Marine microbiology is the study of microorganisms that exist in saltwater environments, including the deep ocean, coastal waters, estuaries, marine surfaces, and seafloor sediments. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, these resilient microorganisms (or “microbes”) have evolved to survive in various conditions, including extremes of temperature, currents, light, pressure, and nutrients. Marine microbiology is one of the many specialized areas of microbiology, but for “ocean connection” purposes, certainly one of the most relevant. And because microbes comprise almost ninety-eight percent of the ocean’s biomass, supply more than half the world’s oxygen, and are the major processors of the world’s greenhouse gases, marine microbiology is not just one of the most critical areas of microbiology, but all the marine sciences.
As a marine microbiologist, you will be at the forefront of discovery and helping to unlock the mysteries of the ocean. And, just perhaps, the solution to climate change.