Question: How can you prepare to be a Marine biologist? Are there different types of Marine Biologists?

Debbie Crockard answered on 11 Mar 2013:

Hi, the best way to prepareto be a marine biologist is to study marine biology at University – this means taking science based GCSE’s and A levels or standard grades and highers if you are in Scotland. A really important thing to remember though is that not all the experience and learning you do should come from a book, its really important to get out and do some practical work – even if its just going for a walk on the beach. I volunteered in Fiji doing coral reef research this let me get hands on work experience and really hammered home why I was doing marine biology and why it was so important. But the seas around the UK are amazing and there are loads of organisations that you can volunteer with to get marine biology experience – like the wildlife trusts, the Marine Conservation Society and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

these area great place to start and can introduce you to lots of different work areas because there are loads of different types of marine biologist and loads of different things they do and how they work. I have friends who work in labs analysing samples, out on boats doing hands on deep sea sampling, guys on fishing boats analysing catches, people working with the government or on our shores watching dolphins and seals. But you can also do things like become a teacher or go into something completely different.

I think the most important thing that new students learn though is that marine biology isn’t just looking at whales and dolphins and in fact this is only a very small area – there is much more to understand and a lot of it is found down a microscope!