Oceanographers and Explorers of the Sea (Collective Biographies)

Polking, Kirk

ISBN 10: 0766011135 ISBN 13: 9780766011137

Publisher: Enslow Pub Inc, 1780

Synopsis

Biographies of ten scientists who studied the ocean, including physicists, environmentalists, geologists, and biologists.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-8-Polking introduces 10 20th-century American oceanographers. Some are well known (Sylvia Earle, Eugenie Clark, Robert Ballard), while others are not so familiar (Henry Stommel, Ernest Everett Just). The brief biographies examine how these individuals became involved in their fields of study, where they studied and worked, and their accomplishments or discoveries. The explanations of theories and contributions are short and sometimes assume prior knowledge, e.g., in the Walter Munk entry, "In hospitals, a CAT scan uses X rays to map a part of the human body. At sea, scientists use computer-aided tomography with sound waves and other information to create a picture of the ocean." Peripheral topics aren't always clarified, e.g., the statement, " aspects of the gulf's geology were similar to other sea bottoms where a boundary between tectonic plates exists" is inserted without a discussion of tectonics. Drab black-and-white photographs appear throughout. Despite its flaws, the book offers fascinating details about these men and women and their contributions to science.
Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

Polking profiles 10 scientists who have devoted their careers to ocean-related pursuits. She includes Maurice Ewing (mapper of the ocean floor), Allyn Vine (developer of a deep-sea submersible, Jason), Eugenie Clark (the "shark lady"), and Robert Ballard (discoverer of the Titanic), among others. For each, she provides a thorough discussion of professional accomplishments and briefer comments on personal life. Each section is carefully footnoted; some sources include personal correspondence with the subject. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, this will make an excellent starting point for report writers. The appended notes, bibliography, online resources, and list of oceanographic organizations will be useful for those needing more in-depth material, too. Kay Weisman

About this edition

• Publisher: Enslow Pub Inc
• Publication date: 1780
• ISBN 10: 0766011135
• ISBN 13: 9780766011137
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 128