Famous Marine Biologists

Down through the years there have been many famous marine biologists that have shaped our understanding and appreciation of the sea life and organisms living within the world’s oceans. This page lists several notable figures through history that have made significant contribution to the life sciences.

How many of these names do you recognize?

List of Famous Marine Biologists:

The following list of scientists is definitely not complete, because their are literally thousands of scientific minds that have made contributions to the study, observation and protection of our oceans and its sea life.

However, the listing that follows lists many that are generally acknowledged by their peers, persons that have made beyond significant contributions to the life sciences.

• Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (June 1910 – June 1997): He was a co-inventer of the aqua lung and contributed much of his life to the exploration, filming and study of marine biology in all of the world’s oceans. He helped to bring modern underwater diving into the mainstream.
• Henry Bryant Bigelow, (1879-1967):
• Hans Hass: (1919-2013)
• Charles Darwin, (1809-1882):
• Uwe Kils:
• Samuel Stillman Berry:
• Ali Abdelghany:
• Ernst Haechel: (1834-1919)
• Martin W. Johnson:
• Rachel Carson, (1907-1964): American marine biologist and author who was employed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. She was concerned about conservation and influenced the creation of the U.S. Environment Protection Agency.
• Sylvia Earle, (Born 1935 ): She became the first female chief scientist of NOAA. She is helping us to protect ourselves by protecting the oceans to provide sustainable resources.
• Carl Chun: (1852-1914)
• Jakob Johan Adolf Appellof:
• Ed Ricketts:
• Johan Hjort:
• Ruth Turner:
• Georg Sars:
• August David Krohn:
• Takasi Tokioka:
• Charles Wyville Thompson, (1830-1882):
• Harald Rosenthal: Scottish marine biologist
• Bob Ballard, Undersea explorer:
• Martin Nweeia, Marine Mammal Biologist:
• Eugenie Clark: The Shark Lady

A career in marine biology may not equate to a lot of money for most marine biologists, it does bring a wealth of personal fulfillment and lifetime of great memories and experiences. The animals, organisms and sea life that abounds in our oceans and saltwater bodies of water is a natural resource that the world’s populations must keep intact so that mankind can survive and thrive.