Art Abrams (ECOL, MS '02) Art, in cooperation with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, studied the role of gray squirrels in maintaining the life cycle of the deer tick, a major player in spreading Lyme Disease while pursuing an MS from the MEES Program. Currently, he is employed as a Zoologist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. (2/13)
Dr. Jason Adolf (OCEAN, PhD '02) is an Assistant Professor in Marine Sciences at the University of Hawaii - Hilo where his research interests are in the field of phytoplankton ecology and evolution. Particularly, understanding the mechanisms that drive changes in community composition, and how these changes impact the ecological function of phytoplankton. Following his doctoral work under Dr. Lawrence Harding, Jason held postdoctoral positions at Horn Point Laboratory and the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, as well as adjunct faculty appointment at Gettysburg College, before moving to Hawaii.
John Adornato, III (ECOL, MS '01) received a 2001 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship and spent his fellowship year with Senator Daniel K. Akaka, a Democrat from Hawaii where his work focused on aquaculture, coral reefs, fisheries and other marine-related issues. From the fall of 1998 to 2001, John was a graduate teaching assistant for genetics and general biology in the College of Life Sciences at UMCP and was honored with a distinguished teaching assistant award. John also helped conduct wetland plant research in the Chesapeake Bay directed by Dr. Andrew Baldwin, a professor in the Biological Resources Engineering Department. In addition to that work, John designed and undertook his master's research investigating the damage from Hurricane Lili and the initial regeneration of forested wetlands on Hummingbird Cay, Great Exuma, Bahamas. Currently, John is the Regional Director of the Sun Coast Office of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). He is primarily involved in the restoration of the Everglades National Park by researching strategies that seek to regenerate historic water flow ultimately restoring the salinity and health of the fisheries and fishery habitat. (2/13)
Dr. Olanrewaju (Larry) Alade (FISH, PhD '08) completed his doctoral work investigating the performance of a mark-recaputre model used to determine the spatial dynamics of yellowtail flounder stock working with Dr. Eric May. Currently, Larry works as a Research Fisheries Biologist with NOAA at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center under the Cooperative Research team to help in the ongoing development of the mark-recaputre database system for a variety of species that will enhance its utility for analytical purposes. In addition, he has been tasked to assist the Southern Demersal team in conducting and developing scientific assessments for the yellowtail founder stocks.
Dr. Jude K. Apple (ECOL, PhD '05) successfully defended his PhD thesis in the winter of 2005 under the guidance of Dr. Michael Kemp. The majority of his research was supported by a three-year fellowship from the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), a NOAA sponsored organization promoting research and management of estuarine resources. Following graduation, Jude became an NRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the US Naval Research Lab, Washington DC, where he researched what the roles of salinity and terrestrial dissolved organic matter (DOM) have in shaping the biogeography of estuarine bacterioplankton communities and their compositions. Currently, Jude is at Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center where his research focuses on the ecology of aquatic microbes, specifically factors shaping their metabolic processes, phylogenetic composition, role in microbial food web dynamics, and contribution to ecosystem-scale biogeochemical processes. See http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/~applej2/SPMC/ for more information on Jude’s research, teaching and involvement in COSEE and COSIA. (2/13)
Brian Badgley (ECOL, MS '02) received a 2001 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship through which he worked in NOAA's National Ocean Service in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System prior to receiving his M.S. During his graduate career in the MEES Program under the guidance of Dr. Ken Sebens, he researched nutrient dynamics on coral reefs at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research and was a teaching assistant for a Biological Oceanography class and associated lab. Following graduation, Brian was the Coordinator of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Institute in Florida and then was hired to head up the Coastal Institute (which is part of the NERR System Coastal Training Program, and serves as an objective, regional forum for the training of professionals involved in coastal decisions in Southwest Florida. Eventually Brian returned to school for a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of South Florida and is now an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the Crop & Soil Environmental Science department. See http://www.cses.vt.edu/people/tenure/badgley.html for his current profile. (2/13)
