Famous American Oceanographers

Vote for Your Favourite American Oceanographers

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Sylvia Earle
(The First Female Chief Scientist of the ‘U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’)
Sylvia Earle
12
Birthdate: August 30, 1935
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gibbstown, Greenwich Township, New Jersey, United States
Sylvia Earle is known for her research on marine algae and she was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Earle held the world record for the deepest untethered dive and was named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet, in 1998. She also featured in Netflix Original documentary Seaspiracy.
 2 
Philippe Cousteau Jr.
(Oceanographer and Environmental Activist)
Philippe Cousteau Jr.
12
Birthdate: January 20, 1980
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States

Known for the documentary Ocean's Deadliest, which he co-hosted with Steve Irwin, oceanographer Philippe Cousteau Jr. also earned an Emmy nomination for his work in Awesome Planet. The grandson of naval officer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Philippe had lost his father, sailor and filmmaker Philippe Cousteau, 6 months before his birth.

 3 
Matthew Fontaine Maury
(American Astronomer, Oceanographer, Meteorologist, Geologist and Naval Officer)
Matthew Fontaine Maury
12
Birthdate: January 14, 1806
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Spotsylvania County, Virginia, United States
Died: February 1, 1873

American astronomer, naval officer, oceanographer and author Matthew Fontaine Maury, who first served the United States Navy and then the Confederacy States Navy, made significant contributions in oceanography. His book Physical Geography of the Sea is counted among the first comprehensive books on oceanography. Navies and merchant marines across the world adopted his uniform system of recording oceanographic data.

Recommended Lists:
 4 
Kathryn D. Sullivan
(US Oceanographer, Geologist, and Astronaut, Who Was the First American Woman to Walk in Space)
Kathryn D. Sullivan
9
Birthdate: October 3, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paterson, New Jersey, United States

US oceanographer, geologist, and former US Navy officer and NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan scripted history in 1984 when she became the first woman from the US to walk in space. Apart from being part of 3 Space Shuttle missions, she also worked in various administrative posts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 5 
Marie Tharp
(US Geologist and Oceanographer Known for Her Pioneering Work on 'Oceanographic Cartography')
Marie Tharp
9
Birthdate: July 30, 1920
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
Died: August 23, 2006

US geologist and oceanographer Marie Tharp is remembered for her pioneering work on oceanographic cartography. She contributed to the development of the first scientific map of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. She was associated with the Columbia University’s Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory and was one of the first women to work for it.

 6 
Marcia McNutt
(US Geophysicist and the First Female Director of the US Geological Survey)
Marcia McNutt
7
Birthdate: February 19, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

US geophysicist Marcia McNutt scripted history as the first female director of the US Geological Survey. She has also been the president of the National Academy of Sciences. She has also taught marine geophysics at Stanford and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her countless awards include the Maurice Ewing Medal.

 7 
Charles Wilkes
(Naval Officer)
Charles Wilkes
11
Birthdate: April 3, 1798
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: February 8, 1877
 8 
Charles David Keeling
(Scientist)
Charles David Keeling
5
Birthdate: April 20, 1928
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 20, 2005
 9 
Walter Munk
(US Geophysicist and Physical Oceanographer Known for his Pioneering Research on Ocean Currents)
Walter Munk
5
Birthdate: October 19, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: February 8, 2019

US geophysicist and physical oceanographer Walter Munk is remembered for his path-breaking research on ocean currents and wave propagation. He had been part of the faculty of geophysics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He was also a member of the elite panel of scientists, JASON.

 10 
Charles J. Moore
(American Oceanographer and Boat Captain Known for Articles That Recently Brought Attention to the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’)
Charles J. Moore
7
Birthplace: United States
 11 
Maurice Ewing
(US Geophysicist Who Made Pioneering Use of Seismic Methods to Study Ocean Floors)
Maurice Ewing
6
Birthdate: May 12, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Lockney, Texas, United States
Died: May 4, 1974

US geophysicist Maurice Ewing conducted path-breaking research on ocean basins and sediments, using seismic methods. Apart from teaching geology at Columbia University, he also served as the director of the Lamont Geological Observatory. A Fellow of the Royal Society, he also received the National Medal of Science, among other awards.

 12 
Robert S. Dietz
(American Marine Geologist Who Conducted Pioneering Research Concerning Seafloor Spreading)
Robert S. Dietz
6
Birthdate: September 14, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Westfield, New Jersey, United States
Died: May 19, 1995

Robert S. Dietz was an American scientist, marine geologist, oceanographer, and geophysicist. He is best remembered for conducting pioneering research concerning seafloor spreading along with Harry Hammond Hess. Robert S. Dietz was also interested in meteorite impacts and is credited with discovering numerous impact craters, including the Sudbury Basin. 

 13 
Henry Stommel
(Oceanographer)
Henry Stommel
4
Birthdate: September 27, 1920
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Died: January 17, 1992
 14 
Bruce C. Heezen
(American Geologist Who Worked With Oceanographic Cartographer Marie Tharp to Map the Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Bruce C. Heezen
4
Birthdate: April 11, 1924
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vinton, Iowa, United States
Died: June 21, 1977

Bruce C. Heezen was an American geologist best remembered for his work at Columbia University, where he joined forces with oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp to map the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In 1964, he was honored by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with the Henry Bryant Bigelow Medal in Oceanography. In 1973, Bruce C. Heezen was awarded the prestigious Cullum Geographical Medal.

 15 
Carl-Gustaf Rossby
(American Meteorologist Who First Explained the Large-Scale Motions of the Atmosphere in Terms of Fluid Mechanicsgist)
Carl-Gustaf Rossby
6
Birthdate: December 28, 1898
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: August 19, 1957

Carl-Gustaf Rossby was a Swedish-born American meteorologist. He played an important role during the Second World War, organizing the training of military meteorologists. Over the course of his career, Carl-Gustaf Rossby was honored with many prestigious awards such as the Applied Meteorology Award from the American Meteorological Society in 1959.

 16 
Athelstan Spilhaus
(South African-American Geophysicist, Oceanographer, and Meteorologist)
Athelstan Spilhaus
7
Birthdate: November 25, 1911
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa
Died: March 30, 1998

South African-American geophysicist, oceanographer, and meteorologist invented the bathythermograph to measure temperatures and depths of the sea. He also proposed the founding of the Sea Grant Colleges. Associated with the University of Minnesota, he planned the futuristic Minnesota Experimental City, though it never materialized.

 17 
Columbus O'Donnell Iselin
(Oceanographer)
Columbus O'Donnell Iselin
3
Birthdate: September 25, 1904
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New Rochelle, New York, United States
Died: January 5, 1971
 18 
Peter A. Rona
(Oceanographer)
Peter A. Rona
6
Birthdate: August 17, 1934
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Trenton, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 20, 2014
 19 
Dean Bumpus
(Oceanographer)
Dean Bumpus
2
Birthdate: May 11, 1912
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States
Died: March 14, 2002
 20 
Richard H. Fleming
(Oceanographer)
Richard H. Fleming
6
Birthdate: September 21, 1909
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Victoria, Canada
Died: October 25, 1989