Mike Kennish Receives League of Women Voters Environmental Award

Named for Pearle S. Schwartz, statewide advocate for coastal environments.

Mike Kennish received the 2011 Pearle S. Schwartz Environmental Award given by the League of Women Voters at its Ocean County ceremony on September 14th in Toms River. The award was presented to Mike for lifetime achievement in academic research and public outreach. He was cited for outstanding accomplishments in estuarine and marine environmental research. Seminal work conducted on Barnegat Bay and coastal ocean waters of New Jersey was noted. Providing exemplary public service, outreach, and science education to the residents of the state, particularly in coastal communities, was also mentioned. Quoting from the awards ceremony, “...the state of New Jersey has benefited greatly from Mike’s efforts to protect and preserve its coastal environments.” This is clearly shown by both his prolific research output and frequent interactions with the shore communities to inform them about the human and natural impacts that threaten the long-term sustainability of our coastal environments and resources.

To read more, click on link http://sebs.rutgers.edu/news/release.asp?n=864

Winner of the 2011 (19th) International Cosmos Prize

The Scientific Steering Committee of the Census of Marine Life (CoML) has been chosen as the winner of the 2011 International Cosmos Prize. Fred Grassle is First Chairperson and Co-Founder of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Census. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) "provided overall governance to the CoML, a grand global project. The objective of the Census was to survey and analyze changes from past to present in marine life biodiversity, distribution and abundance. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) was created as the data integration component of the Census."

The celebration is lasting a whole week in Tokyo. The award ceremony is October 18 and will be held at Izumi Hall in Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka. A medal will be placed in the Smithsonian Institution National History Museum in Washington D.C.

"Ocean Observatory Captures Hurricane Irene"

As Hurricane Irene arrived at the eastern seaboard in late August, instruments from above and below the ocean surface captured data that will improve our understanding of the physics regulating hurricane intensities in New Jersey coastal water. The IMCS Coastal Ocean Observation Lab acquired satellite data of the ocean surface cooling as the hurricane passed along the NJ shore. HF RADAR sampled surface currents throughout the storm. Underwater gliders showed the significant mixing that occurred between the warm surface and cold bottom layers of the ocean. For a complete story, visit: http://maracoos.org/irene

• Congratulations to Tony Broccoli and Dave Robinson on being elected Fellows of the American Meteorological Society. Each year only two-tenths of one percent of AMS membership are approved as Fellows. Newly elected fellows will be honored at the 92nd Annual Review and Fellows Awards on January 22, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Tours of the Institute and Marine and Coastal Sciences COOLroom during Rutgers Parent and Family weekend (September 24, 2011) were a huge success. Demand for participation was so high registration was closed out. Thanks to Chris Filosa, Nilsen Strandskov, Regina Guazzo and Mario Garcia, undergrad students who manned the Glider lab and COOLroom for 6 tours totaling approximately 80 people, and to Steve Levenson, who responded to questions on funding for research. Kudos to all associated with the COOLroom!
  
• Mike De Luca and Ken Able hosted a visit by Congressman Runyan to the Cousteau Reserve and Rutgers Marine Field Station on August 25, 2011. Mr. Runyan received an overview of field programs and facilities, especially those related to fisheries research and coastal management. The state and federal initiatives to restore Barnegat Bay also were a focal topic of discussion. A Fishermen's Forum was convened on the same day at the Cousteau Reserve in which the Congressman discussed fishery policy issues with key members of the commercial and recreational fishing industries and researchers from the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences.
• This year’s Open House at the Rutgers University Marine Field Station (RUMFS) was held on Saturday, September 17th and was very successful. Roughly 440 visitors attended this year's event that was co-sponsored by RUMFS and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR). Of those surveyed, 90% of the people came from NJ, 6% from PA and the remaining percentage from NY, MA and CA. The survey's revealed that visitors favorite part of the tour was the History and Overview of the Field Station talk. Volunteers with JC NERR and RUMFS were on hand to give out information and help guide visitors through a tour of the Field Station. The local Coast Guard Auxiliary was also set up at the Field Station for the day to talk about their program and boating safety. Judging by the many positive comments that were received, there was a great deal of interest in the activities that take place at the Field Station.
  