Laurie Bauer (FISH, MS '06) began her M.S. degree in the MEES program at the University of Maryland in 2002. Her research, conducted at the Chesapeake Biological Lab under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Miller, focused on the over-wintering mortality of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2006, Laurie received a Knauss Fellowship Award and spent her fellowship year in NOAA's National Ocean Service Biogeography program where her work focused on the assessment of habitat and organisms in the National Marine Sanctuaries. Laurie has remained with NOAA and is currently employed as a Marine Ecologist in the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment. (2/13)
Dr. Kelton Clark (ECOL, Ph.D. '01) has been helping minorities plunge into the marine sciences at Morgan State University's Estuarine Research Center (ERC), located in St. Leonard, Maryland, on the Patuxent River, where he is the Director. Kelly, a former student of Dr. Hines and Dr. Sebens, is now a professor in Morgan's Department of Biology and previously the scientific program manager for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation at the Smithsonian Institute, contends that minority students are not often exposed to marine biology and other specialized disciplines. As a consequence, these students choose careers in more well-known and traditional scientific fields, especially in healthcare fields such as medicine and dentistry. Clark notes, for example, that a minority child fascinated with insects is unlikely to learn about what an entomologist does— and so never considers entomology as a career possibility. As one of the few African American marine biologists in the United States, Clark began as a restaurant manager, earned his bachelor's in biology from San Diego State University, his Ph.D from the MEES Program in College Park. For Kelton, Morgan State provides an opportunity to pursue two passions: a love of teaching and a desire to increase diversity in the marine science community. The ERC is dedicated to investigating the complex interrelationships of aquatic ecosystems, particularly the ways in which coastal systems adapt to, and are affected by, human activities. While much of the center's research is conducted within the Chesapeake Bay, the Chesapeake watershed, and the neighboring Delaware Bay, studies are designed to address issues that are broader in scope and can be applied to similar problems in other coastal ecosystems both within the U.S. and in other countries.
Todd Chadwell (ECOL, MS '04) is a Senior Project Manager and skilled botanist at Woodlot Alternatives, Inc. Todd is responsible for conducting natural resource inventories and botanical surveys, and coordinating large-scale habitat restoration and wetland mitigation projects. He has recently been involved in directing wetland mitigation associated with the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant in New England, and conducting wildlife studies associated with wind power and transmission projects throughout the Northeast. Mr. Chadwell is currently coordinating Woodlot's restoration work on the Housatonic River Restoration project in western Massachusetts (7/07).
Tim Culbertson (ECOL, MS '05) studied the effects of ammonia on maintenance of plant diversity and ecosystem functioning in treatment wetlands receiving agricultural wastewater under the guidance of Dr. Baldwin. Currently, Tim is a Population and Environmental Sciences (as well as Computer Sciences) teacher at the Harker School. He is a member and judge for the American Orchid Society, a member of the Strybing Arboretum Society and a member of the UC Berkeley Botanic Garden Society. (7/07)
Dr. James D. Hagy, III (PhD '01) received his Master's degree in 1996 and continued on at the University of Maryland’s Horn Point Laboratory for his doctorate. Jim finished his PhD graduate work in December 2001 and started work in January 2002 as a post-doc with the US EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division, which is located at Pensacola Beach, FL. In 2004, he became permanent staff member (Ecologist). His work at EPA focuses utilizes field studies and modeling to address questions related to eutrophication and hypoxia in estuaries and coastal waters, most recently the "dead zone" down coast from the Mississippi River off the coast of Louisiana and Texas. Jim and his wife Melissa (1995 MEES, MS graduate) have three daughters, born in 2000, 2002 and 2006. Outside of work and family, he pursues triathlon racing and competitive swimming. (2/13)
Juliet M. Healy (ECOL, MS '01); In collaboration with Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the EPA, Juliet studied the use of Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras mounted on helicopters for detecting bird carcasses in the field, a new technique for assessing the safety to wildlife of outdoor use of pesticides. (7/07)
Dr. Paula Henry (PhD '02) is currently a Research Physiologist at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC). Paula conducts scientific research addressing issues related to environmental stressors, contaminant exposure, and population viability. She investigates the effects of chronic and sublethal exposure of environmental contaminants on a variety of "non-traditional" wildlife models; the relative sensitivity of various avian, amphibian, and reptilian species to exposure to endocrine disruptors and agricultural pesticides, and to declines in habitat and water quality; and the application of physiological and behavioral indices as biomarkers for exposure and/or effect. Some of Paula's recent activities include developing inquiry-based environmental education outreach programs for middle school, high school and college students. She also chairs the PWRC Animal Care and Use Committee and the Mid-Atlantic Diamondback Terrapin Working Group and is a member of The Board of Directors for the Chesapeake Potomac Regional Chapter of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. (4/13)
