As a child, many of us wanted to have an adventurous career in life, something that would give us a thrill. However, very few succeeded in doing so. One of the most famous dreams would be working in the deep blue sea. Marine scientists literally submerge themselves in a vast ecosystem to gain a better understanding of the organisms that live there. Liz Bentley Magee enjoys such a life of being marine scientist. She says,
“It is life changing to be able to breathe underwater and view these species in their natural habitats. It’s unlike anything you can experience on land.”
Magee is the coordinator of Three Seas Program. The Three Seas Program is an initiative by Northeastern University. It gives undergraduate students a unique opportunity to work in the marine biology field for an entire academic year. They dive in and collect data from three different marine ecosystems: Panama, Washington state, and Massachusetts. Evangeline Fachon, another coordinator said,
“Three Seas was awesome because it was a great way to explore different facets of ocean science. I learned just how much science you can do underwater. Underwater work is definitely hard, especially when what you are doing takes a lot of hard work and concentration.”
While the profession is alluring, it also requires a certain amount of caution and care. Due to the murkiness, visibility is very low below the water. The experience of being in a denser media with oxygen tanks mounted on your back can be a daunting experience. And because scientific divers typically carry more equipment than recreational divers, they need to be more aware of their surroundings.
Yet, researchers would hardly pass the opportunity to work underwater for anything else in the world. It is once in a life time experience for many of them.
Shraddha Patil.