• From mid to late September, Judy Weis participated in the CT Sea Grant program grant review panel, gave a book talk ("Do Fish Sleep?") at a Scuba Diving club meeting in Piscataway, went to McMaster University in Ontario where she was the outside member on a Ph.D. student's defense and also gave a research seminar, participated in a teleconference meeting of the EPA SAB committee on the Great Lakes Restoration Plan, gave a book talk at the Accabonac Protection Committee meeting, went to the 50th anniversary celebration of the NOAA lab at Sandy Hook, and went to the IMCS committee on future hires meeting. Such is the relaxing life of a retiree!
• Mike Kennish gave several presentations during the month of September: 1) Climate change, sea-level rise, and coastal impacts in New Jersey. Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, New Jersey, September 26, 2011; 2) Human impacts on the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary. Museum of NJ Maritime History, Beach Haven, New Jersey, September 24, 2011; 3) Assessment of eutrophic conditions in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, New Jersey. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Edison, New Jersey, September 20, 2011; and 4) Observations on historical changes in the ecology of the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary. Bishop Library, Ocean County Library, Toms River, New Jersey, September 20, 2011.
  
• Peter Rona served as co-chief scientist of a cruise of the NOAA Fisheries Research Vessel Bigelow (5-12 August 2011) in partnership with the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center that continued multi-disciplinary exploration (seafloor, water column, biota) of the head of Hudson Canyon, a submarine extension of the Hudson River, to explain why the canyon is an essential fish habitat that apparently supports regional fisheries stocks. Peter Rona was also appointed to the 8 member Science Planning Committee of the NEPTUNE Canada Cabled Seafloor Observatory Program, a major Canadian initiative that has launched the first cabled seafloor observatory extending some 200 nautical miles from the continental margin to an ocean ridge in the northeast Pacific Ocean off British Columbia.
• Anthony Broccoli was interviewed and quoted in Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) article entitled “Heat Wave, record temperatures are harbingers of a warmer world”, July, 2011, and in The Record (Hackensack, NJ) article entitled “July was NJ’s 2nd hottest month ever”, August, 2011.
• Alan Robock participated in several invited conference presentations and workshops: 1) Steve Schneider and Nuclear Winter (Invited talk: 2011 Stephen Henry Schneider Symposium, Boulder, Colorado, August 24-27, 2011); 2) Testifying on Climate Science: Finding Fresh Approaches, Boulder, Colorado, August 24, 2011; 3) Climatic consequences of nuclear conflict (Invited talk: Severe Atmospheric Aerosol Events Conference, Hamburg, Germany, August 11-12, 2011)

• Mike De Luca participated in a NOAA workshop with a group of select coastal managers from around the country on September 7-8, 2011. The meeting was designed to strengthen alignment of state and NOAA capacities to address priority coastal issues. Key topics of discussion centered on adaptation to climate change, shoreline stabilization in an era of sea level rise, coastal and marine spatial planning, and modeling tools to support hazard mitigation. Several project opportunities were identified for potential funding including habitat mapping with AUVs in shallow water systems as a component of coastal and marine spatial planning.
• Peter Rona and Karen Bemis were invited participants at the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative Workshop in Seattle 5-8 October where they reported on results of a new sonar system developed in partnership with the Applied Physics Lab-University of Washington and connected to the NEPTUNE Canada seafloor observatory to quantitatively image seafloor hot springs at a site in the northeast Pacific with major NSF support.
• Vincent Guida, Peter Rona and others, presented a poster, Hudson Canyon multi-species habitat complexes as a geographic priority, at the American Fisheries Society annual meeting in Seattle, September 5-9, 2011.
• Liz Sikes attended the July 2011, INQUA Congress (XVIII), Bern Switzerland. Oral presentation: E.L. Sikes, M. Cook, A. Elmore, T. Guilderson, Radiocarbon in Deep Water in the Southwest Pacific and Southern Ocean Since the Last Glacial Maximum.
  