Rachel Herbert (ENVSC, MS '05) studied nutrient dynamics and limitation in riparian forested wetlands in agricultural and non-agricultural settings with her mentors Dr. Baldwin (advisor) & Dr. Gregory McCarty from the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center's Environmental Quality Laboratory as a Graduate Research Assistant. Since matriculation, Rachel is pursuing her career in environmental science with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is currently at the Municipal Stormwater Program within the Office of Water. (2/13)
Dr. Amy Carnahan Horneman, SM (ASCP) (ENMB, PhD '01) is the Chief of Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics at the Baltimore VA Medical Center; and an Adjunct Associate Professor, Medical Research and Technology, DEPM, at the University of Maryland Baltimore. Amy is interested in researching taxonomy and virulence features of microorganisms from the environment that are pathogenic for humans, such as Aeromonas, a common water-based organism that causes gastrointestinal disease, and Vibrio species. Amy became a worldwide recognized expert on Aeromonas, finding three new species and publishing a dozen papers in scientific journals. Amy has also been a four-time Outstanding Instructor Award recipient. She was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, College Park Chapter in 2001. Dr. Horneman also won the Leadership Award for service as President of the Maryland Branch of the American Society for Microbiology in 2005. Currently, Dr. Horneman is serving as a research consultant with Dr. Ashok K. Chopra regarding EPA Research on Virulence Factors relating to the Presence of Aeromonas hydrophila strains in U.S. Drinking Water Supplies.
Dr. Olaf P. Jensen (FISH, MS '04) began a M.S. degree program in the MEES program in 2000. His master's thesis research, supervised by Dr. Thomas Miller, focused on understanding the distribution patterns and spatial ecology of the blue crab in Chesapeake Bay (i.e., application of geostatistics to estuarine systems). Olaf was awarded a DAAD Fellowship by the German Federal Government for research in Germany during the winter of 2002-2003. Olaf also received the 2003 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship award which placed him in the biogeography program led by Dr. Mark Monaco in NOAA's National Ocean Service. His work with NOAA focused on biogeographic assessment that included habitat mapping and multi-species modeling, of the National Marine Sanctuaries. Following the receipt of his PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 2010, Olaf was hired as an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University. See here for the Jensen Lab within the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences where research ranges from field studies of endangered salmonids in Mongolia to meta-analysis of stock assessment data to better understand fish population dynamics. (2/13)
Dr. Nikisa George (Jordan) (Ph.D, (Concentration: Atmospheric Physics (prior to AOS), ‘09), earned her Ph.D. in MEES from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in Fall 2009. Prior to joining the MEES Program, this Bulldog alum double majored in Computer Science and Biology and earned two Bachelor’s of Science degrees from Bowie State University in 2003. Entering the MEES program in Fall 2004, advised by Dr. Raymond Hoff, Nikisa earned the prestigious Jessica Soto Perez Memorial Award (2008), won 1st place at the 2010 American Meteorological Society annual conference in Atmospheric Chemistry (2008), as well as won the NOAA CREST Annual Symposium (2008), and served as President of the UMBC MEES GSO, building community and was an active collaborator in the MEES Program committee meetings. After graduating, Nikisa was a post-doc at the Joint Center for Earth Systems and Technology (JCET) performing research that concentrated on remote sensing of the atmosphere with a focus on aerosols and aerosol properties. Nikisa went on to be the 2013 National Women of Color STEM Conference Technology Rising Star award winner, and her doctoral dissertation was the first large-scale observational study of planetary boundary layer (PBL) heights using Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) that revealed certain issues with a NASA climate model. Dr. Nikisa George (nee Jordan) currently has over 20 scientific publications and has held numerous leadership roles including working as a Systems Engineer for over ten (10) years at Northrop Grunman Electronic Systems (NGES) Space Division in Asuza, California, where she was responsible for modeling and analysis, specifically phenomenology and algorithm development for ATMS and SSMIS, to determine the retrieval of brightness temperatures along with temperature and humidity sounding. Dr. George is currently the Senior Project Leader at the Aerospace Corporation, and, continuing her dedication to increasing diversity in STEM fields, also serves as the Executive Director and Co-founder of Linguate Academy, a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping students with second language acquisition and expanding student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM). Nikisa recently presented “The NESDIS NGES Cycle 2 Analysis Results” at the January 2023 AMS annual meeting in Denver, Colorado. For more information on Dr. George, click here.
