Faculty Listed Alphabetical

A

Isabella Alcaniz (*currently not accepting students)
ialcaniz@umd.edu
web site
Dr. Isabella Alcaniz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland (UMD). Her research on environmental and climate politics, international financial mechanisms for climate change, social network analysis, the state in the global south, and Latin American politics has been published in the British Journal of Political Science, World Politics, Water Policy, Environmental Science & Policy, and elsewhere. In 2016, she published her book Environmental and Nuclear Networks in the Global South: How Skills Shape International Cooperation, with Cambridge University Press.

B

Tsvetan Bachvaroff
bachvarofft@umces.edu
web site
Dinoflagellate evolution with special emphasis on the parasitic dinoflagellates; using large scale sequencing and phylogenetic methods to describe the evolutionary history of different types of genes in dinoflagellates

Helen Bailey (Olde) (currently not accepting students)
hbailey@umces.edu
web site
Ocean-climate variability and ecosystem response; zooplankton community and population dynamics; application of satellite techniques in marine fisheries

Andrew Baldwin
baldwin@umd.edu
web site
Wetland ecology and water quality; plant community dynamics of coastal marshes and mangroves; disturbance and regeneration ecology of wetland vegetation; wetland seed banks; influence of sea level rise on coastal wetlands; community and ecosystem processes of created and restored wetlands; nutrient effects on wetland plant communities

Hongsheng Bi
hbi@umces.edu
web site
Ocean-climate variability and ecosystem response; zooplankton community and population dynamics; application of satellite techniques in marine fisheries

Lee Blaney
blaney@umbc.edu
web site
Fate and transport of emerging contaminants in natural and engineered systems; environmental detection of pharmaceuticals or treatment processes aimed at removing pharmaceuticals from drinking water/wastewater matrices

Neil V. Blough (*currently not accepting students)
neilb@umd.edu
web site
Methods for detecting and identifying free radicals in condensed phases; impact of (photo)oxidative reactions on the transformation and fate of organic & inorganic compounds in natural waters and biological systems

Donald F. Boesch (*currently not accepting students)
boesch@umces.edu
web site
Use of science in environmental policy & management, particularly related to understanding the causes of and solutions to coastal eutrophication

William Boicourt (*currently not accepting students)
boicourt@umces.edu
web site
Physical oceanography of shallow waters, estuaries, river plumes; remote sensing and autonomous samplers; physical-biological interactions and food web dynamics

Kaye L. Brubaker
klbrubak@umd.edu
web site
Physical hydrology; numerical modeling; stream and estuary water-quality modeling; water vapor transport; hydroclimatology; land-atmosphere interactions

Mercedes Burns (*currently not accepting students)
burnsm@umbc.edu
web site
Evolutionary ecology of reproductive traits and behaviors, sexual conflict, reproductive polymorphism, arthropod biology

Allen C. Bush (*currently not accepting students)
bush@umbc.edu
web site
Chemical structure and 3-dimensional conformation of complex carbohydrates of glycoproteins and polysaccharides of the cell surface using biophysical methods

Walter R. Boynton (*currently not accepting students)
boynton@umces.edu
web site
Estuarine whole systems ecology, nutrient budgets, eutrophication, sediment nutrient dynamics, environmental policy

C

Timothy Canty
tcanty@umd.edu
web site My primary research focuses on air quality science and policy, stratospheric ozone, and climate change. My team uses observations from satellites, balloons, aircraft and ground based instruments to test our understanding of atmospheric composition represented in photochemical models. This information is used by policy makers to ensure that the best available science informs the development of air quality regulations. We’re also investigating how carbon capture sequestration technology may also improve air quality. In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to expand my collaborations to include epidemiologists studying the impact of air pollution exposure on fetal development and birth outcomes. I’ve also begun working with faculty in UMD’s Smith School of Business to investigate climate finance risk. This has led to the creation of a new executive education program and an MS in climate finance risk. Our work is funded through NASA, DOE, MDE, and NIH.

