Ocean engineering is the application of engineering principles in an ocean environment. The diversity of this environment and the challenge of the ocean frontier make it an exciting career for young ocean engineers.
Ocean engineering prepares people to build systems that monitor and control coastal environments. Students learn to build dikes, flood control systems, and power stations in or near the ocean. They also learn to use math and science to solve problems caused by tidal forces, waves, and currents.
What do Ocean Engineers do?
Ocean engineers are involved in
exploration and exploitation of offshore gas and oil fields
searching for economical methods for extracting energy from the oceans
coastal zone management
development of undersea vehicles and intelligent work systems
maintaining and deepening harbors and their entrance channels
designing fixed and floating offshore structures
beach restoration
instrumentation
acoustic surveillance systems
Where do Ocean Engineers work?
Employment opportunities exist with private industry, defense contractors, consulting firms, and government agencies.
Typical ocean engineering application areas include: beach protection and nourishment, coastal structures, coastal erosion, development of ocean energy resources, instrumentation for coastal and offshore measurements, marine dredging and dredged material placement, moored and towed systems, ocean mining, offshore petroleum recovery, offshore structures, ports and harbors, search and salvage, suspended and dissolved constituent transport, subsea pipelines and cables, submersible vehicles, and underwater acoustics.
