Teresa Martin, marine biologist and researcher

What were the main “career decision” milestones in your life so far?

My only natural ability is to swim – which has now transpired into any sports related to water, i.e. surfing, scuba diving, sailing, etc. I belong to the Galway Sub-Aqua Club where I have achieved the status of Club Diver over the past few years. While abroad in Florida earlier this year I became a PADI Dive Master.

Having these scuba skills has furthered my employment aspects for freshwater and marine biology. I have already been able to use these skills and certifications to teach others about the underwater world and why it is important to protect it for generations to come.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

Yes it does. One does not go into freshwater and marine biology for the money but for the passion of giving back and protecting nature. As part of my job, I get paid to do underwater research whether it be specimen collections or underwater photography and what better reason to do my favorite sport – scuba diving!

However, this field does require long durations at sea in which you may only get a week’s notice. But, the sea is what I love and the bigger the waves the happier I am (but then again I might be a bit mad in the head there too…)

How did you go about getting your current job?

I went to Scotland for the training in Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) and Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) after my 2nd year in GMIT. This training and experience with the Irish Whale and Dolphin group helped me achieve an internship position at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, USA for a seven-month period. This opportunity was accepted as the mandatory work placement module for 3rd year at GMIT.

While at Mote I worked with the Manatee, Sea Turtle and Dolphin Research Departments, the Animal Care Hospital, Strandings Response Team, Public Education, and Summer Scuba Camp Programs. Upon returning to Ireland I took a part-time position as an aquarist at the Galway Atlantaquaria in Salthill, where I had previously worked as a volunteer last winter.

Describe a typical day

As an MMO most of your time is spent looking through a pair of binoculars or spotting scope either at sea or on headlines around the coast. These tasks are undertaken for various organizations mostly on a monthly basis and are usually assigned with limited notice, i.e. 24-72hrs. Passive Acoustic Monitoring is a more defined skill where a great deal of experience is needed for employment and I am still learning every day.

As a marine biology researcher most of your time is spent in front of a computer however, at least once a week field work is performed either by boat or land. This is when your skills are really tested, photo-identification is performed, and genetic samples are taken. These field days are quite long and exhausting but make the whole career worth it.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

As an MMO, my main duties are conducting at sea observations of marine mammals encountered within a 200m radius of the ship. This requires correct identification via binoculars or spotting scope, time, distance, type of behaviour, and numbers when possible.

As a manatee biologist I conduct aerial, land and boat based observations using photo-identification and genetic sampling methods. At the aquarium I assist other aquarists in the daily tasks of temperature and water pump checks, feeding tours, birthday parties, cleaning, quarantine and maintenance of all tanks throughout the day.

What are the main challenges?

Science is an ever-changing field with regard to new methods, techniques, and technology – therefore, it requires scientists to be on their toes and up to speed with the most current issues. On the other hand, you could be working on a technique that has never been performed before in your area or even country and that can be a challenge as it requires further research and assistance from others in that field.

What’s cool?

I get to paid to scuba dive, be at sea taking pictures of manatees, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and I get to tag sharks. When on shore I get to provide tours to people of all ages around the aquarium and show them what is living just on the other side of the prom in Salthill. 

What’s not so cool?

At sea living quarters are minimal – i.e. you share a small room of bunk beds with many other scientists or crew members. In rough seas it is even necessary to seat belt yourself into the bed so that you don’t fall out. In these situations someone is likely to get sick and then you have to concentrate on not doing the same. 

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

At the Atlantaquaria – I bring my marine mammal and scuba skills which are used for public presentations and cleaning the larger tanks. Most importantly I love going to work as it’s what I am most interested in and you never know what new question or experience the public will have that day when you are giving them a brief insight to the underwater world.

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

In secondary school I took as many science classes as possible – including biology, cell biology, physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, genetics, etc. I am not the best at physics or chemistry but knew it would be needed as core subjects for choosing a career in the sciences. All of these subjects plus maths gave be a great background for college where some of the core science subjects were repeated in 1st year.

What is your education to date?

