Category Archives: Careers

Our Inspiring Team of Marine Biologists

Updating the team page on our website this month made us think that it’s about time to do a blog post dedicated to the incredible people who make our programs so popular – the wonderful crew at Ocean Life Education!

We really do have the best team imaginable who all have one thing in common – their passion for the ocean and their enthusiasm for wanting to share their knowledge and educate others about the big blue.

So, here we report back on what the inspirational crew at Ocean Life Education love about the ocean and why they want to shout about it!

A Passion for the Ocean

Our educators tell us that they are driven by a deep passion for the ocean due to key factors that have resulted from childhood or ocean experiences. That’s why we believe that giving children the opportunity to experience ocean life firsthand is key to harbouring a love of the ocean. Here’s what they say…

Reasons our Team Say they Love the Ocean

Fascination with Marine Life: The incredible diversity of marine organisms, from the smallest plankton to the largest whales, captures the imagination. The intricate behaviours, unique adaptations, and complex ecosystems of marine life provide endless opportunities for discovery and study.

Our educator’s favourite ocean animals are diverse, ranging from the tiniest nudibranch, pistol shrimps and gobies, to turtles, humpback whales and graceful manta rays. What an impressive range, demonstrating just how incredible life in the ocean is.

Environmental Stewardship: A desire to protect and preserve ocean ecosystems against the increasing threats to marine environments, such as pollution, overfishing, and climate change, drive them to work towards conservation and sustainability.

Whale Rescue Coolum 1996

Many of our educators have worked on environmental projects themselves. Director of Education, Richard Coward, has been involved in research projects such as buoyancy syndrome turtle research, shark research and breeding programs.

Many staff, including Richard, have also been involved in rescues, resulting in the release of whales and turtles (amongst other species) back into the wild.

Check out this picture of the rescue that Richard was involved in.

Love of Exploration: The ocean is still largely unexplored, offering a sense of adventure and the allure of uncovering new species, unknown habitats, and geological features.

The mystery and vastness of the ocean inspire curiosity and a spirit of discovery in our crew.

“I was amazed when I went diving at night in Papua New Guinea and was lucky enough to experience a coral spawning event in an ocean that was glowing with bioluminescence (the production and emission of light by a living organism – seen in the image). It just blew my mind! Another time, I was awe-struck when I went diving with a smack (yes, the collective name!) of sea jellies (aka jelly fish). Magic moments that I will treasure forever…and there’s so much more to come!!”

Growing Up on the Coast

Connection to Nature: Our educators all love the ocean, often stemming from childhood experiences, such as beach visits, snorkelling, or scuba diving. This personal connection fuels a lifelong passion for studying and protecting marine environments.

Most of our educators were lucky enough to have grown up next to the ocean in Queensland or NSW. The East Coast of Australia is probably one of the best places on earth to grow up if you love the ocean!

These factors combine to create a strong passion among our team for the ocean and its inhabitants, driving them to be the inspirational educators that they are!

Find out more about our inspirational team

Fancy a career in Marine Biology?

Here’s a link to our other news

And a link to our programs

Sea Shepherd Queensland

What Do Marine Teachers Do?

Education is key to understanding the ocean and how crucial it is to our existence, as well as inspiring people to want to protect it. So, the role of a marine teacher is a very important one. But what do marine teachers do?

The Role of a Marine Educator in Schools

The crucial role of a marine educator is to foster curiosity, imagination, knowledge and enthusiasm. As humans, we only generally care about what we know, so education makes a big difference if you want people to connect with and protect the ocean. Creating awareness at an early age is crucial in the creation of life-long ocean guardians.

We aim to do this through introducing children to our diverse range of live marine animals and presenting engaging lively ocean-experience activities that teach all ages about marine science and ocean conservation.

Ocean Life Education’s Marine Educators

Ocean Life Education’s lead marine educator, Richard Coward, is a qualified Marine Biologist and heads our crew of marine educators who travel around southern Queensland educating kids. Not only are they all very knowledgeable but they are also passionate advocates for the ocean and engage kids to want to learn.

Qualifications to Become a Marine Teacher

Marine teachers have a minimum degree and frequently a master’s in marine biology. They often undertake extensive research projects and have wide-ranging first-hand experience…and fascinating stories to tell!

Specialist Teaching Roles

An estimated 80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface and more still inhabits coastlines. So, as you can imagine teaching roles include many fascinating specialisations. Consider the range of animals alone, from the tiniest microbes and plankton to the massive blue whale! There will always be a need for marine teachers to pass on their knowledge about these things.

Where do Marine Teachers Work?

As the ocean covers over 70% of the planet, you will find marine teachers all over the globe, from the icy north and south poles to the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean. In Queensland, marine educators may work on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park or as expert guides on whale watching tours. Other areas of work include:

conservation and marine parks
fisheries and the fishing industry
planning and management
universities
museums and zoos
marine science institutions
power generation (sustainable please!)
engineering and consulting
government and industry.

Interested in Becoming a Marine Teacher?

Read our blog to find out How to Become a Marine Biologist in Queensland

Information about teaching in Queensland Marine Teachers Ass QLD

Check out our Marine Biologist for A Day Program – Ages 7-12 years

Our Goal

Ocean Life Education’s goal is to educate children about how our lives are interconnected with our ocean and to inspire them to feel a responsibility to take action to protect it.

