Oceanography
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE OCEANOGRAPHY SOCIETY
VOL.29, NO.1, MARCH 2016
Graduate Education
in the Ocean Sciences
DIVERSITY
LEADERSHIP
CAREER
COUNSELING
MENTORING
NETWORKING
SPECIAL ISSUE: GRADUATE EDUCATION IN
THE OCEAN SCIENCES
13
FROM THE GUEST EDITORS. Introduction to the Special Issue on
Graduate Education in the Ocean Sciences
By S.B. Cook and N.H. Marcus
16
The Ocean Science Graduate Education Landscape: A 2015 Perspective
By S.B. Cook, A. Holloway, M. Lettrich, and K. Yarincik
22
A Moving Target: Matching Graduate Education with Available Careers
for Ocean Scientists
By M. Briscoe, D. Glickson, S. Roberts, R. Spinrad, and J. Yoder
31
SIDEBAR The Individual Development Plan: A Tool to Help Graduate
Students Assume Control of Their Futures
By N.H. Marcus
32
SIDEBAR The Optical Oceanography Class Turned 30 in Summer 2015
By M.J. Perry
34
SIDEBAR The Duke Professional Master of Environmental Management:
An Exemplary Program Responsive to Workforce Needs
By P. Halpin and A. Read
36
Moving Forward: 21st Century Pathways to Strengthen the Ocean Science
Workforce Through Graduate Education and Professional Development
By L.C. Schaffner, T.W. Hartley, and J.G. Sanders
44
SIDEBAR The Big Picture: National Initiatives in Graduate Education
By S.T. Ortega and M.T. McCarthy
46
Strategies for Increasing Diversity in the Ocean Science Workforce
Through Mentoring
By A. Johnson, M.J. Huggans, D. Siegfried, and L. Braxton
55
SIDEBAR The Ocean Science Social Diversity Challenge
By M. Gilligan and S. Ebanks
58
SIDEBAR MS PHD’S: By and for Minorities
By L. Ricciardi, V. Williamson Whitney, and A. Johnson
60
Broadening the Impact of Graduate Education in the Ocean Sciences
By C. Peach and G. Scowcroft
67
SIDEBAR STEM Graduate Students: Learning How to be Effective Storytellers
By N.H. Marcus
68
SIDEBAR Out of the Tower and into the Classroom OR How Classroom
Partnerships Give Marine Science Grad Students an Edge
By C. Hopper Brill
contents
VO L . 2 9, N O.1 , M A R C H 2 0 1 6
Oceanography
Oceanography | March 2016
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Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
ON THE COVER
(1) Kara Vadman (USF) and Mikhaila Redovian (Colgate undergraduate) secure hydrophones before seismic work near Totten
Glacier, East Antarctica, on US Antarctic Program cruise NBP14-02. Photo credit: Steffen Saustraup (UTIG)
(2) Florida State University PhD student Samira Daneshgar Asl takes notes during a research cruise in the northeastern Gulf of
Mexico as part of a project to study the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Photo courtesy of Florida State University
(3) Samantha Bosman prepares to collect a plankton tow during a Deep-C Geochemistry cruise aboard R/V Weatherbird II in
May 2012. Photo courtesy of Florida State University
(4) For more than 10 years, courtesy of University of California ship funds, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography deep-sea biol-
ogy graduate class led by Lisa Levin has held field trips to the San Diego Trough to give students a hands-on, real-time look at
deep hydrographic features. Photo courtesy of Lisa Levin (SIO)
(5) University of Hawaii graduate student Yoshimi Rii running CTD operations. Photo Credit: Tara Clemente (C-MORE, UH Manoa)
(6) University of Delaware undergraduate Semester-in-Residence students collecting plankton samples from the Delaware Bay
aboard R/V Hugh R. Sharp. Photo credit: School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware
(7) MIT-WHOI graduate student collecting water samples for river chemistry studies. Photo courtesy of Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution graphics
CONTACT US
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SPECIAL ISSUE SPONSOR
Production of this issue of Oceanography
was supported by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration and the National
Science Foundation.
