Basically, I help save the oceans. All of my work focuses on marine conservation, and in my position I do research and liaise with government, media, and the public. I also SCUBA dive in coral reefs, analyze data, and publish my findings in academic journals.

EDUCATION | PhD, Biological Oceanography, UC Santa Cruz

HOW TO GET STARTED | In science, look for new technologies and try to be on the cutting edge. If you just want to study something as popular as dolphin behavior, you're going to have a hard time getting a job because it'll be difficult to be in demand. Focus on applied work, on research that answers the questions of the public and has real-world impact. Research on the cutting edge and applied research fulfill a meaningful purpose. In science in general, volunteer and get work experience while you're still in school. Don't forget to cultivate your communications skills, if you can't sell yourself and your research, this field is not going to work well for you. I would advise someone to find a balance between specializing and pursuing interdisciplinary research. Nowadays in science, the next big idea is to connect different fields together, so yes, be specialized, but cultivate knowledge in different disciplines as well.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Inquisitive. Analytical. Love to be in the ocean and get wet and salty, not just be ok with diving, you have to really enjoy it because you're in the water a lot. Passion for marine environments and their conservation. If you go into academia, and are interested in teaching, you need to be creative and engaging. Love what you do.

how I got started | By the time you're in a PhD program, in this field, you're already so specialized that you're asked to do research before your PhD is complete. I was studying coral reefs and NASA has satellites that measure the health of the world's reefs from space through Spectral Remote Sensing, so I was working with NASA as a PhD student. I stumbled into this cutting edge field of Remote Sensing and became one of only a few people who know this technique, and even less who had combined it with coral reef conservation. So I made connections and networked a lot as a grad student, and discovered that potential employers were just waiting until I graduated so they could hire me.

why this job?| What definitely had an impact on choosing my career was being told by a teacher in high school that "girls don't go into science." Obviously she was wrong! Her misguidance only provided additional motivation for me... But my real inspiration for marine science came from my Grandfather. He loved the sea and all of us grandchildren would go out on his boat with him as often as we could. He instilled a love and respect of the sea in us, he was very much a connoisseur of the sea and he taught us so much about marine life. My interest in and love of coral reefs started in childhood as well, exploring the reefs with my brother in Venezuela where my father lives.

why I love this job!| I love that my scientific work is all applied, not theoretical, so I can see the fruits of my labor. As a coral reef scientist, I have the opportunity to travel to the most amazing corners of Earth and SCUBA dive in the beautiful coral reefs, I even go to the most pristine, protected parts of the world where only scientists are allowed. I love that my research contributes to something that affects marine conservation long into the future.

my typical day| I connect marine science to policy makers, the public, media, and private industry stakeholders by mainstreaming all this science so people can understand what it's all about in real terms. Besides research and field work, I analyze data and publish my findings. I attend a lot of meetings, and facilitate meetings between different groups that need to understand the science of marine conservation in such a way that they can discuss it in non-scientific jargon. I'm kind of like a translator. In practical terms, this means I spend time on the phone, writing e-mails, organizing and attending workshops and conferences, reading, writing, and traveling a lot.

what they are | Basically, sometimes you have to work long hours, and as a scientist, you're not going to make the big paychecks. You have as much education as a medical doctor, 12 years, but as a scientist, you don't make what a medical doctor makes. For some, that's a daunting challenge.

all about growth | Right now, the growth in environmental sciences is very good, and I hope for the oceans' sake as well as my field that it's not just a trend. But it can be political, and depending on who is handing out the big government grants, budgets can shrink or grow. Securing an academic position is getting harder because more people are getting advance degrees so there's more competition. This is part of why it's important to be on the cutting edge.

my website|