Name:
Oscar Schofield

Position:
Biological Oceanographer

What I do:
I study phytoplankton, the tiny, single-celled plant that support much of the life found in the ocean. One or two months a year I go out to sea, where I deploy instruments to measure phytoplankton density. I also use robots and satellites to collect data.

What I like best about my job:
I have never been the smartest kid in my classes, but if I am interested in something, I work hard at it. I love this stuff. This isn't a job, this is a privilege. I have seen the sun rise on the frozen oceans of Antarctica. I've seen three-foot squid in the Bermuda Triangle, and I've skin-dived with basking sharks off California. I have freedom in my job. If I decide tomorrow I want to study something different, I can.