We asked each of our scientists to give us their thoughts on their professions and what they think the future holds for humanity.

What would you recommend for students wanting to pursue a similar career?
I am a research scientist who studies the ocean and am called an oceanographer. Oceanographers are a diverse lot and come in many varieties. Some are geologists, some chemists, some biologists, others are physicists. Thus, in order to be able to talk to each other, we need some training in each of the basis sciences: geology, chemistry, biology and physics. On top of that, one must have some knowledge of mathematics. The best advice then to a student wanting to become an oceanographer is to take a wide variety of science classes but most importantly, take mathematics and statistics courses. After you have completed some math classes, take some more!

What do you like best about your profession?
First and foremost, I have always found the ocean fascinating and this fascination began when I was a small child. Like any profession, there are many forks in the road and I must say that I count myself as lucky for being able to study the ocean as a career and to be paid to do it. Secondly, the oceans lap the shores of all continents and many countries. Like myself, some children in those countries were also fascinated by the ocean. They studied science in school and eventually got a graduate degree in oceanography. Because there are opportunities to meet these scientists at international meetings and on oceanographic cruises, now some of these people are my very good friends. Through study of oceanography, I have come to enjoy greatly the opportunities to celebrate the cultural diversity of people on this planet of ours.

What makes you most fearful for the future?
I worry there are too few world leaders that are truly aware that global warming is (if not already upon us) just around the corner and that it is time to do something about the problem. Certainly more research is needed on the impacts of climate change on living marine resources but competition for research funds is becoming more severe these days. Thus there are great limitations on the ability of scientists to discuss potential scenarios of how climate change might impact marine resources and society itself. Society must respond positively to the threat of global warming and I am concerned that we will not make this a high priority soon enough.

What makes you most hopeful for the future?
My chief interest at present is the study of climate change and how climate change may affect living marine resources. I sense [and hope] that more and more world leaders are becoming aware that global warming is either upon us or just around the corner and that it is time to do something about the problem. We must begin mitigation programs and we must begin them soon. Society must respond positively and I sense that this is beginning to happen.