Courtesy Miles B LubasMiami-based Field School is a marine science organization providing conservation education in a safe, supportive environment.
Lots of people want to be a marine biologist when they grow up. I love my job, and I love the amazing people I get to work with. Unfortunately, the job has a dark side, and harassment (or worse) is a big problem. Field School, a Miami-based floating classroom and marine science education organization, is here to help.
“We co-founded Field School as a result of so many students having experiences that weren’t safe, supportive or inclusive early in their careers,” says Dr. Catherine Macdonald, Field School’s director and the director of the University of Miami’s Shark Research and Conservation Program. “Creating environments where everyone can explore their scientific interests is important to science.”
Field School is perhaps best known for its weeklong liveaboard courses, during which students live and work together on Research Vessel Garvin while learning and practicing marine biology field research skills, especially shark research skills.
“Because my lab studies the biology and ecology of sharks, our primary focus is on teaching shark-relevant field research skills to everyone from high school learners to graduate students to mid-career folks looking to make a professional change,” Dr. Macdonald says.
Courtesy Brynne Casto
Inclusivity at Sea
The organization’s culture of inclusivity, of making sure everyone who wants to be a scientist has a safe and supportive place to learn those skills, manifests in many ways. One of which is partnering with Minorities in Shark Sciences (indeed, you can see R/V Garvin in the image on the previous “organizations divers should know” column that I wrote about MISS).
Courtesy Sarah Faestel
Field School also hosts “drag and tag,” a fundraiser for LGBTQ+ youth in Florida where participants can tag sharks with drag queens—one of whom has a Masters in Marine Biology. And because marine science education is expensive, every single Field School weeklong course includes at least one full-ride scholarship and usually some partial scholarships.
Field School is just one small team, and they know that they can’t fix problematic cultures in marine science on their own. But showing students that another way is possible has ripple effects as those students go on to work at other places.
“Students are increasingly challenging some of the problematic or exploitative circumstances that we experienced a decade ago,” Dr. Macdonald says. “Too many people give up on tackling big problems because they can’t solve them alone, when in reality, every person working to make things better can make a difference. Everyone can contribute, and anyone who says you can’t is invested in things staying the way they are.”
Courtesy Brynne Casto
Field School recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary and has no plans to slow down.
You can learn more by following Field School on Instagram, where the program advertises its liveaboard courses and associated scholarship opportunities.
