- Are you curious about careers in science?

Hi, I'm Genesis.

And today I'm here with Dr. Ashanti Johnson.

Ashanti, tell me where you are and what you do.

- I'm in Georgia.

And I am a chemical oceanographer.

What I do is I investigate the water quality of estuaries, the rivers, beaches, and the ocean and look at man's impact into the environment.

Looking to see what areas are healthy and what areas are contaminated.

I focus on the chemistry of the water by looking at the chemistry in the water column as well as a little bit of the geology.

And what's on the bottom of the water.

- What's a typical day of work like for you?

- Well, as a researcher, a typical day at work includes figuring out what it is that we want to investigate and why, working with students, teaching and figuring out how we can help solve the problems globally so we're leaving a healthier environment for the next generation.

- How did you become interested in a career like this?

- Well, I was younger than you.

I was actually in third grade when I became interested in oceanography.

I would watch PBS and on there on Saturdays would have Jacques Cousteau.

He would go around to different parts of the world to explore the ocean.

So when I was in third grade, I decided I wanted to have a career where I could travel and I could work with groups of people that are diverse and be able to explore and find out what's going on under the water.

- What's the most rewarding part of your job?

- The most rewarding part of my job is working with the next generation of STEM entrepreneurs and scientists and discoverers.

So being able to help guide and mentor people who are interested in the ocean, the environment, or any other part of STEM.

That's what's really exciting to me right now.

- After talking with Dr. Ashanti Johnson, I'm ready to make some waves in chemical oceanography.

Explore your possibilities.

(exciting music)