SPECIAL ISSUE GUEST EDITORS
• Susan B. Cook, Ocean Conservation and
Research Association
• Nancy H. Marcus, Florida State University
70
Beyond Academia: Professional Society Resources and Programs for
Ocean Sciences Graduate Students
By L.E. Duguay and S.B. Cook
80
SIDEBAR Student-Led Retreats for Graduate Student Cohesion
and Career Success
By K. Stamieszkin, M.A. May, and A. Chase
82
NASA Graduate Fellowship Opportunities
By E. Lindstrom, S. Hakkinen, and M.-Y. Wei
86
NSF’s Graduate Student Support Programs: An Overview and Reflections
from a Former Fellow
By S.B. Cook
REGULAR ISSUE FEATURE
90
An Experiment in Graduate Education: A Marine Science Adventure Across
the Indian Ocean
By V.B. Pearse, J.C. Ogden, and S.J. Proctor
DEPARTMENTS
04
QUARTERDECK. Working Toward a PhD in Ocean Sciences Hones a Variety of
Marketable Skills: Insights from Oceanography’s Career Profiles Column
By E.S. Kappel
06
FROM THE PRESIDENT. The Case for a “Sea Change” in Graduate Education
in the Ocean Sciences
By M.S. Lozier
08
RIPPLE MARKS. Life in Rough Seas: For Harlequin Ducks, Home is Churning
Rapids and Pounding Surf
By C.L. Dybas
98
HANDS-ON OCEANOGRAPHY. Building Intuition for In-Water Optics and
Ocean Color Remote Sensing: Spectrophotometer Activity with littleBits™
By S. Schollaert Uz
104 THE OCEANOGRAPHY CLASSROOM. Higher and Higher in Education
By S. Boxall
106 CAREER PROFILES. Denise M. Akob, Research Microbiologist, US Geological
Survey • Danielle Sumy, Project Associate, Incorporated Research Institutions
for Seismology • Juliet Hermes, Manager and Principal Oceanographer,
Egagasini Node for Marine Offshore Systems, South African Environmental
Observation Network • Fiona Horsfall, Chief, Climate Services Branch, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service
Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
Oceanography | March 2016
Editor
Ellen S. Kappel
Geosciences Professional Services Inc.
5610 Gloster Road
Bethesda, MD 20816 USA
t: (1) 301-229-2709
ekappel@geo-prose.com
Contributing Writer
Cheryl Lyn Dybas
cheryl.lyn.dybas@gmail.com
Oceanography
W W W.TO S .O R G /O C E A N O G R A P H Y
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OCEANOGRAPHY
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The Oceanography Society was founded in 1988
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its application through research and education, to
promote communication among oceanographers,
and to provide a constituency for consensus-
building across all the disciplines of the field.
OFFICERS
Susan Lozier, President
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Oceanography | March 2016
Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
As ocean sciences PhD recipients head out into the market for
jobs in academia, government, or industry, they likely reflect
upon what parts of their graduate school education will be rel-
evant to the wide variety of available positions. In particular,
graduating PhD students and postdocs applying to jobs outside
of academia may wonder what exactly they have learned that
will enable them to succeed at projects that fall outside of their
particular research area. If subject-area expertise is not always
essential, what other kinds of knowledge and skills did they gain
while working on ocean sciences PhDs that translate well into
careers outside of academia, or even outside of oceanography?
Perhaps some insight can be gained from responses to one of
the questions posed to ocean scientists who submit career pro-
files to Oceanography: “What did your oceanographic education
(or academic career) give you that is useful in your current job?”
Snippets from several of the responses follow.1,2
My education trained me to think critically and objectively. I
learned to not rush to judgment, but rather to carefully weigh my
observations before reaching a conclusion.
— Lynn Abramson, Senior Legislative Assistant,
Office of Senator Barbara Boxer
Each of my positions has required a broad knowledge of science,
the scientific process, and the ability to interact with a wide range
of constituencies; my training in Earth sciences and oceanography
has certainly provided that.