James Carton
carton@umd.edu
web site
Exponential growth in the power of computers and richness of observational coverage is revealing how the ocean and sea ice systems exchange heat, mass, and momentum with the atmosphere to produce weather and climate. These same tools are just beginning to explore how ocean circulation and the biological processes that carry out half of the planet's photosynthesis are able to sequester 20-30% of the excess carbon dioxide that humans release into the atmosphere each year. The ocean's growing contributions to the global economy; including fisheries, recreation, and waste disposal; are adding to the stresses on these systems with unanticipated consequences. The ocean climate lab exploits the power of these new computational and observational tools to explore the science of ocean/sea ice variability, interactions with atmosphere and land, and how human activities are changing the ocean/sea ice systems.

Mark S. Castro
mcastro@umces.edu
web site
Atmosphere-biosphere interactions, greenhouse gas fluxes, global environmental changes, effects of atmospheric deposition and human activities on nutrient dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems, the composition of the atmosphere

Som Chatterjee
schatterjee@umaryland.edu
web site
Decipher the biological basis for pathogenic of S. aureus using a wide variety of molecular biology, genomic, biochemical, and immunological approaches; study beta-lactam drug resistant phenotypes and genotypes through proteomics and genomics; explore non-canonical (novel) targets responsible for beta-lactam resistance in S. aureus to re-sensitize resistant bacteria to beta-lactam drugs; explore novel approaches, such as developing nano-bodies, to treat staphylococcal infections.

Feng Chen (*currently not accepting students)
chenf@umces.edu
web site
Ecological interaction among marine viruses, bacteria and phytoplankton; phylogenetic diversity and molecular evolution of marine microbes; whole cell or in situ molecular detection; functional genes and microbial genome; research focuses on the diversity and function of microorganisms

Marcos Cheney
macheney@umes.edu
web site
Nanostructure technology for environmental, biomedical and clinical applications; surface chemistry; nuclear medicine; trace metals and radionuclides detection and removal; electrokinetic phenomena

Paulinus Chigbu
pchigbu@umes.edu
web site
Fisheries ecology; influence of variations in climatic factors on water quality and biota; culture of rotifers and copepods for use in rearing marine fish larvae; trophic dynamics in marine and freshwater environments; zooplankton ecology

J. Sook Chung
chung@umces.edu
web site
Response of crustaceans to the neurotransmitter, neurohormones and pheromones that regulate critical events in the life cycle

Mark Cochrane (*currently not accepting students)
mark.cochrane@umces.edu
web site
Understanding spatial patterns, interactions and synergisms between the multiple physical and biological factors that affect ecosystems; climate change, human dimensions of land-cover change and the potential for sustainable development; the drivers and effects of disturbance regime changes resulting from various forms of forest degradation, including fire, fragmentation and logging as well as the mitigating effects of forest and land management.

Lou Codispoti
codispot@umces.edu
web site
Arctic Ocean processes, nutrient and carbon budgets, descriptive physical oceanography, coastal upwelling and chemical oceanographic instrumentation

Emily Cohen
emily.cohen@umces.edu
web site
Understanding animal migration biology in the context of the full annual cycle; using field, lab, and remotely sensed data integrated with rigorous quantitative tools to: address fundamental questions about migration biology, understand how and why migration is changing and migratory species are declining, and develop tools for the inclusion of stopover and airspace habitats into conservation and management efforts for migratory species.

Victoria J. Coles (*currently not accepting students)
vcoles@umces.edu
web site
Physical and biological response and feedbacks to climate variability and change; Observation and modeling of ocean circulation and ventilation, biogeochemical tracer, and ecosystem cycling

Rita Colwell
rcolwell@umd.edu
web site
Research interests focused on global infectious diseases, water, and health. Currently developing an international network to address climate change and infectious diseases and water issues, including safe drinking water for both the developed and developing world.

