Dive Into Your Imagination

Paul Valentich Scott is living the scientist’s dream!  In his job not only does he travel the world, but he discovers new species of animals while doing it!  As the curator of malacology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Paul researches bivalve mollusks.  He also manages the Museum’s shell collection and teaches both adults and children about these special creatures.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your career so far?
I love every day at work. Field work is perhaps the most exciting. I have sampled in the tropics in Asia, and also through the ice on the Arctic Ocean. But I also love looking through the microscope and discovering new species of animals. It is pretty amazing to look at a new species that no one has ever seen before.

What is your job as the curator of malacology like?
It is a fun job, as it is always changing, never boring. With my research I get to travel around the world, observing cool bivalves. I also get to “play” with our 2 million specimens of shells every day. I teach students from grade school, high school, college and beyond. It is so great to talk with so many different age groups and interests.

That sounds like a pretty exciting job!  What is the definition of a marine bivalve mollusk? 
These are mollusks with a two part shell, like scallops, oysters, mussels and clams. They are related to other mollusks like snails, chitons, and octopuses.

What techniques do you use in order to collect the samples for the museum collections?
Bivalves are found in all oceans, from the frigid polar waters to the steaming tropics. They are also found at all depths, from the intertidal zone, down to miles deep in the abyssal trenches. Each habitat requires a separate technique. For the tidal zones I can easily collect by hand. For deeper waters we usually use a trawl net or a corer (bringing back a chunk of the bottom).

Wow!  Not many people know very much about these creatures, how are they connected to the rest of the life in the ocean?
The fluid environment of the ocean allows all creatures to live in the same “pond.” It is actually like a mud puddle, all connected, only much bigger. Animals (and plants) can be affected by events that are thousands of miles away.

That’s a great point. If life within the ocean is so connected how do human actions on land affect these animals?
Humans strongly affect the ocean environment every day. All of the waste from people living along the sea is discharged into the sea. In some countries the sewage is cleaned before going to the sea, in many countries it is not. Also, we take thousands of tons of seafood from the ocean every week. Taking this many animals from the ocean environment directly affects ocean ecosystems.  In order to help protect the ocean everyone can lower the energy they use every day. Also only purchase seafood that has been certified as “sustainable.”

What projects are you currently working on?
I am currently writing a book describing and illustrating all of the bivalves from Mexico to Peru. This will help biologists, ecologists and paleontologists better understand the bivalves in that region, and how they have changed over time.

 What is your favorite experience with these animals that you have had so far?
While many people see clams as pretty boring, I like to watch them “do their daily business.” It is fun to watch them breath, or use their foot to dig or move around. Many clams I study can crawl around just like a snail. Others drill into hard rock to make a safe home for themselves.

As a scientist, why is it important to use creativity and your imagination?
Scientists are always coming up with questions that are not easily answered. One must be extremely creative to figure out ways to solve a question or problem. It is definitely one of the fun parts of the job.

Why do you love the ocean?
I have loved the ocean since I was young. I became a certified diver at age 15 and never looked back. The ocean is endlessly fascinating, and I never tire of learning more about its mysteries.

And finally, as such a cool scientist what advice would you give to someone interested in following in your footsteps?
Never give up on your dream! The pay is not that great, but the rewards of a happy, joyful life are definitely worth it!

Biography:
Paul Valentich Scott has been a marine biologist at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History since 1982. He has described numerous new species of animals around the world, from tidepools in Hong Kong to the abyssal depths off California.  Paul is the publisher and co-editor of the Taxonomic Atlas of the Santa Barbara Channel. This series of 14 volumes describes and illustrates over 1500 species in the region and includes over 130 species that are new to science.  His passion and specialty are bivalve mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters and their kin). Paul has published a monographic work entitled “Bivalve Seashells of Western North America.” This book documents and illustrates 470 different bivalves from Mexico to the Alaskan Arctic. He is currently working on a companion volume describing the bivalves from Peru to Mexico, which will be published in 2010.  Carrying on the tradition of an exploring marine biologist, Paul has conducted fieldwork in many oceans. His career began with a seven years of fascinating studies in the Alaskan Arctic, encountering everything from polar bears to bowhead whales. Several trips to Asia have given him an appreciation for the exotic habitats of the Far East

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