— Robert L. Burger, Associate Dean,
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yale University
Completing a PhD means running a significant project, and it
includes skills as diverse as fundraising, strategic planning, proj-
ect management, staffing, speaking and writing, and leadership.
These skills continue to be the most valuable ones I gained.
— Paul Bunje, Senior Director of Oceans, XPRIZE Foundation
The self-discipline and self-scheduling I learned as a PhD stu-
dent have been invaluable to me as I’ve had to figure out how to
meet deadlines and complete work on a variety of time scales…
The logistics, planning, project management, and capacity to
break a big project down into smaller pieces as well as the hefty
amount of thinking and writing that my dissertation demanded
have served me well.
— Ari Daniel, Digital Producer, PBS NOVA,
and Freelance Science Reporter
I use my academic training in data analysis, statistical tech-
niques, and programming every day in my current job, but
there are many other skills I have found profoundly useful. The
work I did generating plots for academic publications taught
me graphic design and data visualization skills, which I use for
building user interfaces.
— Jordan Dawe, Data Engineer, EnerNOC
Above all else, my oceanographic education instilled in me a
strong sense of integrity and inquisitiveness. Not only did I gain
knowledge, but patience and adaptability as well… A particularly
useful skill ingrained from years of working on board ships and in
laboratory settings is the ability to be a team player and nurture
a broad network.
— Tina Drexler, Geoscience Associate,
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
The first-hand experience I have had on Arctic icebreakers was
valuable scientifically, plus it has been a great way to talk with
the public and policymakers about the science. It is one thing to
tell someone you are a scientist, but when you tell them about
research you performed in a remote, hostile location…they are
much more interested in what you have to say and much more
willing to listen to the science you want to convey.
— Brenda Ekwurzel, Senior Climate Scientist,
Union of Concerned Scientists
Working Toward a PhD in Ocean Sciences
Hones a Variety of Marketable Skills
Insights from Oceanography’s Career Profiles Column
1 To review the complete set of profiles, including the answers to other questions we ask about their careers, job satisfaction, and job hunting,
go to http://tos.org/career-profiles.
2 The job positions listed indicate where the person was employed at the time the career profile was submitted.
QUARTERDECK
Oceanography | March 2016
My years in academia give me insight into the process of
science—grant writing, peer review, experimental design, incre-
mental progress. That experience enables me to tell science sto-
ries from a different perspective, perhaps a more human one,
and that is invaluable.
— Heather Goldstone, Science Editor,
WGBH and WCAI National Public Radio Stations
Without question, the education that I received has been a plat-
form for other, seemingly unrelated, achievements that followed.
My education gave me confidence, an understanding of hard
work, enduring friendships, and appreciation of strong leadership.
— Kerry Hegarty, Managing Director/CEO, Sienna Cancer Diagnostics
I would say that my skills in critical thinking, writing, and pre-
senting, developed and improved through working on my PhD
and interacting with my lab mates, are the skills that I have relied
on the most. The critical thinking skills and the ability to absorb
and digest new information quickly are invaluable in the policy as
well as the conservation fields.
— Winnie Lau, Program Manager,
Marine Ecosystem Services Program, Forest Trends
Problem-solving skills, experience managing projects, and telling
a useful story with messy data. In many things, there is often no
right answer but a family of solutions.
— Norge Larson, President, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc.
Resourcefulness. In the lab or in the field, when something goes
awry, you have to think on your feet and find alternative solu-
tions, sometimes with limited information or tools. This skill
transfers quite well.
— Kris Ludwig, Staff Scientist, Natural Hazards Mission Area,
US Geological Survey
Going to sea during graduate school provided a great training
environment for skills that can be applied for many jobs. In par-
ticular, I use skills such as logistical planning, teamwork, collabo-
ration, problem solving, and how to work with others in challeng-
ing situations on a daily basis.