• Joanna Burger and Michael Gochfeld participated in the Tenth Mercury As a Global Pollutant meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, end of July. Conference papers: "Mercury as a Global Pollutant". They presented as part of a symposium on Mercury-selenium interactions. Burger and Gochfeld, RIsk and policy implications of selenium-mercury ratios: variability within and among species. Gochfeld, Burger and Melanie Lemire: Selenium-Mercury interactions: mechanistic questions, molar ratios, and risk policy.

Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society ( September 4-8, 20011, Seattle, WA) There was a good turnout of Rutgers fisheries scientists at the annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Seattle during the first week of September. Photo (from left to right):Mikaela Provost (grad student, Oceanography), Philipp Neubauer (postdoc, IMCS), Talia Young (grad student, E&E), Olaf Jensen (faculty, IMCS), John Wiedenmann (Research Associate, IMCS), and Matt Yergey (grad student, E&E). John, Matt, and Olaf gave talks, and Mikaela presented a poster.

• Able, K. (with J. Caridad -M.S. student) NOAA/National Estuarine Research Reserve System, "Climate change implications to the early life history of estuarine dependent fish in an estuarine research reserve" 6/1/2011 - 5/31/2013 ($40,000)
• Bricelj, V.M. New York Sea Grant Institute, "Effects of low toxicity, high concentration Alexandrium fundyense blooms on growth and condition of Mercenaria mercenaria and Mya arenaria," in collaboration with R. Cerrato, Stony Brook University, NY, and L. Connell, University of Maine; 02/01/12 - 01/ 31/14 ($299,686)
• Chant, R. Nostrum Energy LLC, "Novel Linear Wind/Tidal-Powered Clean Energy Proposal." 05/01/11 - 08/31/12 ($40,000)
• DeLuca, M. E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, "Project PORTS: Community-Based Oyster Restoration and Habitat Restoration - June 2011." 06/01/11 - 09/30/12 ($24,997)
• DeLuca, M. Department of Interior-National Park Service, "Survey and Impacts of Slurry Pipeline, Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation." 09/15/10 - 12/31/13 ($49,949 CONT)
• DeLuca, M. Department of Interior-National Park Service, "Coastal Geomorph protocol: Gateway Monitoring and Reports." 07/22/11 - 06/30/13 ($59,848)
• Falkowski, P. CUNY-Research Foundation, "Bottom-up Reconstruction of Molecular Components of Natural Photosynthesis in a Photoelectrochemical System for Hydrogen Generation. " 04/15/10 - 04/14/12 ($71,125 CONT)
• Glenn, S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Towards a Comprehensive Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS)." 06/01/11 - 05/30/16 ($2,082,235)
• Glenn, S. Stevens Institute of Technology, "The National Center for Secure and Resilient Maritime Commerce and Coastal Environments." 07/01/11 - 06/30/12 ($370,000)
• Glenn, S. Stevens Institute of Technology, "Real-time Bistatic Vessel Detection in the Approaches to New York Harbor HF Radar Testbed." 06/16/11 - 10/13/11 ($86,250)
• Glenn, S. Walters Group, "Stafford Park Wind Resource Assessment." 09/01/09 - 12/31/11 ($12,462 CONT)
• Grothues, T. Hudson River Foundation, "Impacts of Shoreline Modifications on Fishes and Crabs in New York Harbor." 06/01/11 - 06/30/13 ($107,091)
• Grothues, T. (CoPI: K. Able). Hudson River Foundation. " Impacts of shoreline modifications on fishes and crabs in New York Harbor" 6/1/2011 - 6/30/2013 ($223,108)
• Miller, J. National Science Foundation, "Collaborative Research: Quantifying Feedbacks Affecting High-Atlantic Climate Change." 07/15/11 - 06/30/12 ($97,249)
• Reinfelder, J.R., PI. NJDEP, Delineation of a potential gaseous elemental mercury emissions source in northeastern New Jersey. 6/2011- 06/2012. ($48,125)
• Costantino Vetriani was awarded a three-year, $420,434 NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity collaborative grant with colleagues at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Carnegie Institution of Washington and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (total award granted: $1,918,359) through September 30, 2014. The collaborative research is titled "An integrated study of energy metabolism, carbon fixation, and colonization mechanisms in chemosynthetic microbial communities at deep-sea vents".
• Costantino Vetriani was awarded a two-year, $196,655 NSF Biological Oceanography collaborative grant with colleagues at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Carnegie Institution of Washington (total award granted: $432,033) through September 30, 2013. The collaborative research is titled "Autotrophic carbon fixation at a shallow-water hydrothermal system: Constraining microbial activity, isotopic and geochemical regimes".

