After graduating from Harvard, Le Conte in 1851 accompanied Agassiz on an expedition to study the Florida Reef.[1] On his return he became professor of natural science at Oglethorpe University, which was located in Midway, Georgia, at the time,[2] and from December 1852 until 1856 professor of natural history and geology at Franklin College.[2] From 1857 to 1869 he was a professor of chemistry and geology at South Carolina College, which is now the University of South Carolina.[5]