At the marine biology colleges in New York, students go into the fascinating animal, plant and microscopic life in oceans. An estimated 80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface.
Plants and animals act as indicators of the effect of human activities on the planet and that includes effects like pollution and climate change. Therefore graduates from the marine biology colleges in New York play very vital roles in studying these effects.
On a positive note, marine biologists help to address many of these problems. For instance, marine biologists are working for offshore oil and gas companies to reduce the negative impact of their operations on marine life.
Marine biologists are also involved in the developing of designated marine reserves and creating artificial reefs/wrecks in order to encourage wildlife into an area.
Marine biology is a popular career and there are more people trying to work in the area than there are jobs available.
Therefore, in order to put yourself ahead of your competitors, it is very important that you make yourself stand out.
Are you wondering how you can do this? You can do this by making yourself stand out by working on both transferrable soft skills and more niche technical skills that are specific to the marine biology sector. Read on to see the marine biology colleges in New York.
The list of top Marine Biology Colleges in California
- Cornell University – [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology] BS, [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology] MS, PhD
- Hofstra University [Biology with Marine Biology track] BS
- State University of New York – Stony Brook [Marine Sciences] BS, [Marine Vertebrate Biology] BS, [Marine Sciences (Marine Conservation and Policy, Marine and Atmospheric Sciences) tracks] MA, MS, PhD
Cornell University
Cornell University – [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology] BS, [Ecology and Evolutionary Biology] MS, PhD: A concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology within Cornell’s Biological Sciences major or a concentration within the Environment and Sustainability major provide undergraduates with an array of opportunities to become immersed in the study of biodiversity, evolutionary biology, community ecology, organismal biology and topics related to sustainability, conservation and global climate change
Hofstra University
Hofstra University [Biology with Marine Biology track] BS: This is one of the marine biology schools in New York that has a department in Biology that provides students with the study of marine organisms and their adaptation to various habitats including intertidal, pelagic, deep-sea and coral reefs. In the laboratory component, students investigate the biology of marine species through fieldwork and lab studies. (3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory.).
State University of New York
State University of New York – Stony Brook [Marine Sciences] BS, [Marine Vertebrate Biology] BS, [Marine Sciences (Marine Conservation and Policy, Marine and Atmospheric Sciences) tracks] MA, MS, PhD: In particular, the Marine Sciences major in this college provides students with a solid background in basic biology as well as in the physics and chemistry of the ocean.
Upper-division electives permit each student to gain a deeper understanding of particular groups of organisms (microorganisms, algae, marine invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals) and of habitats (salt marshes, rocky intertidal, barrier islands, dunes, estuaries, and the open ocean).
This is one of the marine biology colleges in New York that offers:
- B.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
- B.S. in Coastal Environmental Studies
- B.S. in Marine Sciences
- B.S. in Marine Vertebrate Biology
- B.A. in Environmental Studies
Each of these programs in this college offers students the opportunity to learn more about environmental issues and prepare for a wide variety of careers.
What are the types of marine biologists?
Job titles for marine biologists range from:
- research assistant
- postdoctoral fellow
- marine policy expert
- fishery data manager
- marine biotechnologist
- environmental engineer
- marine biology technician
- oil spill response specialist
- professor in marine ecology
- consultant in marine ecology
- reef restoration project manager
- marine ecologist and dive operations manager
How to gain valuable work experience
Having attended the marine biology colleges in New York, it will be essential to get work or voluntary experience to stand out from the competition.
If you’re interested in a career in research, look into what your university supervisors, professors, lab technicians or PhD students are working on and ask if you can assist with their projects.
You could also attend conferences, present papers and volunteer as a research assistant to a specialist.
Consider approaching establishments like the Marine Biological Association and other marine organisations. You might also want to consider writing speculative applications to organizations that interest you such as aquariums, museums or environmental consultancies, in order for you to build a range of valuable skills.
Professional development
Marine biology is an ever-evolving field so continuous professional development in relevant research, technical and practical skills is a key part of the work. It also evidences your commitment, passion and drive.
Training courses and workshops are offered by organisations such as the Marine Biological Association and the Institute of Marine, Science and Technology.
Training opportunities vary between employers and you should find out the nature of training provision and opportunities for professional development when applying for jobs.
There are opportunities to undertake research and gain a PhD if you don’t already have one. For a research career, you’ll need to present research and papers at conferences, get published in peer-reviewed journals and apply for research grants.
You can also stay abreast of marine news and developments through magazines such as The Marine Biologist, online publications such as Science Daily and New Scientist and following marine biologists on social media.
Please share your thoughts about these marine biology colleges in New York below.
Career prospects
Some areas of marine biology lack a clearly defined promotional structure and career development will depend on a combination of commitment, hard work and establishing appropriate contacts in your chosen field.
A willingness to relocate is vital in the early stages of your career and you may need to make a series of lateral moves to gain experience and establish contacts.
Your ability to create and seize opportunities will have a decisive bearing on your rate of growth within the field.
If you’re following an academic career, the usual starting point is obtaining a doctorate before moving on to research assistant, lecturer, fellow and professor, with deanship being the highest post.
Most marine biologists will have to undertake a number of short to mid-term contracts before becoming eligible to apply for a lecturing position, with success dependent on your research, teaching and publications.
The timeline to professorship can be quite short depending on how novel your research is, your international reputation and your ability to bring in income and develop a research group.
Skills
Depending on your area of expertise, you’ll need:
- accuracy and attention to detail, for recording observations and results
- excellent problem-solving skills to find solutions to problems
- research skills like collecting and analysing data as well as publishing results
- teamwork skills, whether working as part of a research team in a laboratory or an expedition team at sea
- observation skills for studying sea life for long periods of time
- a methodical and analytical mind for analysing and interpreting data
- strong communication skills for report writing, academic publications, press releases, grant applications, environmental impact assessments, conference presentations and standing out in job applications
- practical skills, such as diving, boat driving and first aid
- flexibility to deal with possible short-term work contracts, in other countries and in basic living conditions and all types of weather.
Recommendations:
References:
Marinebio.org
Prospects.ac.uk
Imarest.org