Dr. Susan Klosterhaus' (CHEM, Ph.D. '07) dissertation research focused on the bioavailability of sediment-associated organic chemical contaminants, particularly the brominated diphenyl ether flame retardants, from a heavily contaminated urban estuary and the processes that control their accumulation in aquatic food webs. Following employment with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, she joined The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute in 2012 as a Senior Scientist. Dr. Klosterhaus will be working closely with the Institute’s Certification Standards Board and leading the Institute’s work to help designers and manufacturers identify, manage, and replace the hazardous materials used in product manufacturing as required in the Cradle to Cradle Product CertificationCM protocol. (2/13)
Dr. Richard Kraus (FISH, PhD '03) pursued a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Texas Institute of Oceanography at Texas A&M University following his MEES degree. Following his work in Texas, he joined the Environmental Science and Policy Departmental faulty of George Mason University as Assistant Professor of Fish Ecology before moving to his current position with the USGS - Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Erie Biological Station where he is a Research Fishery Biologist & Field Station Supervisor of the EasternBasin Ecosystem Branch. (2/13)
Sheridan MacAuley (ENMB, MS '05) joined the MEES program in 2002 and conducted her research under the supervision of microbiologist Kevin Sowers at the University of Maryland Center of Marine Biotechnology. Her research focused on microbial fermentation and the production of recombinant proteins by methane-producing marine microorganisms. After successfully defending her master's thesis, Sheridan received the 2006 Knauss Fellowship Award working for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Her work focused on supporting NASA's involvement in the Ocean Action Plan and assisting in development of a plan for NASA's ongoing role in the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. (7/07)
Kristin Mielcarek (ECOL, MS '06) earned a Masters degree in Ecology under the supervision of Dr. Court Stevenson at Horn Point Laboratory on the Choptank River. Kristin's research focused on marsh restoration and creation using dredged material from the shipping channels of the Chesapeake Bay. After matriculation, Kristin volunteered for Catoctin Land Trust and Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage performing stream buffer plantings in Washington Country, Maryland. Originally, Kristin great up on a farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore with five other siblings. She now lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, with her husband Jeremy and son Benjamin. Kristin currently works for the Canaan Valley Institute as a Watershed Circuit Rider. (2/13).
Dr. Todd R. Miller (ENMB, PhD '04) became a post-doc at Johns Hopkins Center for Water and Health in the Division of Environmental Health upon completion of his MEES Ph.D. Following his work at JHU, Todd moved to the University of Wisconsin, first to the Center of Limnology and then to the Zibler School of Public Health. Currently he is an Assistant Professor whose research is concerned with characterizing factors that regulate human exposure to naturally occurring or anthropogenic toxins in water or wastewater. Learn more about Todd by clicking here.
Dr. Cassandra Moe (ENMB, PhD '01) is a biology instructor at the Dakota County Technical College in Minnesota. In the past, Cassandra has affiliated with various academic institutions such as Augsburg, and Metropolitan State University. Her dissertation work with advisor Dr. Allen Place focused on the characterization of a common vertebrate gastric enzyme, chitinase. As a researcher, she considers herself to be a physiological ecologist - meaning that she is interested in how the biochemical and physiological processes at the cellular level are translated through the organismic, population, and community levels. Cassandra really enjoys teaching non-biology majors and believes that a basic knowledge of science is crucial for every person, especially as our "daily lives become increasingly technical and our natural world is subjected to increasing pressure!" (2/13).
