Final answer:
The student looking to understand the relationships between dinosaurs and water diving birds should delve into the study of evolutionary biology and paleontology, examining fossils and their traits to draw conclusions about speciation and evolution from theropod dinosaurs to modern birds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student interested in the relationship between dinosaurs and modern water diving birds should study evolutionary biology and paleontology. Birds are highly modified diapsids and belong to the archosaur group. The evolution of birds is thought to have occurred from theropod dinosaurs, within the maniraptoran dinosaurs. A significant fossil in this context is that of Archaeopteryx, which demonstrates traits of both birds and theropods.
Paleontologists are scientists who research prehistoric life, including dinosaurs, by examining fossils. They apply knowledge from various scientific fields such as biology, ecology, geology, and chemistry to understand how life evolved and how different species interacted with their environments. Studying the fossil record can provide insights into speciation and extinction events throughout the Earth's history.