Sign in
Marine Scientist / Biologist (2-5 years old)
Hello, my name is Kate Larkin. I am a marine scientist, which means that I study the ocean and the plants and animals that live in it. Some people call me also a marine biologist. I started working in EMODnet in 2019. Since 2023, I work as Head, which means that I lead the people who work at EMODnet.
To become a marine scientist, I first went to university where I studied Natural Sciences that focused on Biology and Geology. We study biology when we study life, and we study geology when we study the Earth. I did this by studying at the University of Birmingham and the University of Southampton. These are cities in the United Kingdom. A university is last level of school that one can go to. That is where I completed my PhD as well. A PhD is the highest studies you can complete in a university. To get my PhD I had to write a paper about deep-sea chemistry.
Meet the professional
The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is a network of European organisations working together to observe the oceans, gather information about it which is called “marine data”, and share this information with everyone. The aim of EMODnet is to find out more about things in the ocean that people do not know much about yet and then share that information with everyone.
Watch the interview
Skills
Curiosity
"Stay curious, ask questions, and observe (watch carefully) the natural world."
Data analysis
"Gathering, studying, and understanding information."
Communication and collaboration
"How to share information with many different people in a way they understand."
Consulting
"Giving advice and information in a way that people can understand."
Leadership
"Making hard decisions sometimes and helping team members when needed. It also means working together with everyone on the team to achieve shared goals."
Advice to take away
My advice is to choose a STEM topic or subject that really interests you. You do not need to specialise or focus on just one thing too early. Exploring everything I found interesting was very helpful in my job as a marine scientist. If you already have things that you really like, this is already great! Then, after you become good at what you studied, you can start becoming very skilled along the way.
If you want to become a marine scientist, try learning as many things as possible about the oceans and marine life (animals and plants in the sea). This is important because marine science is a very big field. You might want to work on projects that help save sea animals or become a leader (someone who guides others) and share your knowledge instead. In any case, try to practice your skills as much as possible.
Check out the materials
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Also supported by Scientix®, an initiative of European Schoolnet.