Wendy Morrison (FISH, MS '02) enrolled in the MEES program in 1998 where her work, advised by Dr. David Secor, focused on understanding the biology of American eels with an emphasis on an unfished population in the Hudson River, New York. In 2001, Wendy received the Knauss Fellowship Award. She spent her fellowship year with NOAA's National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Program, where she worked on projects aimed at providing ecosystem0level information on the distributions and ecology of living marine resources that include projects in central California, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following graduation, she went on to spend 3 years working with NOAA's Biogeography Program before pursuing a PhD in Biology at the Geeorgia Institute of Technology in Atlandta, Georgia. Post-PhD, she returned to NOAA in the Domestic Fisheries Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Although she values goog friends, her family, her dog, Surman, she enjoys reading novels, watching fish underwater, investigating naturing and trying to identify creatures (birds, insects, ascidians, sponges,etc.), eating chocolate and laughing. (2.13).
Robert (Bob) F. Murphy (FISH, MS '05) currently serves as the President and Executive Director of Ecosystems Solutions, Inc. (ESI) overseeing ESI's marine resources projects which include development of novel methods for large-scale submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration, assessment of biological responses to restoration practices, and oyster reef design. Prior to ESI, Bob was the Senior Project Coordinator with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, a regional non-profit, where he specialized in habitat restoration, with particular emphases on submerged vegetation and oyster reef habitats. As a member of the senior staff at the Alliance, Bob served as scientific liaison to the Chesapeake Bay Program and other regional organizations. While a student in the MEES program (with Dr. David Secor, advisor) Bob's research focused on the fish assemblage structure of the coastal bays of Maryland. Bob's continued scientific interests include the interactions of habitat and population dynamics in marine and estuarine systems. Bob and his wife Beth currently reside with their two boys, Ian and Declan in Edgewater, MD in the South River watershed. (2/13).
Wendy Morrison (FISH, MS '02) enrolled in the MEES program in 1998 where her work, advised by Dr. David Secor, focused on understanding the biology of American eels with an emphasis on an unfished population in the Hudson River, New York. In 2001, Wendy received the Knauss Fellowship Award. She spent her fellowship year with NOAA's National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Program, where she worked on projects aimed at providing ecosystem0level information on the distributions and ecology of living marine resources that include projects in central California, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following graduation, she went on to spend 3 years working with NOAA's Biogeography Program before pursuing a PhD in Biology at the Geeorgia Institute of Technology in Atlandta, Georgia. Post-PhD, she returned to NOAA in the Domestic Fisheries Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Although she values goog friends, her family, her dog, Surman, she enjoys reading novels, watching fish underwater, investigating naturing and trying to identify creatures (birds, insects, ascidians, sponges,etc.), eating chocolate and laughing. (2.13).
Eric Nagal (ENVSC, MS '04), advised by Dr. Jeff Cornwell did thesis research that examined rates, magnitudes, and controls of nitrogen fixation in Florida Bay and how this nutrient source compares with external loading. In 2004, Eric received the Knauss Fellowship Award to work within the House of Representative's Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Subcommittee under the supervision of John Rayfield. His work focused on legislation addressing the problem of invasive species introduction via ballast water as well as other marine and Coast Guard-related issues. Following his fellowship, Eric was able to stan on Capitol Hill and now he is working as a Professional Staff Member with the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the U.S. House of Representatives. Eric lives with his wife, Jessica (Davis) Nagal (MEES PhD), and two very happy energetic dogs in Laurel, Maryland. (7/09).
Dr. Elizabeth North (FISH, PhD '01) was a NOAA intern for NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Stock Assessment Committee within her first year after matriculation from the MEES Program. After her internship was completed, she went on to be a Research Assistant for the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program. In 2004, Dr. North was a visiting scientist at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER). She has since joined the University of Maryland faculty as an assistant professor at Horn Point Laboratory, UMCES. Learn more about Elizabeth, her research and teaching by clicking here.
