Graeme Rae
Surfline
Huntington Beach, CA USA
"Maybe you just haven't figured out which little road you're going to take. But I don't think it matters which one you take, honestly, because they'll all end up being the right one."
Career Roadmap
Graeme's work combines: Action Sports, Technology, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Ocean Engineering
University of Southampton, England
Doctorate
Ocean Engineering
Florida Atlantic University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Originally grew up wanting to join the Navy, but found out he was color blind at age 16.
2.
Still had an interest in ships and the ocean, so went to school to study shipbuilding and naval architecture.
3.
The Navy hired him to develop a specific set of maps to predict wave height; his students started using it for surfing purposes.
4.
He developed his maps into a website he ran on the side; finally, a company invited him out to California to officially jump into the surf world.
5.
Was nervous that he might be "wasting" his Ph.D. on "a bunch of guys who just hang out on the beach all day long."
6.
Says his work is as technologically advanced as what he'd do anywhere else, better than government agency models.
7.
Might've made more money working for the Navy, but would've worked in weapons technology; instead, his work puts smiles on people's faces.
8.
Says he enjoys his work at Surfline so much that it doesn't feel like a career; he still feels like he's "waiting to grow up."
