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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A celebration of urban tree canopy expansion efforts in Cumberland, MD held at Fort Hill High School to recognize the school's initiative, under the leadership of teacher Mac Sloan (MS '07), in establishing a native tree nursery, planting trees and installing renewable solar energy. The school received a formal Governor's Citation signed by Governor Martin O'Malley in honor of its measurable impact and continuing service in helping to restore Maryland's environment and maintain a high quality of life in Cumberland. Cumberland's Shade Tree Commission also committed $1,500 to support the school's newly renovated greenhouse that Mr. Sloan, with assistance from local business owner, Ron Graunke, recently established to grow native trees as part of the city's urban tree canopy expansion effort (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2008/101408.html). (12/08)
Taconya Piper (MS '03) has graciously served the Equal Opportunity Section, American Fisheries Society, for the past two years and in August 2008 they welcomed a new president, Larry Alade (PhD '08). A graduate of the MEES Program, Larry works for NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, as a fishery biologist. (12/08)
The College Park Maryland Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will present Dr. Caroline M. Solomon its Ph.D. Graduate Award on May 12, 2007 for her outstanding work as a graduate student in Biological Oceanography in the Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences (MEES) Program of the University of Maryland. Caroline, working with Dr. Patricia Glibert, completed her dissertation entitled, "Regulation of estuarine phytoplankton and bacterial urea uptake and urease activity by environmental factors," and was awarded her Ph.D. in December 2006. The College Park Branch has presented this award to a University of Maryland woman graduate student since 1958. One awardee is chosen among all Ph.D. recipients in all disciplines for the preceding calendar year. The award includes membership in the AAUW, an organization that for more than 125 years has advanced equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.
Congratulations to Dr. Jeff Ashley, who has designed and fostered an interesting and fun undergraduate environmental chemistry program earning tenure at Philadelphia University!
Dr. Susan L McAlear Baker (MEES, Ph.D. '00) earned her Bachelors degree in zoology from the University of Maryland, a Masters degree in environmental biology from Hood College, and a Ph.D. in marine-estuarine-environmental sciences from the University of Maryland. She has over 20 years' experience conducting marine mammal research, primarily on obtaining population biology information in order to solve management problems. Her Masters thesis, entitled "The Effect of Eskimo Subsistence Hunting on the Population of the Bowhead Whale, Balena mysticetus", concerned an analysis of bowhead whale population dynamics data in order to determine if the population could withstand increased native hunting pressure. Her PhD dissertation, entitled "Population Biology, Residency Status, and Management of Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in the Eastern Bay and Choptank River Areas of the Chesapeake Bay", was triggered by the 1987-88 die off of bottlenose dolphins along the US east coast. She obtained field data on the population dynamics of bottlenose dolphins in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay, then related this data to possible threats to the population's recovery. She also taught biology at George Washington University for over 18 years. She has since "come in from the field" and currently works at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science as the Coordinator for Outreach and Education. At NOAA, in addition to a variety of programmatic activities, she works to strengthen the public's sense of environmental stewardship, especially children. (8/07)
Bryce Brylawski (FISH, MS '02) who is pursuing his Ph.D. research at VIMS, received an award for best graduate student presentation for Growth, survival and condition of the thin-shelled clam, Macoma balthica, in the York River, Virginia at the AERS/SEERS joint meeting this past spring.
Dr. Michael Dowgiallo (PhD '04) and Dr. Felix Martinez of NOAA's Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research received a 2006 NOAA Administrator's Award for "Leadership in creating a Caribbean Coral Reef Institute (CCRI) which conducts strategic research for improved resource management of coral reefs." Now in its third year of operation, the CCRI continues to engage in research and monitoring activities that are applicable to the improvement of coral reef management strategies, and that are helping to build management capability within Puerto Rico. The Administrator's Award is given annually in recognition of employees or groups who have made significant contributions to NOAA programs. The award was presented by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.) at a formal ceremony on October 13 at NOAA's facilities in Silver Spring, MD. For more information on the CCRI, click here.
Matthew Johnson (OCEAN, Ph.D. '05) along with T. Tengs, D. Oldach and D.K. Stoeker won "The Luigi Provasoli Award" from the Phycological Society of America in recognition of authoring the outstanding paper published in the Journal of Phycology during 2006 for "Sequestration, performance, and functional control of cryptophyte plastids in the ciliate Myrionecta rubra (Ciliophora). Journal of Phycology 42: 1235-1246." This paper is from Matt's thesis research.
Dr. Richard Kraus, a PhD graduate from the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, received the 2006 W.F. Thompson Award. This national award is given annually by the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists to recognize excellence in research by students in fisheries and aquatic sciences. Kraus received the award for his student paper he wrote with Dr. David Secor in 2004: "The dynamics of white perch (Morone americana Gmelin) population contingents in the Patuxent River Estuary, Maryland USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 279: 247-259." Dr. Kraus is now an Assistant Professor with George Mason University.
Dr. Louise Wooten (MEES, Ph.D. '96) of Georgian Court University was elected the new Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS) Secretary for Spring 2007. Her former position as Nominations Chair will be filled by Julie Ambler.
