You're in the tropical South Pacific swimming with dozens of dolphins in cerulean waters sparkling in the sun's 90-degree heat. No, this isn't a luxury vacation; this is your full-time job as a marine scientist.

From large marine mammals to the smallest species of plankton, from freshwater marshes to the deepest depths of the ocean, fisheries scientists and oceanographers study all aspects of the marine environment. Research, more often than not, requires scientists to be on location to collect data, so most scientists go to sea or otherwise do field research at least once in their careers.

"It's an environmental science, so it combines a lot of different aspects: environmental awareness with science with the adventure aspect," said Evelyn Lessard, biological oceanographer and associate professor in the UW School of Oceanography.

While marine scientists working at the UW are often employed in the duties of teaching students and writing papers, they are by no means confined to their offices for the duration of their careers.

"I worked in this beautiful field station in north Wisconsin," said Tim Essington, marine biologist and aquatic and fishery science assistant professor. "A lot of people were paying money to stay in similar environments, and this was my job."

The nature of the job requires marine scientists to be on location to gather data for specific research projects. This means going to locations as varied as the tropical South Pacific, the Antarctic and the Bering Sea.

Oceanographers and fisheries scientists use many skills in their jobs because oceanography has historically been an interdisciplinary science. Becoming an oceanographer doesn't mean that students have to be experts in biology, geology, chemistry and physics, but a firm grounding in the sciences with a specialization in a certain branch prepares a student to tackle oceanography at the graduate level.

Although oceanography is usually studied at a graduate level, there are a few undergraduate programs in the United States, including a program at the UW, which is regarded as one of the best undergraduate oceanography programs in the nation, Lessard said.

An important distinction to make between oceanography and fisheries sciences is that they are two completely different fields of study dealing with the same aquatic environment.

"Each has a focus but broadly speaking, oceanography looks at the physical environment and the chemistry and, to some extent, the biology of plankton in the ocean," said Vincent Gallucci, UW fishery sciences professor. "Fisheries has a focus on the aquatic organisms that are larger than plankton: the fish and invertebrates that exist in both marine and freshwater environments."

Scientists working with the ocean often have similar responsibilities, despite the different scientific schools. Field research and lab research remains a firm commitment for any scientist and obtaining funding for this research also consumes a healthy amount of time. Teaching classes and mentoring graduate students are also important job duties, although scientists working with aquatic environments are by no means limited to academia.

"Lots of people use oceanography as a springboard to a lot of other things," Lessard said.

Employment opportunities can be found in a number of different working environments including federal and private research labs, marine policy organizations and environmental organizations.

There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduates with an interest in the ocean to start working toward a career in one of the marine sciences. Working in a lab with a professor or interning in a program related to marine sciences allows a student to get personal experience that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. There are even opportunities to go on research cruises.

Finding out about these cruise or internship opportunities can be tough, but the University faculty is one resource any aspiring marine scientist can look to for help.

"Professors are basically affection starved," Gallucci said. "They really do want students to come ask questions and hang out after class. So talk to them; they're the greatest resource, even more so than the library."

Establishing a rapport with professors and having the necessary interest in the sciences are both essential to advancing toward a career in the marine sciences, but there are other factors to consider as well.

"You have to be the kind of person who can be adaptive," Essington said, referring to research cruises. "You're dealing with a lot of people in a small space. You're crammed in there for three weeks, so you have to be able to deal with all kinds of personalities."

Stepping into the shoes of a marine scientist might not be everybody's dream, but the UW does have undergraduate and graduate programs, the geographic access to the sea and its own research vessel for those who are looking to enter the field.

Choosing a major can be a tough decision, and even marine scientists didn't always know they were going to marine scientists.

"There's a lot of serendipity in where you end up. I never thought I'd end up being a marine biologist," Essington said. "I thought I was going to go to med school. Just be open to lots of possibilities. Life can throw a lot of interesting things at you."

[Reach reporter Andrew Doughman at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]