Other interests include K-12 science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education and the increased participation of women and minorities in science and engineering

Lee Cooper
cooper@umces.edu
web site
Interdisciplinary aspects of biogeochemistry and ecology, including stable and radioisotope composition of organic materials and natural waters; aquatic plant physiology; high latitude oceanography and hydrology

Jeffrey C. Cornwell
cornwell@umces.edu
web site
Sediment biogeochemistry; burial of sediment and associated chemical constituents; nutrient exchange in sediment; influence of tidal marshes on ecosystem N and P balances

Jacob Cram
jcram@umces.edu
web site
I am a microbial ecologist whose research focuses on entire microbial communities. I am interested both in which organisms are present and in how those those organisms affect and in turn are shaped by their environment. My group observes micro-organisms in their native environments through molecular biology techniques and microscopy. We also use statistical and mechanistic models to integrate data and better understand microorganisms in their environments, as well as perform experiments to see how entire communities respond to perturbations.

Maurice Crawford (*currently not accepting students)
mkcrawford@umes.edu
web site
Estuarine habitat conservation/restoration; the dispersal and movement of organisms, and the interplay between science and policy

Thomas Cronin
cronin@umbc.edu
web site
Visual ecology, especially of marine invertebrates with a concentration on crustacean visual neuroscience

Jonathan Cumming
jrcumming@umes.edu
web site
I currently work at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where I am chair of the Department of Natural Sciences. My research focuses on the ecology and physiology of plants in stressful environments. These studies include the plant root microbiome My current projects include 'CBI: The Center for Bioenergy Innovation' with Oak Ridge National Lab, which focuses on the full lifecycle of aviation fuel production from cellulosic feedstocks.

Kathleen Cusick
kcusick@umbc.edu
web site
Microbial ecology of coastal marine systems, with an emphasis on saxitoxin-producing harmful algal bloom ecology and evolution using a combination of genetics, genomics, and transcriptomics.

D

Robert Dadson
rbdadson@mail.umes.edu
International programs in soybean breeding; insect resistance of soybeans; agronomy and breeding of food enzymes; biological nitrogen fixation

Kausik Das
kdas@umes.edu
Understanding of the capillary and wetting dynamics on under-sea bio-solid substrates, the role of viscous bio-films on contact line dynamics to reveal the micro-scale information of the under-liquid wetting transition, and use it into developing macroscopic tools and techniques to i) develop tools for characterization of under-water pollutant plumes and its impact on marine ecosystems; ii)Develop surfaces which will simultaneously behave as superhydrophobic (water repellant) and superleophobic (oil repellant); (iii) Develop efficient under-water structures with antifouling properties; iv) Develop novel micro-fluidic devices for mixing/demixing.

Shiladitya DasSarma
sdassarma@som.umaryland.edu
web site
I have spent many years studying the evolutionary biology of microorganisms growing in extreme environments and the effects of environmental stressors on cells. My research ranges from microbial genomics to the impacts of saline waters in climate change to vaccine development against tropical diseases. My interests include climate education, having co-authored a Climate Introduction and A Roadmap for Responding to Climate Change. I received MIT’s MacVicar Award for climate leadership and I serve as UMB’s Representative to the MEES Program.

Eric Davidson (*currently not accepting students)
edavidson@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, including the effects of management, land use change, and climatic change on soil C and N stocks, trace gas emissions from soils, and leaching of plant nutrients to streams and groundwater. Current study areas include the Brazilian Amazon Basin and Cerrado region and the forests of New England.

Allen P. Davis (*currently not accepting students)
apdavis@umd.edu
web site
Environmental chemistry; aquatic and interfacial environmental chemistry as related to water/ wastewater treatment processes and in natural aquatic/soil systems

Cathlyn D. Davis (Stylinski) (*currently not accepting students)
Cathlyn.Davis@umces.edu
web site
Environmental science education and scientific inquiry in precollege classrooms; remote sensing and plant ecophysiology

William Dennison
dennison@umces.edu
web site
Coastal ecosystem ecology; ecophysiology of marine plants; bioindicators in nearshore environments; assessing ecosystem health

Joseph Dodoo
jddodoo@umes.edu
Application of TG/MS/GC to the study of the spontaneous combustion of low rank coals and lignites

Shao-Jun (Jim) Du
sdu@som.umaryland.edu
web site
Cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling differentiation of muscle and nerve cells during embryogenesis; genetic regulation of muscle and bone development

E

Erle C. Ellis (*currently not accepting students)
ece@umbc.edu
web site
Landscape ecology; biogeochemistry, sustainable resource management

