Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle (flickr.com )

Sylvia Earle is a marine biologist. Sylvia helped a lot of people understand the ocean. She also helped inspire women to do more than be housewives and to get better jobs.

Sylvia had a fascinating childhood. Sylvia was born on August 30, 1935, in Gibbstown, New Jersey. Her parents are Alice and Lewis Earle, and Sylvia had two brothers, Evan and Skip. Sylvia was the second child in the family. On the year 1938, the family moved to to an old farm, just outside of Paulsboro, New Jersey, because Alice and Lewis both grew up in the country, so they wanted their children to grow up in the country too. Sylvia would study the fish and plants in the ponds. When Sylvia was 12 years old, the family moved to Dunedin, Florida. Sylvia's new home was right by the Gulf of Mexico. On her birthday that year, her parents gave her new goggles as a present. When Sylvia was 17, she went to a marine biology class in the summer at Florida state university, where she met her instructor, Dr. Harold J. Humm, who also loves the marine world. At the time, scuba gear was invented. Dr. Humm wanted people to dive into the water instead of looking at animals and plants under a microscope. Dr. Humm's equipment consisted of glass bottom buckets, face masks, flippers, and, what Sylvia was excited about, scuba gear. They took a boat and went five miles off the shore of St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge. After that, Sylvia decided to spend her life scuba diving, so she wanted to be a marine biologist. She went to St. Petersburg Junior Collage, then to Florida State University. When she wanted to get a master degree, Sylvia chose to go to Duke because there were two things that Sylvia couldn't refuse- a full scholarship and a chance to study marine biology under Dr. Humm, since he was working there at the time. When Sylvia was 20, she married a zoologist named John Taylor. Afterwards, they moved to Dunedin, next door to Sylvia's parents. Even when she was married, Sylvia didn't want to stop trying to be a marine biologist. In 1960, Sylvia's first child, Elizabeth, was born. Two years later, Richie, the second baby, was born. As you can see, that was Sylvia Earle's childhood and background.

Sylvia made lots of accomplishments and contributions in her life. One accomplishment was when Sylvia was 20, she got her masters degree from Duke. Another accomplishment was when, on August 1964, Sylvia was offered a position on a research ship called Anton Brunn that was going to research the Indian Ocean. Dr. Humm recommended that Sylvia goes on because one of the botanists on there was unable to go. Sylvia was to replace the botanist on the ship. Sylvia ended up as the only woman on the ship. Her second accomplishment was the Tektite II. The mission was underwater with a group of five women, with Sylvia as the leader. The mission was to live in close quarters and exploring alien environments. Her third accomplishment was starting a company selling and making machines for underwater exploration and research.

There were some of challenges and obstacles in Sylvia's path. One thing that got in her way at Duke was that not all the people welcomed Sylvia. When Sylvia applied for a job as a teaching assistant, they said that such a job would be wasted on a female student that everybody knew was going to be a housewife in the end. Sylvia decided that she didn't want to be a teacher, she wanted to be the one who found animals and discovered them to show them that women could do better things too. The second challenge was that when Sylvia started the company, the company wasn't very known, so no one bought any machines. That ended when a Shell Oil company placed an order for one and more followed. As you can see, those ares some challenges that Sylvia faced.

Sylvia got plenty of honor and got a lot of recognition. One way she was honored is for discovering many new species of fish, algae, and other marine animals. She gave many lectures about the ocean and what it means to the earth. Most modern scientists now see her as a role model, instead of an untalented woman. As you can see, Sylvia got plenty of honor and recognition.

Sylvia have great qualities and traits. One quality is that Sylvia was brave. She shows that by kicking a shark when it got too close instead of swimming away or calling for help. Second, Sylvia is determined. She shows that by not giving up when men said that she couldn't be a marine biologist. The third quality is being dedicated. Sylvia shows that by working to be a marine biologist and finally became one. As you can see, those are three of Sylvia's many qualities.

There is an important lesson that young people could learn from Sylvia Earle. That lesson is to try to do what you dream to do. She told people that "she didn't set out to be an environmentalist, but she became one anyway." That meant that she hadn't set out to be an environmentalist, since she had wanted to be a marine biology teacher first. But in the end, she became a marine biologist, instead of a teacher. Sylvia told the people about her adventures and told them to not give up on their dreams. As you can see, that is what young people can learn from Sylvia.

In conclusion, Sylvia is an explorer, for discovering many different species of marine animals. That was Sylvia's childhood, accomplishments, and challenges