Patricia Zerfas (MS '95) placed fourth overall at the Tenth Mountain Ski Club summer biathlon in Fort Kent, Maine - the biathlon consisted of three races over four days. Her fourth place finish earned her a spot on the United States National Team, which will compete in September at the 2007 International Biathlon Union Summer World Championships in Estonia. "It's definitely exciting," said Zerfas, who will make her first international appearance in Estonia. Biathlons are usually associated with the Winter Olympics, as a sport combining cross-country skiing and riflery. Athletes ski around a cross-country track, where the total distance is broken up by shooting rounds where participants must hit five targets. Summer biathlons combine cross-country running with riflery. Zerfas, recently the top female finisher at the 46th Washington's Birthday Marathon in Greenbelt, only got back into biathlons this summer. She participated in two last month, winning one in New Jersey. The event this past weekend was just her third. If Zerfas can keep herself healthy, she intends to stick with biathlon. She enjoys the competition and working toward a goal. And now that she's earned her spot on the national team this year, she would like to defend that spot in coming years. For more information, on Zerfas's win, click here. (8/07)
WEDDINGS & ANNIVERSARIES:
Jennifer Mary Barker (MS '02) and Keith Emory Fulton were married June 26, 2004 in Morgantown, WV. The bride is employed by West Virginia University in the forestry department. The groom is employed by the State University of Frostburg. They live in Friendsville, MD.
Heather L. Berndt (MS '99 ECOL) married Perry Q. Hollen on Nov. 16, 2002. Both did their undergraduate studies at PennState. Perry is a manufacturing engineering manager at INA USA Corporation; Heather is an environmental scientist at URS Corporation. The couple lives in Greenville, SC.
Congratulations to Sara Gottlieb (MS '98) and her husband David Bader, who just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary on May 26th, 2006!
 Taber Hand (PhD '03) and Ong tied the knot on April 30th, 2007 & had a easy time of it between the US Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translation services, notaries and the Amphur marriage office in Bangkok! Taber has been packing and dispersing in University Park, back from moving furniture and plants into a their small townhouse apartment in Phnom Penh. On June 19th, Taber will fly toward permanency in Cambodia (3+ years?) and Thailand, the Final Destination! The wedding party will be in mid-August in Phnom Penh.
 Angie Lawrence (MS '98) and Jeffrey T. Ashley (PhD '98) were married May 18th 2002, in Grand Cayman, BWI on the beach at sunset. MEES alums in attendance included: Jen Kraly, Holly Bamford, Heather Stapleton, Amy Merten, Arnold Turner, John Offenburg, Jen Harman Fetcho, Jim and Melissa Hagy. The couple met at CBL and are both 1998 MEES graduates: Jeff, a PhD from Baker's lab, and Angie, an MS from Mason's lab (both located at CBL). The bride is employed by the Baltimore National Aquarium while the groom is employed by Philadelphia University and the Academy of Natural Sciences. They live in Narbeth, PA.
NEW ARRIVALS:
"We welcome with love, your tiny new blessing and gift from above!"
Congratulations Dr. Susan Flanders Cushman (PhD '06) and family on your new arrival, Riley Douglas Cushman born May 23rd, 2006!
 Ruth A. Kelty (MEES 2000 Ph.D. under Dr. Christopher D’Elia) and husband Ryan welcomed their second daughter earlier this year.
Congratulations to Dr. David & Tricia Kimmel! Sara Janet Kimmel was born on the 18th of October, 2006 at 2:56 PM. She weighed in at 8 pounds and 0 ounces and was 20.4 inches in length.
MEES alumni Eric and Jessica (Davis) Nagel welcomed a baby boy, Brendan Everett, in October 2008.
 Miles Connor Reid was born to Michael and Cristi Reid (MEES M.S. 2003 under Drs. Joe Mihursky and Denise Breitburg) in May, 2008. He has an older sister, Alyssa.
Congratulations to Stacy Swartwood for giving birth to Delia Merran Tisa on April 5th, 2006.
IN MEMORIAM:
Dr. Laura E. Mazanti, (PhD '99), 37, died suddenly while at work at the USDA Wetland Science Institute located at the Patuxent Wildelife Refuge and Research Center near Laurel, MD in the summer of 2000. Dr. Mazanti had established herself as a leader in wetland science and conservation and had many distinguished accomplishments. Laura is a graduate from both Clemson (BS '85, Microbiology), and the University of North Carolina (MS '87, Environmental Biology). She began her professional career with the Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Office in Atlanta where she was responsible for implementing Section 404 of the Clean Water Act in GA and TN. In 1992, she joined Natural Resources Conservation Service at their National Headquarters here in DC where she assisted in the development of the 1993 White House's Comprehensive Wetland Plan, the 1993 Memorandum of Agreement on Agricultural Wetlands, and the program manuals for the implementation of Swampbuster and Wetland Reserve Program. Together, these policies have had a pronounced effect on the status and trends of wetlands and agricultural lands nationwide. As a result, she was promoted to NCRS National Biologist in 1994, where she worked with several national agencies to bring about positive changes in fish and wildlife habitats that was afforded by the opportunities of the 1990 Farm Bill. As National Biologist she steadfastly upheld an idealism that refused to be diminished by political compromise. In 1995, Laura applied for and was accepted into the NRCS Graduate Studies Program as a doctoral candidate in the MEES Program. Her graduate study involved working with frogs, for which she developed a special affinity. Laura graduated from the program in 1999. Her dissertation was titled: The effects of atrizine, metolachlor and chlorpyrifos on the growth and survival of larval frogs under laboratory and field conditions. She is greatly missed for her hard work, her dedication to the environment, and her bright, cheerful personality that helped her befriend so many and achieve so much in so little time. Contributions can be made in her memory to Bat Conservation International, P.O. Box 162603, Austin, TX 78716 (512) 327-9271) to the attention of Mr. Arnie Phifer.
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