Rocky Mountain High School in Colorado, USA; Honours Degree in Freshwater and Marine Biology at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland. Marine Mammal Observer, Passive Acoustic Monitoring, PAMGUARD (acoustic software program) and Protected Species Observer for the Gulf of Mexico  all completed in Scotland. Personal Safety Sea Survival course and Power Boating Licence 1 and 2 through BowWaves.

What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?

The external certification courses completed in Scotland have given me a competitive edge over other graduates in finding sub-contract work off-shore here in Ireland.

Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?

I plan on completing the BOSIET course in Aberdeen, Scotland within the next year – this course along with the ENG11 medical certification will entitle me to work 200m+ offshore from any country.

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

Working at Atlantaquaria in Galway, obtaining a work placement at Mote Marine Laboratory, and obtaining the status of Beach Patrol Officer for the Sea Turtle Research Department at Mote during Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtle Nesting Season 2011.

What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career?

I have always been outgoing, a bit fearless, and a leader. I am told that I am an honest and hard-working individual within the work place and that I will complete any task given to me even after-hours. It’s taken me a while to know what are I wanted to work in but now that I have found it, I will let nothing stand in the way of my dreams.

What is your dream job?

I would like to work at sea for 2-3 years either on a fishing or research vessel. I would love to go on an Antarctic Expedition and work with the Great White Sharks in South Africa. Overall, if I can make some money doing what I love then that’s all that matters.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

You need to have a deep appreciation and love for water. If you don’t like getting or being wet – this job is not for you! You also need a tough stomach as this job entails a lot of dissections and necropsies.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Any lifeguard, boating, fishing, or volunteer position working with people of any age would be beneficial. As a biologist you need to be able to get on with people, follow directions, and take criticism. Most aquariums and marine stations take work experience candidates who are still in secondary school and applying for these would provide the best ‘taster” for a freshwater or marine biology job.

Dr Barbara Fogarty, Advanced marine technology research

What were the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

In secondary school my career guidance counsellor helped me to identify environmental science and technology as an area I was interested in for future study. We found a relevant degree course in Sligo Institute of Technology and I applied through the CAO.

It was a very interesting degree, with field work and a summer work placement. I also worked in other non-science jobs while I was in college to help pay the rent as I lived away from home.

While I enjoyed my real-world work experience, it highlighted for me that qualifications can give you more career options in life and can also allow you to progress up the career ladder to interesting and well-paid jobs more quickly.

When I finished my degree I applied for a Masters in Environmental Analytical Chemistry in Limerick Institute of Technology.

The subject of the research project sounded very interesting to me and after two years researching the topic, I decided to apply to continue on to do a PhD which in total took four years to complete.

It involved a lot of hard work, many laughs, a few tears and many evenings and weekends working in the lab to get the project finished.

As part of my PhD studies I also got the opportunity to research in the Institute of Technology Tallaght in Dublin for a year and travelled to the University of Kansas for six months to collaborate with an American Group on my research topic.

What did you do after your PhD?

When I finished my PhD, I was invited by the Professor I had worked for in the US to return there to carry out postdoctoral research and was delighted to take up the opportunity.

I had always intended to return home to Ireland, so after three years in the US I started to look for a job in my area of expertise. I applied for a job in Tyndall National Institute in Cork on the development of integrated sensor systems, where I worked for four years.

More recently I was awarded the position of National Coordinator in Advanced Marine Technologies.  My position is funded by the Marine Institute and involves the creation of a multi-disciplinary and industry-orientated group working on information and communication technologies that will be used in marine related sectors.

Ireland has 220 million acres of land under the sea (nine times our land area) and this represents a huge opportunity for us to develop new technologies to manage and develop a wealth of chemical, mineral and biological resources in a sustainable way.

The combination of innovative technologies and our marine resources can be harnessed to help support the Irish economy and create a variety of new jobs across a range of sectors.

Who had the most influence on your career direction?

My parents always encouraged me to do my best and to pursue whatever course I was interested in.  They also encouraged me to make use of all the resources available to me before I made a decision regarding the next step in my career.

