Welcome to the Department of Marine
and Environmental Systems (DMES), which administers the programs
in oceanography, ocean engineering, and environmental sciences (including
meteorology). This unique combination of science, engineering, and
management provides the interface necessary to meet the challenge
of maintaining our high standard of living without compromising the
environment in which we live. Ocean engineers must design more efficient
and safer systems with which to obtain valuable resources from the
sea, to provide effective transportation systems, to protect coastal
areas from storms and erosion, and to provide the Navy with state
of the art systems to maintain peace and protect maritime interests.
Oceanographers and environmental scientists are responsible for studying
physical, chemical, geological and biological systems, so they may
advise the engineers, managers and politicians how to work in harmony
with environment and not against it. Meteorologists study, analyze
and forecast the weather; conduct research in climatology, atmospheric
electricity and remote sensing; and interact with oceanographers,
ocean engineers, and other scientists, engineers and managers on
atmospheric aspects of the earth system.
This short introduction aims to:
- Define the activities of
the four disciplines
- Provide you with post-graduation
opportunities for each discipline
- Introduce you to the faculty,
staff and their activities
THE OCEANOGRAPHER
Oceanography is the science that deals with
the ocean environment. It involves gathering knowledge and understanding
in the areas of biology, coastal zone management, chemistry, geology,
meteorology and physics related to the oceans. Biological oceanography
is the study of the multitude of plants and animals of the oceans,
their interactions with one another and their interaction with the
ocean environment. Coastal zone management applies sound scientific
and engineering knowledge to sustaining environmental quality where
the land meets the sea. Chemical oceanography is the study of natural
and human-induced chemical components in the sea and their influence
on marine organisms and the environment. Geological oceanography
includes the study of the processes that formed the ocean basins
and dunes, and sediment transport and deposition. Physical oceanography
includes the study of waves, currents and tides and their influence
on beaches, inlets and coastal structures. All options in oceanography
take the same basic core courses, so it is important to have a strong
background in science and mathematics, including chemistry, physics
and precalculus or calculus, if possible. In your junior and senior
year at Florida Tech, you will take basic courses and labs in each
of the oceanography disciplines. During the summer following the
junior year, you will take Marine Field Projects, which is designed
to give you real-life experience in field and laboratory studies;
this includes a 4-day cruise aboard the R/V Delphinus.
Subject areas of common interest to oceanographers
include the following:
- Coastal erosion: inlets,
shorelines, sediments transport
- Marine habitats: seagrass,
coral reefs, water column
- Water quality/pollution:
pesticides, sewage, turbidity, red tides, eutrophication
- Artificial reefs: composition,
structure, impact, utilization
- Deep sea chemistry: hydrothermal
vents, submarine volcanism
- Remote sensing: vegetation,
wetlands, productivity, ocean circulation
- Air-sea interaction: meteorology,
surface currents, storms, wave generation
- Waste management: characterization,
utilization, disposal
- Global environment: population,
resources, habitats
- Marine meteorology: winds,
precipitation, hurricanes, climate change
- Earth system science: role of the hydrosphere
in global change
What are the Degree Requirements
While all options take the same basic oceanography core courses, each option
has complementary courses which make it unique. All options take at least
one year each of calculus, chemistry, and physics and at least one semester
of biology. Students in the Biological Oceanography option take the freshman
year of biology plus invertebrate zoology and may select other courses in
biology as technical electives. Both Biological and Chemical Oceanographers
take organic chemistry, but the Chemical Oceanography majors take additional
chemistry beyond organic. Physical Oceanography majors require additional
courses in mathematics, physics, and dynamical oceanography, and Coastal
Zone Management add business and economic courses to their studies.
Where Do You Go From Here
While most of our graduates go into the work force, a number go on to graduate
school. Our graduates have been accepted into graduate programs at major
oceanographic institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University
of Rhode Island, and Texas A&M. With an oceanography degree, you will
possess skills in many areas making you more marketable for a wider range
of job opportunities than those more narrowly trained. Oceanographers may
work for environment consulting firms and private and public research organizations;
others are employed by local, state or federal government agencies engaged
in environmental and/or pollution studies.
THE OCEAN ENGINEER
Ocean engineering is a multidisciplinary field
that blends elements of naval architecture, marine engineering, civil
engineering, oceanography and marine meteorology to address the special
problems of working in the ocean and on the ocean floor. Ocean engineers
deal with the design, construction, operation and maintenance of:
- Mobile and fixed exploration
and production platforms
- Port and coastal facilities
- Ocean pipelines
- Deep water mooring and underwater
vehicles
- Habitats
- Instrumentation and protection of marine
materials
The Department of Marine and Environmental Systems
combines the expertise of ocean scientists, engineers and managers.
Engineers must not only devise means of utilizing the ocean’s
resources to meet humankind’s expanding needs, but do so in ways
that protects the environment and conserve its resources.
There are many challenges facing the ocean engineer.
