RAMP 2012 Expediton Scientist Profile –
John Burns, PhD Student at University of Hawaiʻi

John Burns. Credit: C. Wiener and M. Onuma

Role on the expedition:
Research Scientist

How I became interested in marine science:
I like the ocean a lot, so I get pretty psyched on anything marine. I got really interested in corals and figured the best way to stay in the ocean is to work with coral reefs. I am pretty fired up right now to be working in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; the whole experience has been pretty wild for me.

Why I love science:
I do not know if I love science as much as I love where science takes me and the experiences I get doing science. One thing I try to tell people interested in marine science is that we are not all in lab coats with goggles on watching bubbling chemicals. Science is really vague; there are all kinds of science. If you are interested in anything in the natural world you can use science to work in it and understand it better.

Advice for future marine scientists:
Yeah, it is a lot of fun! You get to be on boats like the NOAA ship Hiʻialakai that we are on right now, and go scuba diving. If you like being in the water, just work though the hard parts. It is just like any job, there are always going to be really difficult times, but there are also really fun times. With any experience there will be ups and downs, but the ups in marine science are pretty awesome. My final piece of advice is if you like being in the ocean, just push through the hard biology and chemistry classes.

Click here to go back to the Scientist Profiles.