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Graeme Rae
Graeme Rae
00:58

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

Chief Scientist

I design the software responsible for all wave and wind modeling at Surfline.

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."