— Mitch Malone, Assistant Director of Science Services/
Manager of Science Operations, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program,
Texas A&M University
My science PhD has been an enormous asset at every step of
the way. Simply having it helps open doors. More importantly,
the skills I developed as a graduate student are essential ones
that I still depend upon, especially the independent analysis and
problem-solving skills.
— Kathryn Mengerink, Environmental Law Institute
The skills that I find most useful relate to data analysis, statisti-
cal analysis, computer programming, and writing. Less tangibly,
but possibly most important, I think I picked up a commitment to
integrity and quality in my work as part of my education.
— Michele Morris, Consultant
My experience as a scientist greatly facilitates my ability to work
effectively with other scientists simply because I have a good sense
of how scientists go about their work, how they formulate and
refine their ideas, and how they communicate with each other.
— Audrey M. Rogerson, Director of Development,
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Ocean scientists learn how to think critically, solve complex
problems, analyze and visualize data, communicate to peers and
to the public, manage large projects, and work as a member of a
team. These skills have enabled generations of ocean scientists
to succeed in a wide variety of careers. At a time when the ocean
sciences community is considering updating the PhD curric-
ulum to align better with the needs of current and emerging
job markets, any evaluation must recognize the importance of
these less tangible but absolutely essential components of grad-
uate training and consider teaching at least some them directly.
Ellen S. Kappel, Editor
Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
In The Leopard, di Lampedusa’s novel set in nineteenth century
Sicily, the prince’s nephew assuages his uncle’s unease with recent
social and political change by remarking, “If we want things to
stay as they are, things will have to change.” Admittedly, it is a
far stretch from nineteenth century Sicily to twenty-first century
America, but the sentiment expressed by the prince’s nephew
succinctly captures the view, expressed by the many authors who
have contributed to this special issue of Oceanography, of how
graduate education in ocean sciences should evolve. Namely,
in order for our delivery of an excellent graduate education to
remain constant, our approach to that delivery must adapt to
intellectual, cultural, economic, and social shifts in the academy
and in society at large.
Such adaptation has been demonstrated by the response
of ocean science graduate programs over the past couple of
decades to a shift in our appreciation of the multitude of dis-
ciplines required to tackle pressing ocean research questions.
Today, as articulated in the special issue articles, we are facing
other shifts—in workforce needs, in ocean science research pri-
orities, in society’s expectations for federally funded research—
that again call for changes in how we deliver excellent graduate
education. Such changes are manifest in the programs described
in this volume, some of which have been in place for decades.
However, the fact remains that for the bulk of our current gradu-
ate students, there is a mismatch between the skills they are learn-
ing and the skills needed outside the academy, and a mismatch
between the careers they are trained for and the careers available
to them upon graduation. These mismatches rightly motivate a
community discussion on the future of ocean science education.
The Oceanography Society was chartered as a professional
society with a mission “to promote communication among
oceanographers, and to provide a constituency for consensus
building across all the disciplines of the field.” Consistent with
this mission, TOS seeks to facilitate and promote the current
dialogue on graduate education. Additionally, given that stu-
dents currently constitute some 46% of our membership, TOS
is increasingly aware of its responsibility toward this younger
generation of oceanographers: we can think of no better way to
serve them than to pay attention to their futures. Toward that
end, in addition to this volume dedicated to graduate education,
TOS hosted a Town Hall at the 2016 Ocean Sciences Meeting last
month in New Orleans for an exploration of “What’s Right and
What’s Wrong with Graduate Education in Ocean Sciences?”