Dr. Trista Maj Patterson (ECOL, PhD '05) is a Fellow at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford. This position follows work as an ecological economist with the U.S. Forest Service in Juneau, Alaska (where she was the first "ecological economist" hired by the USFS) and as a Fellow in Global Governance and Human Security at the University of Massachusetts. The insight, creativity, and energy from other ecological economists buoyed her own efforts for career success. The doctoral and EE certificate program she earned at the University of Maryland, a 3 year lecture/research residency at the University of Siena, Italy in EE< and the Donella Meadows Leadership Fellow Program (2004-2006), have had a strong influence on her work. She her website for more on Tristra and her work.
Frank Pendleton (ENVSC, MS '03) conducted his master's research project in the Okavango River delta in Botswana examining the effects of pesticide spraying for tsetse fly control on bird populations. Since completing the MEES Masters Program , he became a fish and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services working on the Lake Champlain Complex. Currently Frank is the Manager of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument/Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in American Samoa. (2/13).
Jessica Peterson (ECOL, MS '03) is a Research Associate at the Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Unit. Prior to this, Jessica was involved in a project at the Nanticoke watershed, looking at plant communities of freshwater tidal marshes and swamps and the environmental factors influencing community dynamics. Her work at this site include a study of the seed bank.
Kelly Phyillaier Neff (ENVSC, MS '02) is currently employed at the Maryland Department of the Environmental Mitigation Section as a Natural Resources Planner. During her M.S. degree, she worked on the initial plant colonization of a recently reconstructed tidal freshwater marsh at Kingman Lake, Washington D.C. In addition to monitoring the plant composition, the projected involved evaluation of see dynamics, including seed dispersal and seed bank analysis, and determining the environmental factors influencing the plant community.
Taconya Piper (FISH, MS '03)became a Minorities in Marine and Environmental Sciences (MIMES) Summer Intern at the South Carolina Marine Resources Division (SCMRD). The following December, Taconya earned a B.S. in environmental science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 1999. In 2000, she enrolled in the MEES program under the direction of Dr. Roman Jesien, where she investigated the reproductive potential of American shad in the Delaware and Hudson rivers. She was also a research fishery biologist in the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, an EPA Graduate Research Fellow that supported her with a stipend, tuition and research funds. She was also a summer intern with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Previously she worked with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). Taconya Piper received the 2003 Knauss Fellowship Award and spent her fellowship year with NOAA's National Ocean Service, in the Office of Ocean Exploration. She organized, coordinated, and provided special support to expeditions led by the office. After her arrival in D.C., she participated in a three-week research cruise to Puerto Rico Trench to map the seafloor. She also focused on the development of education and outreach programs that promote ocean exploration and stewardship to the public. Her work this year with education and outreach fulfills a personal goal to implement programs that will expose inner city youths to the many opportunities for careers in ocean and environmental science. Following her fellowship, Taconya enrolled at Auburn University of pursue a PhD in Fisheries Science and Management. Currently she is working with the Alabama Cooperative Research Unit.
Mark A. Rath (FISH, MS '04) began working for Charles River on the laboratory aquatic contract at the National institute of Health in Bethesda, MD after he graduated. Since 2008, Mark has served as the Shared Zebrafish Facility Manager and has been instrumental in the development, construction, testing and startup of the largest zebrafish laboratory in the world. The Shared Zebrafish Facility opened in November of 2011, and it serves both the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Human Genome Research Institute. That same year, Mark was elected to a two year term as the President of Zebrafish Husbandry Association. Mark currently lives locally with his wife, Jessica and their two daughters, Elena and Lilliana.