• Able, K.W., D.M. Allen, J.A. Hare, D.E. Hoss, K.E. Marancik, G. Bath-Martin, P.M. Powles, D.E. Richardson, J.C. Taylor, H.J. Walsh, S.M. Warlen, and C. Wenner. Life history and habitat use of the speckled worm eel, Myrophis punctatus, along the east coast of the United States. Environmental Biology of Fishes 92:237-259. DOI: 10.1007/s10641-011-9837-8.
• Ballantyne, F., O. Schofield, S.A. Levin. 2011. Featured Article: The emergence of regularity and variability in marine ecosystems: The combined role of physics, chemistry and biology. Scientia Marina. 75(4): 719-731. doi: 10.3989/scimar.2011.75n4719
• Barron, E.J., R.A. Fine, O. Schofield. 2011. Critical ocean infrastructure needs for the US in the year 2030. Sea Technology. August: 17-21.
• DiBacco, C., H.L. Fuchs, J. Pineda, K. Helfrich. 2011. Swimming behavior and velocities of barnacle cyprids in a downwelling flume. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 433: 131-148. doi: 10.3354/meps09186
• Gostev, T., F. Kuzminov, V. Fadeev, M. Gorbunov. 2011. Aquatic Photosynthesizing Organisms Biophotonics: Fluorescent Diagnostic Methods. Photonics, 2: 72-81.
• Johnson-Worrell, S. and M Gorbunov (2011). Effects of Sn on the Primary and Secondary Photosynthetic Reactions. - Int. J. of Sustainable Water and Environmental Systems, 2(No. 2): 97-102.
• Kennish, M. J. and B. Fertig. 2011. Application and assessment of a nutrient pollution indicator using eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, New Jersey. Aquatic Botany. Doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2011.09.005.
• Kennish, M.J. and B. Fertig. 2011. Application and assessment of a nutrient pollution indicator using eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, New Jersey. Aquatic Botany. Doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2011.09.005.
• Morley, A., M. Schulz, Y. Rosenthal, S. Mulitza, A. Paul, C. Ruhlem. 2011. Solar modulation of North Atlantic central water formation at multidecadal timescales during the late Holocene. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 308: 161-171. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.05.043
• Melnychuk, M.C., T.E. Essington, T.A., Branch*, S.S. Heppell*, O.P. Jensen*, J.S. Link*, S.J.D. Martell*, A.M. Parma*, J.G. Pope*, A.D.M. Smith*. 2011. Can catch share fisheries better track management targets? Fish & Fisheries. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-2979.2011.00429.x* Order of authors arranged alphabetically
• Renault, L., G. Vizoso, A. Jansá, J. Wilkin, and J. Tintoré. 2011. Toward the predictability of meteotsunamis in the Balearic Sea using regional nested atmosphere and ocean models. Geophysical Research Letters, 38, L10601, doi:10.1029/2011GL047361, 2011
• Ricard, D., C. Minto, O.P. Jensen, J.K. Baum. 2011. Examining the status of commercially exploited marine species with the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database. Fish & Fisheries. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-2979.2011.00435.x
• Roarty, H.J., E.R. Lemus, E. Handel, S.M. Glenn, D.E. Barrick, J. Isaacson. 2011. Performance evaluation of SeaSonde high-frequency radar for vessel detection. Marine Technology Society Journal. 45(3): 14-24.
• Toth, J.L., A.A. Hohn, K.W. Able, and A.M. Gorgone. Defining bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population units based on environmental, physical, and behavioral characteristics. Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00497.x.
  