Andrew Elmore (*currently not accepting students)
aelmore@umces.edu
web site
Land use and land cover change; ecohydrology; biogeochemistry; remote sensing and spatial analysis; effects of urban development and agriculture on stream ecosystems; impact of climate change om forest phenology and biogeochemistry

Dia-Eldin Elnaiem
daelnaiem@umes.edu
web site
Biology of Leishmania parasites in their sand fly vectors; biology, ecology and population genetics of sand fly vectors of leishmaniasis in East Africa; epidemiology and control of visceral and cutaneous Leishmaniasis; epidemiology and control of malaria; ecology and control of mosquito vectors of disease in Maryland coastal bays.

Katharina Engelhardt (*currently not accepting students)
kengelhardt@umces.edu
web site
Effects of species richness on wetland ecosystem functioning and services; community ecology and ecosystem ecology; plant community ecology

Keith N. Eshleman
keshleman@umces.edu
web site
Watershed and wetlands hydrology; groundwater/surface water interactions; biogeochemical processes in upland and wetland ecosystems; hydrochemical modeling; ecosystem interactions with land use change; acidification of surface waters

F

William Fagan
bfagan@glue.umd.edu
web site
Meshing field research with theoretical models to address critical questions in community ecology and conservation biology; ecological "edge effects" and spatial dynamics; ecoinformatics, biodiversity databases, and conservation planning

Shengyun Fang
sfang@umaryland.edu
web site
Functions of the ubiquitin system, with special emphasis on the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD)

Solange Filoso
filoso@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and nutrient dynamics in aquatic ecosystems; Impacts of human activities such as land use change, urbanization, and energy production on water resources; Effectiveness of stream restoration and other types of management practices at improving water quality of waterways

Thomas R. Fisher, Jr. (*currently not accepting students)
fisher@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and hydrology of watersheds, denitrification, nutrient inputs to estuaries, cycling and primary production of aquatic systems

Matthew Fitzpatrick
mfitzpatrick@umces.edu
website
My research emphasizes the development and application of spatial modeling approaches for understanding and mapping past, current, and future patterns of biodiversity, with a focus on terrestrial systems, mainly plants.

Clara Fuchsman (*not currently accepting students)
cfuchsman@umces.edu
web site
The Fuchsman lab studies how biological organisms (bacteria, viruses, zooplankton) affect biogeochemical cycling in the ocean. Low or zero oxygen waters are our speciality, but we are also interested in oxygenated systems for comparison.

G

J. Edward Gates
egates@umces.edu
web site
Wildlife, habitat and landscape ecology; habitat fragmentation and alteration, connectivity, edge effects and boundary dynamics; habitat suitability for vertebrate species; natural resources and the human enterprise

Upal Ghosh
ughosh@umbc.edu
web site
Experimental investigation, design, and modeling of physiochemical and biological processes that affect water quality; fundamental process mechanisms that control organic contaminant bioavailability in soils and sediments.

Patricia M. Glibert
glibert@umces.edu
web site
Transformations and fate of nitrogen in marine and estuarine systems; ecology of phytoplanktons; effects of eutrophication; growth and physiology of harmful algal bloom species

Michael Gonsior (*currently not accepting students)
gonsior@umces.edu
web site
Molecular diversity of marine natural dissolved organic matter; pharmaceuticals and personal care products contamination in aqueous systems; natural organic matter in extreme environments; marine biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and halogens.

Da-Wei Gong
dgong@medicine.umaryland.edu
web site
Molecular and cell biology of energy metabolism; use of genomic techniques and bioinformatics to identify novel genes responsible for energy and glucose metabolism and insulin signaling

Matthew Gray (*currently not accepting students)
mgray@umces.edu
web site
Oysters and other marine invertebrate provide numerous benefit to coastal communities and local environments. As an ecophysiologist, my research focuses on understanding the physiological response of marine invertebrates to current and future environmental conditions (e.g. ocean acidification) and the ecological benefits provided by these organisms over space and time. My studies are intended to broaden our knowledge base and provide relevant information to help inform stakeholder, management, and policy in Maryland and elsewhere.

