Oceanographers

Jacques Cousteau was a French explorer, naval officer, filmmaker, conservationist, scientist, photographer, researcher, and author. Renowned for his exploration of various forms of life in water, Jacques Cousteau is credited with pioneering marine conservation and co-developing the Aqua-Lung, the first underwater breathing apparatus to achieve popularity and commercial success.

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.

James Rennell was an English historian and geographer. A pioneer of oceanography, Rennell is often referred to as the Father of Oceanography. Rennell, who served as a Surveyor General of Bengal, India, is credited with producing some of the earliest accurate maps of Bengal. James Rennell is also credited with co-founding the Royal Geographical Society in London in 1830.

Born to Scottish migrants in Canada, John Murray later went back to Scotland to study medicine but quit without graduating. He later studied geology and became one of the pioneers of oceanography. He was also associated with the Challenger Expedition and was knighted for his work as a marine biologist.

Per Teodor Cleve was a Swedish biologist, chemist, oceanographer, and mineralogist. He is best remembered for his discovery of holmium and thulium. He is also credited with discovering aminonaphthalenesulfonic acids. Per Teodor Cleve is also remembered for his service as professor of general and agricultural chemistry at Uppsala University. His contributions were honored with the Davy Medal.

Vagn Walfrid Ekman was a Swedish oceanographer. He is credited with developing instruments like the Ekman water bottle and Ekman current meter. He also served as a professor of mathematical physics and mechanics at the University of Lund. In 1935, Vagn Walfrid Ekman was inducted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Ekman was also an amateur singer and pianist.

Harald Sverdrup was a Norwegian oceanographer and meteorologist who served as president of the International Association of Physical Oceanography. He was also director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He was the author of many books, including his magnum opus The Oceans: Their Physics, Chemistry, and General Biology. He was a recipient of the William Bowie Medal. 

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.

Bjørn Helland-Hansen was a Norwegian oceanographer considered a pioneer in the field of modern oceanography. He studied both medicine and physics at the University of Christiania before beginning his multi-faceted career. He developed the "Helland-Hansen Photometer." He had a brilliant academic career and was made president of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).