• Weis, J.S. 2011. Invasion and predation in aquatic ecosystems. Current Zoology 57(5): 613-624.
• Williams, K.H., P.E. Long, J.A. Davis, M.J. Wilkins, A.L. N'Guessan, C.L. Steefel, L. Yang, D. Newcomer, F.A. Spane, L. Kerkhof, L. McGuinness, R. Dayvault, D.R. Lovley. 2011. Acetate availability and its influence on sustainable bioremediation of uranium-contaminate groundwater. Geomicrobiology Journal. 28: 519-539. doi.or/10.1080/01490451.2010.520074
• Xu, Y., R. Chant, D. Gong, R. Castelao, S. Glenn, O. Schofield. 2011. Seasonal variability of chlorophyll a in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Continental Shelf Research doi:10.1016/j.csr.2011.05.019
• Yan C, O. Schofield, Z. Dubinsky, D. Mauzerall, P. Falkowski, and M. Gorbunov. 2011. Photosynthetic energy storage efficiency in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, based on microsecond photoacoustics. Photosynthesis Research, 108(2-3), pp. 215-224.

Research Internships in Ocean Sciences is a program supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation which provides summer research experience for undergraduates. This year’s program at IMCS (Gary Taghon and Ken Able, PIs) provided research experience to ten students to work on their individual research projects with mentors on campus in New Brunswick and at the Rutgers University Marine Field Station (RUMFS) in Tuckerton.
At the conclusion of the ten week program (May 30 - August 5), a poster session was held and Clare Entwistle (Bob Chant/mentor) of Kalamazoo College was announced winner of the poster contest. Her poster was titled “Effects of Lateral Circulation on Stratification in the Delaware Bay.” Congratulations Clare!
The complete list of interns and their posters can be viewed by clicking on link: http://marine.rutgers.edu/main/IMCS-Academics/RIOS-Students-of-the-Past.html

(Group photo) First row (left to right): Rachel Doery, Alanna Sutton, Catherine Wright, Andrew Hassall, Emily Pirl, Lindsay Roupe. Second row: Logan Brenner, Clare Entwistle, Joshua Cullen, Alexandra Ulmke. Far right: Roy Fearon (intern at RUMFS who participated in poster session, Olaf Jensen/mentor)

