May 16, 2020 – Our Changing Oceans: What’s Really Happening?
Theresa Schemmer, Stony Brook University.
Human activities and natural processes are constantly changing the ocean conditions. But how can we figure out just what is happening to the animals living in the mysterious blue depths? Meet with scientists who are studying how the ocean is changing, and what it means for life under the sea!
Interviewing Teresa
Where did you go to school?
I got my Bachelor’s in Marine Biology at the University of Rhode Island, and I highly recommend it. While I was there I also got to study abroad at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences for a semester. This is where I first learned about ocean acidification, and I even got to do an experiment measuring growth of corals in normal vs. low pH levels. Living in Bermuda for 3 months was an amazing experience, and nothing can beat scuba diving for class every week!
What is your area of research?
I study how ocean acidification, the changing ocean chemistry caused by carbon dioxide emissions, affects fishes. I am interested in the specific effects low pH has on how a fish’s body functions, and how those effects might scale up to affect entire populations of fishes that humans rely on for food.
Who or what inspired you to become involved in marine science?
My entire family has always loved the beach and the ocean, and my mom inspired me to be a scientist. I figured marine science was the best way to become a scientist like her, while getting to be near the ocean all the time.
What qualities do you think are important in order to become a scientist?
I don’t believe there are any innate qualities a person must have to be a scientist. You also don’t have to work in a lab or even have a science-based career to be a scientist – there are plenty of opportunities for citizen science, too. All it really takes is an interest and the curiosity to learn more about that interest.
Why is your research topic important?
Ocean acidification is just one of the many stressful conditions that humans are making worse in the oceans. As a result of our actions, seafood and the lives depending on it are threatened. I hope that my research can be used to help inform policies that will reduce these effects and save our important natural resources.
What will you be bringing with you to the “meet with an Oceanographer” day?
I will bring some of the tiny fish larvae that I dyed purple with a special combination of solutions to show the cells the fish might use to deal with ocean acidification.
What is the best advice you have for people interested in becoming involved in your field of research or in marine sciences?
If you are a student looking to study marine science, do not be scared off by the difficult classes (physics and organic chemistry, for me!). The experiences you can have in marine science are worth all of the hard work. If you want to get involved on a volunteer basis, look for organizations such as Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Nature Conservancy, and the Audubon Society that need help from volunteers. There are often ways to get involved with little to no experience. http://longislands
What is your favorite ocean organism?
The Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is the coolest and cutest marine organism in the world! They are only found in the Galapagos Islands, and they alternate laying in the sun to get warm then diving in the cold water to eat algae.