That started in school with talking to my teachers and career guidance counsellor, and continued with my lecturers and student career centre in college.

For my PhD, I was very lucky to find a research topic that I enjoyed, but most importantly I was very fortunate to have two supervisors who were always available to guide me and who gave me every opportunity to advance my career.

I have had several good mentors throughout my career who I now consider friends and I still go back to for advice every now and then.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

I work from 9 to 5.30pm but this can vary, depending on what project I am working on at the time. Sometimes I have to work late or work at weekends, so I have to be flexible.

I travel around Ireland a lot, meeting industry people and academic groups working on the development of new technologies.  I travel to Europe and the US every so often to conferences and network meetings and to identify new contacts for Irish researchers and companies to work with.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

I meet industrial and academic researchers on a regular basis to understand their technology capabilities and to support them in the development of new projects that will help develop their business and research goals.

Target applications of the technology under development include those in the areas of shipping transport, security and logistics, aquaculture, environmental monitoring, water/resource management, offshore installations and marine renewable energy.

I also monitor the progress of currently funded technology research projects and support researchers across Ireland in their efforts to fund their research ideas by submitting grant applications to national and international funding programmes.

What are the main challenges?

I work in a multi-disciplinary environment. This means that I work with a variety of scientists, engineers, business people and government agencies all working on different kinds of technologies.

The challenge is to understand their technology capabilities, expertise and needs and then to facilitate the development of new collaborative projects in the area of marine and environment related sectors.

Very often we find that we have been trying to explain similar things to each other but in a different way!

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

When selecting my Leaving Cert subjects, I picked the ones I was most interested in. As I studied Physics for the Leaving Cert, I only had one science subject when I got to college.

I felt like I had more work to do in order to catch up with other students who had taken two subjects.  In hindsight I am happy with the choices I made, though, as they got me to where I am today. I think sticking to what you are interested in is generally the best way to go.

What is your education to date?

• Leaving and Junior Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Technology
• Doctorate of Philosophy in Environmental Analytical Chemistry

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to get though a PhD but I really enjoyed it and got a lot from it. I received several awards at conferences for talking about my research, which I am very proud of.

I also applied for and was awarded travel grants to help me pay to attend conferences and present my research. I have some part-time lecturing and demonstration experience.

It is always very satisfying when students understand a new concept thanks to your explanation. I really enjoy helping younger scientists to achieve all they can in their career.

More recently I am working on the development of an innovation cluster, involving industry and academic researchers working on technology development for the marine environment.

The aim of the cluster is to help drive economic growth in the area of smart green technologies, and if successful it will help to create new job opportunities in Ireland across a range of sectors.

What advice would you give to someone considering your particular job?

You would need a degree in science and either a masters or preferably a PhD in science or engineering, with a focus on technology development.

You need to be a good communicator and be able to give technical presentations on a regular basis.  You need to be open to new ideas and be able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.

Good writing skills are also important, as a key element of my current role includes report and strategy preparation.  You need to be able to multi-task and work on multiple projects at once.

A multi-disciplinary science qualification can open a lot of doors and gives you a wide range of career options.

I could work in industry, in academia, or for the government in a number of different roles. People I went to college with are now working in a wide variety of different jobs.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Many kinds of laboratories offer work placements over the summer including academic and government laboratories.  Transition Year students often visit labs and facilities for a week or so, and undergraduate students typically stay for the summer months to see what it would be like to work there.

Placement with a relevant industry would also be great experience to see what is involved.  It is a good way to get a feel for a job and whether or not you would be interested in it. It also shows employers that you have been thinking about what you want to do when you finish school.

With the Government’s recent strategy on the development of the “Smart Green Economy”, there are likely to be an increasing number of jobs for science and engineering graduates in Ireland and around the world.

There are already many successful Irish companies selling technology-enabled products and services all over the world today.

We are also lucky to have many of the top international technology companies based in Ireland who are currently employing thousands of science and engineering graduates.

A qualification in science will give you a variety of career options and open many doors – the rest is up to you!