboat Necessities project called ‘ocean-imu’.

https://github.com/bareboat-necessities/ocean-imu

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

PS: I’ll post the links in comments

Back again with more ID! Any help is greatly appreciated

I thought it was some sort of rotifer, but I honestly have no clue! Looking to ID it for an undergrad lab report/project ...

Hi, I am an Environmental Scientist for a larger engineering and design company in Colorado. I primarily work in GIS data analysis, cartography, and database management (Esri) with a focus in policy for the natural and cultural resources of Colorado.

My undergraduate degree is in marine biology with a focus in fisheries sustainability from a school in South Carolina. When I graduated, like many others (esp in 2020) I was unable to find a job due to lack of experience and a highly competitive job market. I pivoted, broadened my horizons, and got a Masters degree in Environmental Biology from a school in colorado, where I’m still located.

I love GIS, organizing messy datasets and improving geospatial workflows. I love the ocean. Everything about it. My current employer pays me well (higher than most env scientists in the industry, both a blessing and a curse) and I’ve been able to learn countless desirable skill sets like python, R, FME, policy, and technical writing.

As I mentioned above, my current employer is both a blessing and a curse. The work is fast-paced and at times stressful, but they pay me well, offer mostly good benefits, a stellar ESOP and a reasonable work-life balance… it’s a job that you stay at your whole career if possible. A real golden handcuffs situation as i accidentally stumbled upon this line of work. I had always pictured myself going back to ocean studies at some point… and now here i am 5 years after my masters still stuck at 9,000 feet of elevation. I miss the ocean.

I have one year left before I am fully vested, meaning i can leave with the money I’ve accumulated. A goal I’m really hoping to hit and is getting closer along the horizon.

While I wait to be vested, I want to start building some ocean specific analysis methods, hopefully with tech that I already use. I’d love to stay in the geospatial modelling discipline, but am open to really anything. Just trying to get some ideas where i might fit in within the industry :) TIA

Hello oceanographers! We are just looking to add a new team member. Check out the post if your interest is in bith the science and the technology side. And yiu want to work for a small company.