Michael Rearick (CHEM, MS '04) earned his masters under Dr. Robert Mason in environmental chemistry. Since matriculation, Mike has been active at the Las Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, as an inorganic analytical chemist specializing in ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the Geochemistry and Geomaterials Research Laboratory. Mr. Rearick served as an analytical chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for 9 years prior to working at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Dr. Emma J. Rochelle-Newall (OCEAN, PhD '00) successfully completed her dissertation in the biological production of colored dissolved organic matter with Dr. Tom Fisher as her advisor. In the year following matriculation, Emma was a CNRS Postdoctoral fellow (Poste Rouge) in the ATIPE EcoMem program at the Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de Villefranche in France. In 2002, she continued her post-doc in the same location, however Emma joined the Eurotroph project where she studied nutrient cycling and the trophic status of European coastal ecosystems under the guidance of Dr. Jean-Pierre Gattuso. In 2003, Emma joined the Center for Oceanography of Marseille, Institute of Research and Development (IRD) of Noumea, studying the fate of organic carbon fixed by the cyanobacteria Trichodesmium. Emma is still with the IRD in the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IEES) and now working in southeast Asia on the impacts of land use change on carbon export from soils and the impact of this organic matter on aquatic microbial functional and genetic diversity. See here for more information.
Kristin Rusello (ECOL, MS '05) studied the ecological development of vegetation, soil, and seed banks at the restored tidal freshwater marshes and the assessment of habitat trends to prioritize restoration activities while a student in the MEES Program. In 2005, Kristin received the 2005 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship ad spent her fellowship year in NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) in the Office of Response and Restoration under the supervision of Chief of the Damage Assessment Center, Pat Montanio. Her work focused on implementing the Estuary Restoration Act and updating the refining the National Estuaries Database. Currently Kristin works within NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service.
Dr. Peter Sakaris (FISH, MS '02) graduated in 2002 with a Masters Degree in fisheries science at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and followed up with a doctoral degree at Auburn University in fisheries and allied aquacultures in 2006. Peter married Catherine McCracken on December 2, 2006. Currently Peter is an Associated Professor in the Biology Department of Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Georgia.
Dr. Abby (Cohen) Schneider (CHEM, MS '01; PhD '05) completed her MEES masters research examining the influence of episodic events on PCB and PAH cycling in Lake Michigan in 2001 under the guidance of Dr. Joel Baker and continued on to her PhD in 2005 in which she examined the rates of PCB desorption from resuspended Hudson River Sediments. Following graduation, Abby became an American Chemical Society Congressional Fellow working in the Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein focusing on water issues, including perchlorate contamination, fisheries, endangered species, and climate change. Following her fellowship, Abby became the Federal Legislative Representative for the Association of California Water Agencies where she is now the Senior Federal Relations Representative.
Yanmei Shi (ECOL, MS '05) followed up her MEES degree with a PhD in Biological Engineering at MIT. Shi's Master's thesis concerned the measurement of in situ expression of Proteorhodospin genes at the North Pacific central gyre station ALOHA. Currently she is a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in Shanghai, China.
Thomas A. Shyka (ECOL, MS '00) was awarded the Knauss Marine Policy Award in 1998. He spent his fellowship year working in NOAA's National Ocean Service, in the Office of Coastal Resource Management, in the Marine Sanctuary Program, where he worked on coral reef restoration in the Florida Key's Marine Sanctuary and on other management issues in various sanctuaries around the country. With advisor, Dr. Kenneth Sebens, Tom focused his graduate work on various aspects of coral feeding and growth. In his first year at Maryland, as a NASA/Maryland Sea Grant Summer Fellow in Remote Sensing of the Oceans, he worked with Frank Hoge at NASA's Wallops Island facility. Currently, Tom is an Outreach and Communications Specialist with the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS).
Dr. Heather Stapleton (CHEM, PhD '03) enrolled in the MEES Program with Dr. Joel Baker as her advisor and successfully defended her dissertation in 2003. Dr. Stapleton is currently an Associated Professor of Environmental Chemistry at The Nichols School of the Environment at Duke University. Her doctoral research focuses on understanding the fate and transformation of organic contaminants in aquatic systems. Recently Heather has focused he research on several types of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and brominated flame retardants, with a focused on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). See her website for more information on Heather and her nationally recognized research.