Jacqueline Grebmeier
jgrebmei@umces.edu
web site
Pelagic-benthic coupling on continental shelves, benthic ecology, invertebrate zoology, contaminant distributions, high latitude oceanography

H

Oliver J. Hao
ojh1@eng.umd.edu
web site
Wet air oxidation of hazardous wastes; cometabolism of hazardous organics; nutrient removal; biological processes control; biological nitrate; sulfate chromium and selenium reduction

Reginal M. Harrell (*currently not accepting students)
rharrell@umd.edu
Environmental and bioethics; conservation and restoration ecology; breeding genetics and hybridization; stress physiology of vertebrates; bioethics; ecological and natural resource ethics; conservational biology

Lora A. Harris
harris@umces.edu
web site
Systems ecology; theoretical ecology; primary producers from phytoplankton to macrophytes; ecosystem modeling

Andrew Heyes (*currently not accepting students)
heyes@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry, trace metal chemistry, fate of human derived chemicals

Robert H. Hildebrand (*currently not accepting students)
rhilderbrand@umces.edu
web site
Ecology and conservation biology of running waters; watershed and stream habitat restoration; linking landscapes and populations

Robert L. Hill
rlh@umd.edu
web site
Tillage effect on soil hydraulic properties and agrichemical losses; development of nutrient management planning and environmental risk assessment software

Russell T. Hill (*currently not accepting students)
hillr@umces.edu
web site
Marine microbiology focused on symbiosis between bacteria and marine invertebrates. Symbiotic bacteria associated with marine micro algae with potential in biofuels production and carbon sequestration.

Anson Hines (*currently not accepting students)
hinesa@si.edu
web site
Marine and estuarine invertebrate and fish population biology and community ecology

Maggie Holland
mholland@umbc.edu
web site

My scholarly interests rest, at a most fundamental level, on the intersections between rural livelihoods, land use dynamics, governance, and conservation strategies. To date, the majority of my research has situated itself in Latin America, with an added layer of focus on forests. Since 2017, I have engaged in research with colleagues in Mozambique, focused both on protected areas and community engagement, as well as a newer line of work on urban agriculture and green spaces. I collaborate actively with economists, geographers, conservation biologists, as well as conservation and development practitioners. The common thread in this interdisciplinary effort is a commitment to developing research that not only contributes to academic discourse, but also is relevant and practical, informing a specific policy or management dialogue.

Raleigh Hood
rhood@umces.edu
web site
Phytoplankton production and light response, modeling of primary production and pelagic ecosystems, phytoplankton physiology, bio-optical oceanography

Edward D. Houde (*currently not accepting students)
ehoude@umces.edu
web site
Fisheries science and management; recruitment mechanisms; effects of environment on reproductive success of fishes; ecology of marine and estuarine fishes, especially early-life stages

Anwar Huq
huq@umd.edu
web site
Transmission of aquatic bacterial pathogens, their molecular ecology and direct detection, using remote sensing and aerospace technology; development and optimization of rapid detection of aquatic pathogens, using molecular and immunological methods, and application of these methods in the field

I

Ali B. Ishaque
abishaque@umes.edu
web site
Environmental chemical stressors (organic, inorganic and microplastics). Fatty acid markers, stable isotope ratios and mercury concentrations to understand trophic relationships and how food web changes in relation to environmental factors and climate variability.

J

Rosemary Jagus
jagus@umces.edu
web site
Translational control of gene expression; regulation of gene activity during early development; host defense against virus infection and viral countermeasures; role of protein synthesis in lactation

Andrea Karen Johnson
akjohnson@mail.umes.edu
web site
Assessing the health of Atlantic menhaden using several biomarkers of fish health: indicators of tissue damage, nutritional status and exposure to environmental stressors, immune function and disease

Joe Jurisa
jjurisa@umces.edu
web site
I am a physical oceanographer mainly focused on mixing and transport processes in estuarine and coastal systems. My research focuses on understanding the mixing and transport processes driving the water mass transformation in the estuarine and coastal regions as these processes ultimately control the fate of freshwater and the water mass structure on the continental shelf. I develop novel analytical tools and utilize numerical models along with observational oceanographic and meteorological data in an attempt to capture and advance the understanding of the underlying physical processes.

