Joan Murrell Owens

Education

With the support of her parents, Owens became interested in the life of the oceans at young age. In 1950 Owens graduated from Miami's Booker T. Washington High School. She was awarded two scholarships, one from the Pepsi-Cola Company and a Sarah Maloney (Art Scholarship) at Fisk University. She later entered Fisk University but the university did not offer a program in the marine sciences. Thus in 1954 she majored in fine art and received her BFA degree with minors mathematics and psychology.

For graduate study, Owens entered the University of Michigan with the intention to study commercial art. In 1956 she switched to pursue and later receive a Master of Science degree in guidance counseling with an emphasis on reading therapy. Her doctoral research investigated deep-sea button corals. Her dissertation was titled "Microstructural Changes in the Scleractinian Families Micrabaciidae and Fungiidae and their Taxonomic and Ecologic Implications."

Teaching

Owens taught for two years at the University of Michigan's Children's Psychiatric Hospital. She later joined the faculty of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1957, there she specialized in teaching remedial English.

Hobbies and Interests

With the support of her parents, Owens became interested in the life of the oceans at young age. She aspired to study marine biology professionally, her interest likely spurred from family fishing trips. One of her favorite books was The Silent World by Jacques Cousteau.

Selected publications