Matthias is Professor of Oceanography in the School of Chemistry, Physics & Earth Sciences at Flinders University in South Australia. He is also the Director of the Flinders Institute for Atmospheric and Marine Sciences.

Oceanography

Half-way through my university undergraduate studies, about 1962. I began university studies with the aim to become a high school science teacher but became interested in oceanography from lectures.

I have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

How long did it take you to get the necessary qualifications?

13 years schooling plus 8 years university

Preparing or giving a lecture or tutorial to an undergraduate class, discussing progress of thesis research with graduate students who I supervise, attending meetings of university committees (Faculty, Promotion, Higher Degrees etc.) and trying and do some research of my own.

Teaching skills: ability to explain sometimes difficult topics in terms matched to the audience

Research skills: ability to analyse data collected at sea, to interpret them and to use theory to explain them

Inter personal skills: ability to give guidance and encouragement to students

Judgement skills: ability to fairly assess peoples' capabilities, strengths and weaknesses in decisions relating to their careers (promotion etc.)

Administrative skills: ability to manage a research budget
Personnel management skills: from the supervision of students to organising workshop and science teams and making sure that everyone works together in an enjoyable environment.

I have always had an interest in explaining things, and I am generally a supporter of young people who constitute our future. I therefore was particularly happy that after nearly 20 years in research I could secure employment in a teaching position in 1984. I enjoy teaching and seeing the result of good lecture delivery.

Unfortunately the pressure on university lecturers has been increasing over the last decade. Two colleagues and I now deliver the lectures which 4 years ago were delivered by 5 staff members. Class sizes have grown, and the level of student preparedness has gone down dramatically, particularly in mathematics. This makes it much harder to derive enjoyment from teaching today. I still enjoy most of the topics I have to teach, though.

I have always had an interest in understanding how the ocean works, what produces its currents and water masses and how it interacts with the atmosphere. Given the difficult conditions in university teaching today, I would say that I now derive most of my enjoyment in my job from my research and from the international recognition which it brings.

A boundless source of enjoyment is the fact that doing research in oceanography means going to sea to study it. I have been on ships in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans and will not forget a single voyage. Whether it is the endless sky, glassy seas or towering waves, whales blowing or seals circling the ship - the earth is an amazing place!

Oceanographers at work: Prof Tomczak and colleagues launch an instrument from Australia's former national research vessel, the Franklin. Read about the voyages of the Franklin, the CSIRO National Facility Research Vessel

The political situation is such that universities are under immense pressure to cut resources and compete for students. This has led to a situation where a new type of administrator with low academic credentials but a zest for rationalisation is now running the universities. Trying to maintain a sense of sanity in the everyday administration is the most frustrating aspect of my job.

Oceanography is an international field of science. I have had offers from universities and research institutions in Australia, Europe and the USA.

Personally, I value the freedom to arrange my work as I please. I do much of my research sitting at home in a comfortable chair and maybe having a drink.

The greatest disadvantage is that I have very little control over what I teach nowadays. The courses I have to give are now prescribed by administrators.

The atmosphere and the ocean act together to maintain our climate. Understanding how our climate varies over decades or how it changes over the next century is impossible without understanding the ocean. Oceanographers now understand the oceanic circulation much better than ten years ago. I contributed to that improvement of our understanding by measuring and describing major current systems and observing and explaining how water masses from different parts of the world ocean mix.

We need to understand what controls our climate and to what degree human activity impacts on it. This is particularly so for Australia, which is strongly affected by climate variability such as El Niño.

I hope to have retired from my university position and can concentrate on oceanographic research as an Emeritus Professor. I also hope to be able to teach graduate students in topics of my own choice.

If you wish to ask Matthias for additional information, you can email UniServe Science and we will contact Matthias for you. Make sure you include Matthias' name and occupation in the Subject line.

You can find out more about Oceanography from Matthias' Web page.

An Introduction to Physical Oceanography - courseware available online from Matthias

CSIRO Atmospheric Research

EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR OCEANOGRAPHY AND EARTH SCIENCES from NASA

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