In order to gather background material for the Town Hall
discussion, TOS administered a two-minute survey with ques-
tions on the type of training students have had and are cur-
rently receiving, on the type of training current students would
like to receive, on career opportunities students would like to
pursue, and on career opportunities that those already in the
field think students want to pursue. Clearly, we were inter-
ested in exploring differences in perception among community
members. A look at the survey results from ~400 respondents
(http://tos.org/pdfs/grad_education_survey_results.pdf) shows
that some of those differences indeed emerged. However, most
interesting to me was the degree of consensus on two questions:
(1) How confident are you that recent graduates in ocean sci-
ences will easily find employment in the field of ocean sciences?
and (2) Do you agree that current graduate students in ocean
sciences are receiving the appropriate training for the current
job market? As for the first question, less than 10% of students,
early career scientists, and those in later career stages said that
they were “very confident,” while ~30% of the same group of
respondents said they were “not confident at all.” For the second
question, again less than 10% strongly agreed, while ~20% did
not agree. The vast majority of respondents were “neutral” on
this question. Surely this collective shrug from the community
is itself an indication that we have work to do.
On that Wednesday evening in New Orleans, about
130 oceanographers gathered for the TOS Town Hall. After
small group discussions focused on the question posed in the
Town Hall’s title, participants offered their thoughts on how
graduate education should change. For the most part, the ideas
voiced that evening—by current students, faculty members, and
oceanographers with careers outside of academia—echo those
advocated within these pages. From my view, the solutions
offered fall into two categories. On the one hand is a call for
programmatic changes—in curriculum, degree offerings, pro-
fessional development skills, mentoring, and so forth. On the
other hand is a call for structural changes in how graduate edu-
cation in ocean sciences is funded. A contemplation of struc-
tural changes would include an examination of questions such
as: Should master’s education be funded in addition to doctoral
The Case for a “Sea Change” in
Graduate Education in the Ocean Sciences
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Oceanography | March 2016
MEETING REPORT
education? Should more graduate support be shifted toward
fellowships and away from research assistantships? What is the
appropriate balance between graduate student, postdoctoral,
and early career support?
My own view is that in order to have broad-scale success in
the proposed programmatic changes, we need to take a hard
look at the structural barriers that may be impeding those
changes. Readers may recall that one year ago this month,
Sea Change: 2015–2025 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences was
released (http://www.nap.edu/read/21655/ chapter/1). That
report focused on ocean research priorities for the decade
ahead and made recommendations for the needed balance
between infrastructure and science to achieve those priori-
ties. In the wake of that report, on behalf of the contributors
to this special issue of Oceanography, I am arguing that a “sea
change” in graduate education is also needed. Just as a commu-
nity of oceanographers, selected and organized by the National
Academies, spent the better part of 18 months deliberating
the future of ocean sciences and then making recommenda-
tions to the National Science Foundation, we need a commit-
ment from the community, and from all federal agencies that
fund ocean sciences graduate education, to chart the future of
graduate education in the ocean sciences—a future that will
meet our social contract with our graduate students and with
society. TOS leadership will continue to push in this direction
because, frankly, if we want things to stay as they are, things
will have to change.
M. Susan Lozier, TOS President
Oceanography | March 2016
TOS Activities at OSM
The Oceanography Society sponsored several activ-
ities during the February Ocean Sciences Meeting in
New Orleans, Louisiana, providing opportunities for
members to meet and share experiences and ideas.
TOS Town Hall
In preparation for the TOS-sponsored Town Hall
on "What's Right and What's Wrong with Graduate
Education in the Ocean Sciences?" TOS compiled
the nearly 400 responses it received from members
who took the TOS graduate education survey. TOS
President Susan Lozier presented the survey results
at the Town Hall. During the evening event, the
~130 participants formed small groups to discuss fea-
tures of graduate education that should be retained
and ideas for possible changes. A concluding open
mike session gave participants an additional oppor-
tunity to share even more ideas and experiences.
Survey results are available at http://tos.org/pdfs/
grad_education_survey_results.pdf.
TOS Breakfast
Over 340 members rose early to attend the TOS
Breakfast where new TOS Fellows Mark Cane,
Rana Fine, and Arnold Gordon were honored, as
well as the most recent recipient of the Munk Award,
Carl Wunsch. TOS thanks Sea-Bird Scientific for their
generous support of this event.