New Graduate Students

• Ana Filipa Carvalho (Josh Kohut and Oscar Schofield, Advisors): I am from Lisbon (Portugal), also where I took my B.S. in Environmental Marine Biology. However, I've been living the past 3 years in the Azores Archipelago, studying and working in oceanography. I was at Rutgers 2 years ago for an internship in the COOLroom and now I am back as a graduate student. My main research interests are focused on the Antarctic ecosystem, and how biology and physics connect with each other. Outside work, I still love the ocean and all activities connected with it ... I love scuba diving, sailing and swimming. I also like geocaching. (Room 309E, ext. 2-3452)
• Nicole Couto (Oscar Schofield, Advisor): During the last two years, I have spent six months on tall ship research vessels run by the Sea Education Association and it was on those decks that I found my passion for oceanography. Spending my days doing CTD casts and net tows, counting zooplankton, titrating oxygen, and changing sail plans as the winds varied really made me aware of the interconnectivity of the physics, chemistry, and biology of the ocean. In between my sailing shenanigans I worked in the Ocean Sciences department at UC Santa Cruz. My research experience so far has been in trying to understand how sea ice extent affects the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the surface waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula. I'm interested in continuing to study the physical/biological coupling of that region. In my free time I like to practice guitar playing, climbing, marathoning and triathloning. Come by my office! (Room 205E, ext 2-3411)
• Kevin Crum (Heidi Fuchs, Advisor): As an undergraduate I conducted fisheries related research at the University of Delaware. Now that I am at IMCS, I have switched my focus toward biophysical interactions and/or ecological modeling. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Biological Oceanography and working with Dr. Heidi Fuchs to develop a project. My hobbies include camping, hiking, and tennis. (Room 114B, ext. 2-3258)
• Katie Harazin, (Rob Sherrell, Adviser): I am originally from Lawrenceville, GA, but moved to Los Angeles, CA to get my B.S. in Geological Sciences at the University of Southern California. Broadly speaking, I am interested in paleoceanography, and my research will focus on using trace elements in carbonates to investigate past climate change. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy drawing, photography, going to improv comedy shows, winning at pub trivia, and other various shenanigans. (Room: 304, ext. 2-3448)
• Alexander Lopez (John Wilkin, Advisor): I am a New Jersey native, and I have a B.S. in Physics and a Master of Arts in Teaching, both from The College of New Jersey. All aspects of physical oceanography are enthralling, so I have not yet narrowed my focus beyond ocean modeling. I enjoy pretty much any sport or social activity; I'm generally a "go with the flow" character. (Room 214B, ext. 2-3365)
• Ben Jelen (Paul Falkowski, Advisor): After graduating in 2000 from Rutgers with a B.A. in Biology, I spent ten years in the music industry as a recording artist, keeping current with environmental issues and starting the Ben Jelen Foundation for the environment. This culminated in a joint project with MillionTreesNYC to green a Brooklyn primary school. I returned to Rutgers in Fall 2010 as a masters student and have just joined Dr. Falkowski and Dr. Yana Bromberg's team as a Ph.D. student. My research interests are in further understanding the evolution of ancient, highly conserved metabolic pathways. I'm a big fan of ultimate frisbee (and love to play). Any extra time I have I like to play musical instruments or be out in nature. I do love my wife more than my skateboard, though the way I like to commute, you will see much more of me with a skateboard at the moment! (Room 305E, 2-3471)
• Christien Laber (Kay Bidle, Advisor): I was born and raised in Missouri but have lived in New Jersey for the past 6 years. I graduated from Rider University last year with a degree in marine science, biology minor. My research interests include understanding the factors that influence phytoplankton growth dynamics. I am currently developing a project with Kay Bidle and Oscar Schofield concerning viral/algal interaction and processes that influence this interaction (vague, I know). In my down time I enjoy trail biking, soccer, and playing classical gas on the guitar. (Room 304, ext. 2-3448)
  
• Jacqueline McSweeney (Bob Chant and John Wilkin, Advisors): Hi, my name is Jacqueline (Jack) McSweeney. I am from Southern California, and my undergraduate background is chemistry. My current research interests include physical processes in coastal estuarine environments, the interface between physical and biological conditions, and the role of sediment transport in estuaries. I hope to couple observational and modeling work while working at Rutgers. Outside of school, I am a huge baseball fan (go Angels!) and love experiencing different cultures. I am always up for a new adventure! (Room 111F, ext. 2-3351)
• Brittany Schieler (Kay Bidle, Advisor): I graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2011 with a B.S. in both Biological Sciences and Marine Science. My undergraduate research focused on the effects of wind patterns on the ingress of three offshore spawned larval fishes into Delaware Bay. For my MS I am switching gears a little and am interested in exploring the molecular capabilities, life strategies, and ecological roles of marine microorganisms. In my spare time I enjoy vegan cooking and baking, dancing, drawing, and being outdoors. I am currently in room 304, ext. 2-3448.
• Nicole Waite (Rich Lutz, Advisor): I am a first year master's student interested in biological and chemical oceanography and ecology. I plan to focus on the ecology and chemistry of deep see hydrothermal vents. In 2009 I received my B.S. in Marine Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of New England on the coast of Maine. I then spent a year working in the Marine Ecology Lab at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, in AL focusing on oyster-reef ecology. I am from New Hampshire, and love outdoor activities, especially camping, hiking, skiing, and ice skating. I enjoy being with friends and family and love playing games. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone at IMCS and starting my research! (Room 204)
• Shan Wang (Ximing Guo, Advisor): Hi, I'm from Northeast China, and my hometown is kind of famous for its Tsingtao beer. I received my undergraduate degree in Marine Biology in Ocean University of China. My current research interest is to explore the genetic mechanism of the genome instability of tetraploid oysters. When I'm not busy, I like cooking, touring, swimming, my office is in 304. Look forward to getting to know you! Cheers! (Room 304, ext. 2-3448)

Congratulations!

