Although she was born and bred in Pretoria, Mariėtte Bause always had a keen interest in marine biology. This interest led her to the University of Port Elizabeth where she completed her BSc. (majoring in Zoology and Biochemistry) in 2000. She completed her honours degree, with a project assessing sandy beach sampling methods, a year later at the same university. Still loving the Port Elizabeth sun, she decided to take up the challenge to use expert knowledge in marine systematic conservation planning for her MSc. From 2000 to 2003 she also worked for the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Programme (for the Centre of Academic Development at the university). She was a practical demonstrator in the Zoology Department in 2002 and taught the Zoogeography first-year course in 2002 and 2003.
 
Upon finalising her MSc. study, she decided to broaden her horizons to the colder sub-Antarctic. From April 2004 to May 2005 she stayed on Marion Island as a team member of Marion 61, to collect data for her PhD investigating the effects of human impact on the breeding seabirds and seals. She was also the overwintering conservation officer and editor of the island newsletter, The Wanderer. Back in South Africa, she is currently analysing her data while Prideel Majiedt is collecting another year of data on Marion Island for her.