Munk Award Lecture
The audience for the society awards plenary session
listened intently while Walter Munk reflected on his
own experiences and many collaborations with his
"life-long" friend Carl Wunsch. Theresa Paluszkiewicz
of the Office of Naval Research then presented
Dr. Wunsch with the award certificate bearing
the signature of the Secretary of the Navy before
Dr. Wunsch gave a compelling lecture on the "The
Imperative of Global Oceanography." Dr. Wunsch's
lecture, along with all award, keynote, and plenary
lectures are available for viewing at http://osm.agu.
org/2016/oceans-on-demand to learn more.
Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
BY C H E RY L LY N DY BA S
The Story Behind the Story
Ripple Marks
LIFE IN ROUGH SEAS
For Harlequin Ducks, Home is Churning Rapids and Pounding Surf
long-ago glaciers, and picks his way down
to the water’s edge.
His quarry lies where rock meets ocean
at jagged underwater ledges: the harle-
quin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), one
of North America’s smallest and most
beautiful sea ducks. Although scientists
have solved several mysteries about
the harlequin’s unusual predilections for
rough seas and a salmon-like lifestyle,
others remain open.
DUCK OF WHITE WATERS
To find answers, Paton has come to
count harlequins along Narragansett
Bay’s shoreline. In the 1800s, the ducks’
numbers along the East Coast peaked
at 5,000 to 10,000. Then, overhunting,
as well as habitat loss and other factors,
reduced them to about 1,000 before
hunting along the Eastern Seaboard was
banned in the late 1980s. With restrictions
in place, East Coast harlequin numbers
have rebounded to some 1,800 ducks.
Rhode Island’s rocky coast—Beavertail
in particular—is a winter haunt for these
brave surfers. With adult males’ dark blue
heads, light blue bodies, and chestnut
sides (adult females are a brownish-gray),
the ducks’ common name comes from a
likeness to the colorfully dressed charac-
ter Harlequin in Commedia dell’arte. Their
species name is derived from the Latin
word histrio: actor.
The birds are also known as lords and
ladies, offers Paton, lifting his binoculars
into the stiff wind to search for “bobbers”—
harlequins that dive down to snag a mus-
sel or crab, then somehow manage to pop
up again in the very same spot. White-
eyed diver, blue streak, and rock duck are
among the harlequin’s other names, for
good reason. “How these ducks can sur-
vive right at the crests of breaking waves
is a marvel,” Paton says as he points to a
harlequin that appears and disappears in
roiling waters.
Harlequin ducks are split into two pop-
ulations, Pacific and Eastern, according
to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North
America. The Pacific is the larger, at about
200,000 birds. They breed from Alaska
south to British Columbia and inland to the
northern section of the Rocky Mountains.
Eastern harlequins, the smaller popula-
tion, nest primarily in Quebec, Labrador,
and Newfoundland. Satellite radio- tracking
and genetic data show two sub-parts to
The sea has gone the color of old silver, its
surface as smooth as a wave-worn shell.
It’s an hour before dawn on this −12°C
(10°F) day in January at Rhode Island’s
Beavertail State Park, a 153-acre rocky
promontory shaped like a beaver’s tail.
Beavertail juts out from the southern end
of Conanicut Island into Narragansett Bay
and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
Another hour passes; sunup is on the
horizon. Fierce winds begin to blow,
whipping the once-calm ocean below
Beavertail’s boulder-strewn cliffs into a
froth. Stepping onto the park’s steep—
and today, ice-covered—path to the sea
might feel like falling into gray oblivion.
Indeed, local newspapers once hailed the
area’s vistas, but warned that “the drop to
the Atlantic is an easy walk to eternity for
those not sure of foot.”
Peering through tangled, seemingly life-
less briars along a barely there track, Peter
Paton, an ornithologist at the University of
Rhode Island (URI), begins his descent.
Tough going awaits; the cliffs lie exposed
to constant erosion from sea and storm.
Covering his face with a scarf against the
biting cold, he carefully makes his way
around enormous boulders dropped by
Oceanography | Vol.29, No.1
All photos courtesy
of Ilya Raskin