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Marine Biology?

Alright, I'm only a sophomore but I gotta start thinking about college soon. I'm interested in the ocean and such (obviously or else I wouldn't be in this hobby). I want to stay in state and thinking about wanting to go into Marine Biology as a career. Rutgers does offer it so that makes me even more excited to go into it.

Just wondering if any of you guys studied Marine Biology in college and if so what have your careers been since?
 

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Merv studied Marine Biology. He's in sales. My neice studied Marine Bio in Hawaii. I think she's a SAHM now.

That's all I've got!
 

eholceker

NJRC Member
My buddy Gerard studied Marine Biology and he is in construction and one of my fraternity brothers well, he sells insurance. Awesome field but not a lot of jobs out there, especially not high paying ones.
 
yea i was trying to research about jobs and it seems like its mostly just like working with animals in the ocean and stuff like that :\. The two main things im interested in show very little for a future (marine biology and film making). anyone else thats got any knowledge or thoughts or opinions feel free :).
 
My cousin is working on her Masters in Marine Bio. She is currently doing the research for her thesis. Some study on the effects of a paticular algae that is effecting the Alaskan crabs and their mateing habits. Spacificly the Dungeoness Crab.
 

pgordemer

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Check out Stockton College of NJ. They have a large program there, and I see a number of their students as I run a Scuba course there a few times a year. They do a lot of internship programs in FL and the Keys.
 
Sometimes it is not about the money you make but about how much you enjoy it. I know people that make a lot of money and HATE doing it and other people that can not stop smiling but are barley getting by.
 
C

concept3

Guest
Sorry guys, been personally tied up this whole week, and I apologize for not being on the boards as much.

Stockton College Alumni here, class of 1999. Marine Biology with Marine Resources Management.

It's tough finding a job related field in NJ unless you want to work for minimum'ish wage. I highly suggest going into a Master's program or Doctorates if you want to make money in this field.

I am currently in sales right now, been that way since I graduated in summer of '99 as I realized I could make much much more than Camden aquarium was gonna offer me as an entry level biologist. Other sightly better paying jobs were all out of state, look into that as some are quite profitable especially in hatcheries and reserves, then again, you could always go into the tropics for some research. I decided to stay in NJ, that's why I am where I am.

Personally, I think it helped me in this hobby since I realized there were answers hidden in the textbooks (lol) that I kept which you can't really get from Aquarium magazines and forums, BUT, all that aside, it's tough to make money in this day and age where everything is about technology and advancement rather than environmental. That was the 70's!

I went to school for Marine Biology for the passion of it.

Hit me up sometime, I live about 5 minutes from Stockton.

Merv Rubiano
 
You mentioned marine biology and filmmaking as interests. Film making (from personal experience) is not all that difficult to get into, it requires some cash layout in order to get hold of a decent Mini-DV or HD handycam. Professionally, the best thing to do, the route I took, was to hop on mandy.com and find some low/no pay jobs and start working. You will learn everything you need to know by doing it. Gripping (setting lights) is not exactly rocket science and you can pick it up pretty quick and start making some actual money pretty quickly (not alot but, hey, you gotta start somewhere). Yes, it will severly suck running around from non-paying job to non-paying job, however, there will be that one particular job that you will never forget (for me it was Zombie Honeymoon) and make more contacts than you can shake a willow tree at in a year!!!!

When you get a camera (i.e. Sony or JVC handy cam) you can start shooting anything that moves (or deosn't as the case may be, squirrels are great practice subjects!! LOL) Learn what is going on behind the camera, settings and all that jazz, as well as framing a shot, lighting, etc. It will take a while for you to learn the ins and outs of the high end pro cameras used on movie sets (but then "28 Days Later" was shot on a Canon XL1S pro-sumer Mini-DV camera), but basics are basics and don't change. Also, this will give you the opportunity to learning editing and scoring techniques as well. There is a lot of stuff that goes into a production that no one reallys knows until you sit down and do it for yourself and THAT happens to be the best way to learn!

I bet ya one of the acrylic gurus around here could figure out a way to make some sort of housing for the camera and you can begin to explore some shallow water underwater stuff. If you can get the cash to do it, you can always purchase an underwater housing and explore that way.

Watch Animal Planet avidly and make sure to write the names of the production companies that film the shows. Get together a demo reel and send it out!

Poof, you have now just combined your love of marine life and filmography. all for the price of a camera and underwater housing. Is it going to take a while to make any kind of money in the film industry?? Yep, it sure will...but how do you beat getting paid to PLAY all day long?!?!?! Film sets are great places to be and they are even better when they are underwater!!!!

Just a few things to think about. Now I am going to have to go get my XL1S repaired and get back to some shooting because I miss the film industry! :D

Sorry for re-writing the encyclopedia lol
Tom
 
tripse you bring up good points. And i've been into film making for around 2 years now, own a camera, am actually in the process of writing a some what involved movie script that will hopefully begin production this summer and have helped friends with many projects. Is it okay if i post a link to my youtube page? if not please let me know and it'll be down as soon as possible
www.flipsproduct.wordpress.com
www.youtube.com/flipsproductions

Those are all videos that have been done since September 06, i do not have any from last school year (i've gotten much better trust me haha)
The work i'm most proud of would be the first video on the youtube page
"The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Feather"
 
i'm a senior in highschool graduating in june this year! i got accepted to Hawaii pacific univ. for marine bio, and waiting on rutgers. Im going to go for my bacculerate or how ever u spell it lol, and then go for my masters hopefully in the field of ichtyology, mb even a doctorate in wildlife and marine bio, and specialize in ichtyology!
 
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