On September 30, 2011, Ileana Perez-Rodriguez successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation titled: " Microbial Ecology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents: Physiology and Cell-to-Cell Communication in Anaerobic Chemosynthetic Bacteria". Committee members include: Dr. Costantino Vetriani (Advisor), Dr. Tamar Barkay, Dr. Max Häggblom, and Dr. Elisabetta Bini (outside member). Congratulations to Dr. Ileana Perez-Rodriguez!

• Adam Christman: I am excited to be joining Dr. Heidi Fuchs lab, assisting in the study of larval behavior in variably turbulent coastal ocean environments, applying PIV techniques to observe organism responses to different flow regimes. I previously worked at the Center for Environmental Fluid Dynamics at Arizona State University as a research associate, assisting in a number of studies of atmospheric fluid dynamics with particular focus on characteristics of the stable planetary boundary layer in complex terrain. I continue to work towards completion of my M.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering from ASU. I received a B.A. in Mathematics with minors in Biology and Environmental Science from St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, and as a native of the state am inevitably a die-hard Packers fan who enjoys running, hiking, and the occasionally disastrous attempt at new cooking endeavors. (Room 109A, ext. 2-3297))
• Debjani Ghatak: I’m working as a postdoctoral associate with Jim Miller. My primary research interest involves the study of feedback mechanisms between air, sea, ice and snow. I’ve been investigating the effects of Arctic sea ice loss on land-surface snow. I’ve spent most of my life in a big city of tropical India and also have spent significant time in New York City. I’m happy to be part of IMCS and am enjoying the beautiful and green Cook campus. My other notable interests besides research include music, cooking, travelling and, last but not least, sleeping. (catch me @ Blake Rm #207, Ph. 27120)
• Please welcome Bob Koch as the new GIS/Stewardship Coordinator for the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve. Bob recently worked at the Coastal Research Center at Stockton University where he conducted shoreline assessments, characterized sediments for dredged material management, and evaluated wetlands change throughout the Barnegat Bay estuary. His new responsibilities include using new LiDAR technologies to evaluate shoreline habitat change in response to sea level rise, development of GIS-based products and services for coastal communities to foster science-based management of coastal resources, and to provide technical assistance for the research, education and stewardship programs of the Cousteau Reserve, especially with respect to issues related to climate change, stormwater management, and the transfer of science information to diverse coastal stakeholders.
• Philipp Neubauer: I recently arrived to Olaf Jensen's lab as a postdoc after completing my Ph.D. in New Zealand. In hopes to further our understanding of the impacts of fishing on wild populations, Olaf and I will be looking into patterns and drivers of recovery (or the lack thereof) in fish stocks across the globe. I personally love fishing, boating and lots of other water related activities - most of which I have little time for since my first son Theo was born last year. Since then he has become my favorite hobby and distraction. At Rutgers, I live in Old Blake building room 206, ext. 23495.
• Jim Vasslide: I am interested in the community dynamics of estuarine ecosystems, particularly at higher trophic levels, and how they respond to perturbations and other shenanigans imposed on them by humans. I am also the Program Scientist for the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, so I can usually be found sampling the delicious biota from that region. (with Olaf Jensen, Room 303A, ext. 2-3473)

• Congratulations to Dave and Sarita Robertson on the birth of their first child, Liam Andrew Robertson, born October 3rd, 2011 at 1:07am. He's a healthy baby boy weighing 7 pound 13 ounces and measuring 21 inches. Mother and baby are doing well.
• Congratulations to Orly Levitan and Udi Zelzion on the birth of their son Yonatan.