Dr. Bhaskaran Subramanian (ENVSC, PhD '06) originally from India, graduated from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore MEES Program with an emphasis in environmental science and became a National Sciences Manager with Maryland Eastern Shore RC&D Council, Inc. His work included the creation of a GIS database for the Council. Form there, he moved to work in the Ecosystem Restoration Services of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Dr. Adrienne Sutton (OCEAN, PhD '06) focused her doctoral research on whether agricultural conservation practices reduce nutrient runoff into the Chesapeake Bay. After matriculation, Adrienne was a Sea Grant Fellow in NOAA's Office of Legislative Affairs in 2006 and then hired as NOAA's Congressional Affairs Specialist for Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) related issues. While at NOAA she received the NOAA Administrator's Award in 2008 and two NOAA Recognition Awards. From there she moved to the west coast and the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory where she is now a Research Scientist in the Carbon Program. Find out more about Adrienne and her work on characterizing the extent and magnitude of ocean acidification in surface waters of the open ocean and coral reef environments here
Stacy Swartwood (ENVSC, MS '04) was awarded a 2002 Knauss Fellowship and spent her fellowship year with the EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds in the Wetlands Division. Her work focused on the incorporation of wetland and water issues into smart growth planning and strategies for state wetland programs. She enrolled in the MEES program in 1999 and did her research on mangrove and salt marsh model ecosystems under the direction of Patrick Kangas. Stacy was a graduate assistant in the College of Life Science's Office of International Programs, then spent 2001 as a research assistant at Maryland Sea Grant College. After further employment with the EPA, Stacy is now working as a Program Analyst with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Lynn Takata ( FISH, MS '04) received a 2002 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship and worked in NOAA's National Ocean Service, with the National Marine Sanctuary Programs's Scientific Support Team. During her fellowship, she helped design and implement a sanctuary-wide scientific monitoring program and assisted with the Baja to Bering expedition - a scientific cruise running though west coast sanctuaries. In 1999, she enter the MEES program, where Dr. David Secor directed her research on comparing recruitment and growth patterns of young bluefish that use different Maryland nursery habitats. Upon completion of the MEES Program, Lynn was employed as an Environmental Scientists at the California State Lands Commission where is is now an Environmental Program Manager.
Dr. Jeffery Terwin (ECOL, PhD '00) pursued a post-doc at the University of Connecticut (2000-2002) following his MEES doctoral work at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Dr. Terwin moved into the science education area, teaching high school level biology, marine biology, and ecology while carrying on his research with the Navigator Project, and becoming the Dean of Students at the North Shore Country Day School. After time as the Head of the Upper School at Chase Collegiate School in Connecticut, Jeff was chosen to head to Upper School at the Wellington School in Columbus, Ohio in 2012.
Pamela Toschik (ECOL, MS '04) conducted her Master's research, with Mary Ann Ottinger at UMCP and Barnett Tatter as the USGS- Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, focusing on the effects of contaminants and the habitat quality on osprey nest site use and reproductive success in the Delaware Bay. In 2004 Pamela received a Knauss Fellowship Award and spent her year with the National Science FOundation's Office of Polar Programs. Her work focused on management and policy related to research in Antarctica. Following her fellowship, Pamela remained with the NSF, Office of Polar Programs as an Environmental Policy Specialist. Currently Pam is with NOAA's Office of International Affairs.
Sarah Hypio U'Ren e (ENVSC, MS '00) has been working in watershed management in her home state of Michigan. She married her college sweetheart, Randy U'Ren, in May 2001. Sarah worked for two years at the Annnis Water Resources Institute of Grand Valley State University as a watershed project coordinator where she authored a watershed management plan for the Muskegon River watershed. In 2002, she and her husband moved to Traverse City in northern Michigan where she became a Project Coordinator for the nonprofit organization The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay where she is now Program Director. There, Sarah has continued to author yet another watershed management plan, this time for the Grand Traverse Bat watershed and currently, she is heading numerous education and watershed restoration projects. To date, she has applied for and received over $1.5 million in grant funding for watershed projects. You can visit her organization's website here. Sarah's husband, Randy is an optometrist and coaches a local high school boy's soccer team. They currently have two daughters.