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Careers in the Sustainable Blue Economy
Career pathways into science
Exploring Science Careers in the Sustainable Blue Economy
The Sustainable Blue Economy encompasses many sectors related to the ocean, fresh water, ice (the cryosphere) and wastewater. Like any growing sector, strong and robust science is needed to underpin the decisions we make to ensure that blue growth is sustainable.
Below, we profile ten scientists from across Canada contributing knowledge and innovation to help underpin the Sustainable Blue Economy. Watch the videos to learn about their work, and to gain some tips from their own career pathways.
To dive deeper into an exploration of your own (or your students’) career pathways,
you can access a free inquiry guide.
Click on a name below to jump to a career profile:
Amanda Savoie: Seaweed Researcher
Brian Hunt: Biological Oceanographer
Kathleen MacGregor: Marine Ecology Researcher
Lyne Morissette: Marine Biologist
Maeva Gauthier: Human Geographer and Marine Ecologist
Amanda Savoie
Seaweed Researcher
Canada has the longest coastline in the world, and much of that coastline is an important habitat for red algae, a group of seaweed. Amanda Savoie studies the species diversity, biogeography, and systematics of seaweed as a research scientist at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Brian Hunt
Biological Oceanographer
Brian Hunt has studied the distribution of species in many different habitats: land, freshwater, and the ocean. As a biological oceanographer at the University of British Columbia, he now studies free-moving ocean-dwelling animals spanning interests in the South Pacific, New Zealand, Mediterranean, North Pacific, Antarctic and the Arctic.
Joel Gibson
Entomologist
Joel Gibson is the curator of the Entomology Collection at the Royal BC Museum where he studies the insects that live on the shorelines of British Columbia and other areas. He has had a varied career from teacher to DNA-based biodiversity assessor. Watch the video to learn what he enjoys about being a museum curator and why studying biodiversity is so important.
Julie Laroche
Biologist
Julie Laroche is a biology professor at Dalhousie University where she develops and applies approaches to study how marine microbes and biochemical processes are affected by global climate change. More specifically, she studies how phytoplankton and marine bacteria are affected by increases in temperature and acidity.
Kathleen MacGregor
Marine Ecology Researcher
Kathleen MacGregor is a postdoctoral researcher at Laval University. She is interested in the interactions between an organism and its environment, and her research focuses on the role that behaviour plays in modifying these interactions. Watch the video to learn about her discoveries in the Arctic and the many skills she employs in her career.
Lyne Morissette
Marine Biologist
Lyne Morissette is a marine ecologist, mediator, and marine mammals & ecosystems expert. She studies many marine species and works on diverse problems that marine species and the oceans face. Watch the video to learn how she approaches problem solving through outreach, adaptability, and working together with others.
Maeva Gauthier
Human Geographer and Marine Ecologist
Maeva Gauthier wears many hats as a PhD Candidate in geography at the University of Victoria, as a human geographer, a marine ecologist, a communicator, and an entrepreneur. She works to bring northern youth voices to table with Canadian leaders. Watch the video to learn about her varied experiences and winding career path.
Monica Young
Acarologist
Monica Young is interested in patterns of biodiversity and the evolutionary history of life, especially at a molecular level. Today she works at the National Collection of Insects, Arachnids & Nematodes where she studies soil-dwelling mites using DNA meta-barcoding. Watch her video to hear her recommendations for following in her footsteps.
Paul Smith
Arctic Birds Researcher
Paul Smith is a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada where he studies the ecology and conservation of Arctic birds and their habitat. He’s interested in understanding how changes in Earth’s climate are impacting species. Watch the video to learn how he collects data and about the surprising skills he uses in his work.
Paul Sokoloff
Botanist
Paul Sokoloff is a senior research assistant at the Canadian Museum of Nature in the botany collection. His work involves cataloguing plant and lichen biodiversity in the Arctic and beyond. Watch the video to learn the kind of research questions he tries to answer and the methods he uses to answer them.