Some College Questions

[xXSilviaXx]

So I’m a senior in high school and I’m looking at colleges in my state, or at least the US, that have marine biology degrees. There’s plenty of options but I’d like to know if there was anywhere in the US where you can specialize in cephalopods? If not that then is there a way that I could either specialize or primarily work with cephalopods during or after college?

 

[tonmo]

I'm not sure of ceph-specific degrees, or even programs, but I'd expect the latter would exist. Our friends at MarineBio.org has a nice Education resource center:
https://www.marinebio.org/careers/

Would be interesting to hear from anyone else in the community on this -- at minimum, @xXSilviaXx, let us know how your search goes!

 

[Sorceras]

So I’m a senior in high school and I’m looking at colleges in my state, or at least the US, that have marine biology degrees. There’s plenty of options but I’d like to know if there was anywhere in the US where you can specialize in cephalopods? If not that then is there a way that I could either specialize or primarily work with cephalopods during or after college?

I took an undergraduate degree in zoology but now I am doing a PhD in a cephalopod focused subject; you don't have to start doing a marine biology degree to study cephalopods at a higher level. So I recommend you look into zoology degrees and ecology degrees as well because alot of the important skills (ecolgical theory, biodiversity knowledge, stats and the like) that being a marine biologist requires of you are also part of the toolbox for zoology and ecology degrees.

As to what University you should choose, I think you should go to the best university that has the degree you want to take and if you like the place that the University is in because after all the place is going to be your home for the next 3-4 years of your life. As to what you'll want to do after your college degree, you could always come to ALCES (Auckland lab for cephalopod ecology and systematics) in New Zealand, but I am being bit biased when I say that.

 

[tonmo]

you could always come to ALCES (Auckland lab for cephalopod ecology and systematics) in New Zealand, but I am being bit biased when I say that.

a deep TONMO history within that entity!

 

[PhylogenySquidFan10]

Like Sorceras said, you don't immediately need to "dive" right into a marine biology degree. I recommend following in the path of doing an Ecology, Biology, or Zoology degree at the Undergraduate level, and then proceeding to become more specialized as you go into a graduate program should you choose.

Also, like Sorceras, I am going to be attending Auckland University of Technology where ALCES is to do my PhD, and that is one of the best labs to get involved with cephalopod work as well has having an ocean nearby with tons of cephalopod biodiversity.


I would go to a school where you will be able to get a little bit of undergraduate lab work with cephalopods (do take note these please are few and far between) and than decide what you really want to do during your last two years of Undergrad.

There's a few labs that do cephalopod work that you could probably get involved with in Undergrad
1. Heather Judkins (University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus) - I know she takes Masters students but she may have undergraduate helpers.
2. Kat Bolstad & Heather Braid - Auckland University of Technology
3. Cliff Ragsdale - University of Chicago
4. Roger Hanlon - Difficult to get into but if you worked real hard in High School you might be able to! Marine Biological Laboratory/Brown University

And I am sure there are a few others you can look into.

 

[Sorceras]

a deep TONMO history within that entity!

Naturally, as all the squid we find are from the deep sea

 

[xXSilviaXx]

Thank you @Sorceras, @tonmo and @PhylogenySquidFan10 ! I've decided on some schools in my state, Georgia, that offer degrees in zoology and I'm going to do some research on them. If its possible for me after I graduate I would like to try to go to ALCES lol. How would I... go there? Like would I apply to AUT like a normal international student or? Sorry if I sound silly

 

[PhylogenySquidFan10]

Thank you @Sorceras, @tonmo and @PhylogenySquidFan10 ! I've decided on some schools in my state, Georgia, that offer degrees in zoology and I'm going to do some research on them. If its possible for me after I graduate I would like to try to go to ALCES lol. How would I... go there? Like would I apply to AUT like a normal international student or? Sorry if I sound silly

That's excellent that you were able to decide on schools in your state! Once you get done with Graduation, you can apply to ALCES as a normal international student which is not "too" hard there are some struggles to get through "VISAs, Graduate student application, and of course places to stay" but it is definitely more helpful with peoples assistance, and everyone at AUT is super helpful so you won't have much trouble.

If you ever have any hardcore questions I'm sure Heather Braid or Kat Bolstad can answer any ALCES specific questions regarding their lab.
Silly questions are sometimes the best questions so no worries there! Plus we are all cephalopod people so we are here to help one another

 

[Sorceras]

Thank you @Sorceras, @tonmo and @PhylogenySquidFan10 ! I've decided on some schools in my state, Georgia, that offer degrees in zoology and I'm going to do some research on them. If its possible for me after I graduate I would like to try to go to ALCES lol. How would I... go there? Like would I apply to AUT like a normal international student or? Sorry if I sound silly

That's really good that you're being forward thinking about this. Hope your search goes well.

How do you get into ALCES? I originally sent an email to Kat, near the end of my masters, and she sent me a form to fill out about the broad scope of my project idea; but she'll help you with that. You'll also need a student visa to get into NZ, which you can get from NZ immigration.

 

[mournblade]

So I’m a senior in high school and I’m looking at colleges in my state, or at least the US, that have marine biology degrees. There’s plenty of options but I’d like to know if there was anywhere in the US where you can specialize in cephalopods? If not that then is there a way that I could either specialize or primarily work with cephalopods during or after college?

I know Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA (literally in the middle of nowhere) has a marine biology program.