How to become a Marine Biologist in Queensland

Interested in the ocean but not sure how to turn that interest in to a career you’ll love. Read on to find out all you need to know about how to become a marine biologist in Queensland…

What is Marine Biology?

Marine biology is the study of ocean life – organisms and ecosystems in saltwater environments. Marine Biologists study interactions between marine plants, marine animals and coastal areas and the atmosphere. Marine biology is a broad term which includes many specialisations.

What does a Marine Biologist do?

Marine Biologists are research based, so research projects are the main focus (as well as ocean education). These involve collecting specimens at sea, compiling research data, and laboratory-based experiments. Research areas may include human impact on reef systems, migration patterns and the underwater ecosystem.

Where could I work as a Marine Biologist?

Marine Biologists can work in many research and education specialisations. These include conservation and marine parks, fisheries and the fishing industry, planning and management, universities, museums, marine science institutions, power generation (sustainable please!), engineering and consulting government and industry.

Key responsibilities of a Marine Biologist:

Developing, planning and carrying out experiments
Operating tracking technology, fishing nets, sonar and remotely operated vehicles.
Using specialist computer software to aid data interpretation
Writing research papers and reports.

Skills Required to Become a Marine Biologist

Patience and determination
Excellent problem-solving skills
Finding solutions to challenges whilst out on the ocean – sea legs required!
Practical skills – boat handling, scuba diving and first aid knowledge
Thorough attention to detail
Team working and interpersonal skills

Research Skills for a Career in Marine Biology

Marine Biologists must be able to conduct successful research and complete a literature review, plan a research question, design the study, collect and analyse data and accurately publish results.

Teamwork & a Career in Marine Biology

Marine Biologists rarely work alone. So, they need to be able to work as part of a team and communicate well with everyone. Communication and coordination are key attributes.

Observation Skills for Marine Biologists

Marine Biologists spend extended periods of time observing and studying ocean life. Therefore, they need a passion for this in order to generate new ideas for research and understandings about how sea life works.

Analytical Skills for a Career in Marine Biology

Excellent research means analysing in a new or insightful manner so Marine Biologists need to be able to decide which analytic methods would prove most useful to a particular set of data.

Qualifications required to Become a Marine Biologist

A degree in marine science, biology, geology, ecology, oceanography or zoology is usually required, followed by a Masters to work in a research position. Many marine biologists collaborate with universities and also teach when not out working on research projects in the field, whilst others work for consultancies, coastal authorities, charities and aquariums.

Where can I study for a career in Marine Biology in Queensland?

You can study for a career in marine biology in the following universities in Queensland:

University of Queensland
James Cook University
Griffith University
Southern Cross University (external studies)

Check out some of our inspiring programs and courses to start getting the knowledge:

Online courses – Amazing Sharks & Humpback Whales

Shark Resources

Marine Biologist for A Day

Following in the Footsteps of Marine Pioneers

We at Ocean Life Education are proud and privileged to be protectors of the sea. We have made it our mission to raise awareness about the plight of our planet and in particular, the more than 70 percent of it covered in water.

For us, it’s a matter of following in the footsteps of the many wonderful conservationists who pioneered a global effort to highlight environmental issues impacting beyond our shorelines.

French explorer and film-maker Jacques Cousteau was amongst the first to put the spotlight on life below the surface in his book “Silent World” which was published almost 70 years ago. His invention of reliable diving equipment allowed millions of people to discover and understand the underwater world and along the way, draw attention to the fact that rubbish in our oceans does not just magically disappear when it sinks out of sight. Debris still litters the seabed from ships that sunk hundreds of years ago, and the problem of plastic pollution is growing bigger by the day.

British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has spent most of his adult life sharing footage of vulnerable animals, many of which live in our oceans. The 93-year-old is a champion of the natural world, helping his audience to understand how everything we do on land has a flow on effect out at sea – trying to ensure even if it’s out of sight, it won’t be out of mind.

Across the Atlantic, renowned biologist, Dr Sylvia Earle, has made it her life work to learn about the sea and educate others about its struggles to stay healthy. Back in the 1950’s, when the scientific arena was dominated by men, she forged a career in marine biology and convinced people to pay attention to the colourful world beneath the waves. Her impressive credentials and passion for the ocean led to her being named as Time Magazine’s inaugural Hero for the Planet, 21 years ago.

Closer to home, talented photographer Valerie Taylor, has helped to turn the tide on treating the sea as merely a place to plunder for our own needs. She and her husband were heavily into spearfishing but chose to capture images instead when they saw how much they had depleted a local reef. They became fierce defenders of sharks, debunking many of the myths surrounding the most feared of the ocean creatures.

But along with the most recognisable faces in the crusade to sustain our greatest natural resource, is a legion of everyday people trying to make a difference. Every individual who removes rubbish from the beach, stands guard over turtle nests, reduces their plastic waste or speaks out against high density coastal development is helping to protect that part of our planet that creates most of the oxygen we breathe.

And we at Ocean Life Education will continue to do our bit, inspiring young minds to appreciate marine creatures though our interactive programs. Along with all the information we share to keep students well informed, we give even the youngest of participants the opportunity to create a bond with our animal ambassadors that may just lead to a life dedicated to saving our seas.