For example, development of coastal areas has required beach stabilization,
the construction of ports, breakwaters and recreational facilities;
the offshore oil industry is looking at more cost effective and safer
ways to extract hydrocarbons from the reserves lying under the seabed,
using subsea systems and remotely operated and autonomous vehicles;
oil tankers are being designed with double bottoms to reduce the
risks associated with accidents, such as the Exxon Valdez in Prince
William Sound (1989) and the Braer in the Shetland (1993); the Navy,
merchant marine, and recreational boat industry are investigating
new hull designs and construction materials to produce faster and
more economic ships; hydrographic engineers conduct marine surveys
to make nautical charts, predict sediment transport, and locate objects
on the sea floor, such as wreckage from TWA Flight 800 (1996).
What can I do in Florida Tech’s Ocean
Engineering program?
- Coastal engineering
- Hydrographic engineering
- Shipbuilding
- Oil exploration
- Underwater technology
- Naval architecture
- Ocean surveying
- Marine materials/Corrosions
studies
- Boat design
- Ocean instrument design
What can I do with a degree in ocean engineering?
Work at places like the following, where Florida Tech graduates have been hired:
- Maritime Administration
- Indian River County, Fla.
- Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Navy Coast Guard
- Ingalls Shipyard
- SonTek
- Newport News Shipbuilding
and Drydock
- Western Geophysical
Or you can continue your education in graduate
studies at schools, such as:
- University of Rhode Island
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Florida Atlantic University
- Texas A&M University
- Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Environmental science is the area of applied
science concerned with the relationship between human activities
and the supporting environment. Environmental scientists provide
the scientific framework for rational environmental decisions. The
program is solidly based on course work in biology, chemistry, humanities,
mathematics and physics, combined with specialized environmental
sciences and engineering courses. Theoretical concepts are reinforced
by laboratory programs and multimedia field studies.
What can you study in Florida Tech’s Environmental
Science program:
- Aquatic biology: natural
systems and the impact of man
- Aquatic chemistry: water
contamination and interactions with biological systems
- Air pollution: natural and
man-made pollutants
- Solid and hazardous wastes:
recycling and conservation
- Remote sensing: studying
the earth from satellites and aircraft
- Meteorology: weather effects
What can you do when you graduate?
Find jobs such as:
- Environmental planner, chemist
or resource manager
- Wetlands specialist
- Meteorologist
- Recycling manager
- Aquatic biologist
- Graduate school
At companies such as:
- U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
- Florida Water Management
Districts
- Dynamac at Kennedy Space
Center
- Walt Disney World Inc.
- Florida Department of Environmental
Protection
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
THE METEOROLOGIST
Meteorology is that area of the environmental
sciences concerned with the effects of earth’s atmosphere on
human activities and the effect of humankind on the air. The program
is solidly based on course work in chemistry, humanities, mathematics
and physics, combined with specialized environmental science and
meteorology courses. This combination of sciences and humanities,
coupled with technical electives during the junior and senior years,
allows the meteorology major to build a strong foundation with enough
flexibility to meet his or her individual interests. Theoretical
concepts are reinforced by laboratory programs and multimedia field
studies, and by a summer project between the junior and senior years.
Central Florida is a transition zone between
a tropical climate to the south and a humid subtropical climate to
the north. The Florida Peninsula is surrounded by oceanic currents
of the Gulf Stream System that modify the state’s weather, which
is punctuated by thunderstorms, lightning and hurricanes. The Cape
Canaveral area, where Florida Tech is located, has numerous atmospheric
sciences activities, including the NEXRAD facility of the NOAA National
Weather Service, the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Weather Squadron,
the NASA Kennedy Space Center, the Florida Solar Energy Center, and
several major engineering companies. Finally, the broadcast facilities
of National Public Radio station WFIT add to the educational experience.
What Can You Do at Florida Tech?
- Interact with meteorologists
from NOAA National Weather Service, NASA Kennedy Space Center,
the U.S. Air Force, National Hurricane Center and the Florida Solar
Energy Center
- Study with ocean scientists
and engineers, climatologists, aviators, hydrologists and environmentalists
- Investigate weather in space
and on other planets
- Marine meteorology cruises
on board the 60 ft. R/V Delphinus
- Analyze information from
satellites, radar, ships, rockets, balloons and aircraft
- Broadcast the weather on
National Public Radio Station WFIT
What Can You Do With Your Meteorology Degree?
- Weather forecasting for rocket
launches, aviation, agriculture, maritime, and other activities
- Prevention, investigation
and prediction of natural hazards damage
- Government civil and military
operations and support physical oceanography, severe storms and
computer modeling of climate and weather
- Television or radio weather
broadcasting
- Professional membership in
the American Meteorology Society
- Graduate school
New Undergraduate Student Guidebook
Florida Institute of Technology • College
of Engineering
DEPARTMENT OF MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
Science • Engineering • Management
