- Dr. Steve Gittings
- Topside Scientist
Science Coordinator, National Marine Sanctuary Program
I don’t know why, but it has always been about water with me. I swam not long after walking, through high school and college, and still do after nearly 50 years. As a kid living on Lake Erie, I sailed too far from land on many occasions in an 11 foot, foam-filled plastic boat, something that, as an adult, I can’t believe my parents let me do. I stayed on my family’s cabin cruiser all summer as a teenager, learned to dive in high school, was a lifeguard and pool manager for several years, and did a stint in the Coast Guard. Then I studied as much marine science as you can find at land-locked Westminster College in western Pennsylvania – all thanks to an inspirational professor named Clarence Harms who was falling in love with oceanography at about the same time.
I went to graduate school at Texas A&M University and was exposed by a second mentor, Dr. Tom Bright, who took me on boats, ships, submarines, and helicopters to study and learn what it meant to protect sensitive ecosystems from undue harm caused by careless people.
As a professional, I have been one of the lucky ones who continues to make a living doing what they love (sometimes, of course, I have to remind myself of that!). I work with scientists all over the country who work to understand what makes the oceans tick. Mostly I work with the national marine sanctuaries to figure out what types of creatures are in them, how abundances are changing, what natural processes affect their condition, and what can be done to reduce human impacts on the oceans. We deal with things like adjusting ship traffic patterns to reduce the risk of collisions with whales, deciding how best to clean up oil spills when they happen, and proposing ways to protect newly discovered special places in the ocean.
On this mission, I am going to lead a team that will assess the condition of corals, sponges, algae, and fish on Conch Reef. I have done three missions in Aquarius in the past, each time doing this type of work. This time around, I won’t be saturating, but will follow up on the previous work. Afterward, we will hopefully know more about the long-term changes that are taking place on this magnificent study site.