K

Dhan V. Kalvakolanu
dkalvako@umaryland.edu
web site
Regulation of gene transcription and signal transduction by cytokines; tumor cell growth control; apoptosis and the regulation of novel cell death-activating genes

Todd M. Kana (*not currently accepting students)
kana@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography; algal and plant physiological ecology; regulation of photosynthesis and respiration; oxygen cycling in marine systems; applications of mass spectrometry

Patrick Kangas
pkangas@umd.edu
web site
Ecological engineering; natural resource management; tropical ecosystems; self organization in living and non-living systems

Sujay Kaushal
skaushal@umd.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry of watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, fate and transport of pollutants, limnology, microbial ecology, organic geochemistry and environmental history

Michael S. Kearney
kearneym@umd.edu
web site
Quaternary geomorphology; processes and rates of marsh loss; barrier island dynamics; applications of remote sensing to the study of coastal processes.

Zvi Kelman
zkelman@umd.edu
web site
Biochemistry and molecular interaction; biochemical characterization of DNA replication; DNA replication in Archaea

Victor S. Kennedy (*currently not accepting students)
kennedy@umces.edu
web site
Reproduction and larval behavior and ecology of bivalves; crab and fish foraging behavior; ecology and dynamics of littoral and sublittoral benthic communities; global climate change

Madan Kharel (*currently not accepting students)
mkkharel@umes.edu
web site
Our lab seeks to identify bioactive natural products from marine resources. Our focus is to explore their potential applications both as therapeutics or their significance at local ecosystems. We utilize molecular biology, synthetic biology and bioorganic chemistry techniques to address research questions.

K. Halimeda Kilbourne (*currently not accepting students)
kilbourn@umces.edu
web site
Paleoclimate and Paleooceanography; causes of past climate variability and its implications for future climates, geochemical records of biogenic carbonates, learning from the geologic record of environmental change; climate change

L

Laura Lapham (*currently not accepting students)
lapham@umces.edu
web site
Methane biogeochemistry, marine methane seeps, gas hydrates, Arctic permafrost, sediment biogeochemistry, carbon and nitrogen cycling, sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, anaerobic methane oxidation

Stephanie Lansing
slansing@umd.edu
web site
Anaerobic digestion; ecological waste treatment systems; treatment wetlands; nutrient cycling; energy analysis; ecological modeling

Andrew M. Lazur
lazur@umd.edu
web site
Food and baitfish culture; integration of aquaculture with agriculture for nutrient reduction; effluent and water quality management; marketing and economic evaluation of alternative aquaculture species; fish restoration

Jeff Leips
leips@umbc.edu
web site
Evolution of life history traits, specifically focused on understanding how the genetic architecture underlying these traits guides and constrains their evolutionary responses to natural selection

Paul T. Leisnham
leisnham@umd.edu
web site
The ecology of native and invasive mosquitoes in water-filled containers, wetlands, and drainage systems; species that are affected both by human disruption (e.g., climate change, land use change, and globalization) and that present social, economic and health risks.

Ming Li
mingli@umces.edu
web site
My research spans several areas in oceanography, including estuarine and coastal dynamics, turbulence, sea level rise, and regional impacts of climate change. I am also actively engaged in interdisciplinary research to address pressing environmental problems such as hypoxia, ocean acidification, and harmful algal blooms.

Yantao Li
yantao@umces.edu
web site
My research program aims to understand abiotic and biotic interactions of microalgae with the environment, and the molecular mechanisms regulating carbon assimilation and lipid biosynthesis during those interactions.

Dong Liang
dliang@umces.edu
web site
Spatial statistics, spatiotemporal models, bayesian methods; remote sensing applications to environment and health

Karen R. Lips
klips@umd.edu
web site
Conservation and ecology of amphibians and reptiles, with interest at multiple scales - including population, community and ecosystems - especially as they are affected by emerging infectious disease and global change

Slava Lyubchich
lyubchich@umces.edu
web site
Time series analysis, forecasting, applied statistics, non-parametric inference, bootstrap, environmental modeling, random networks

M

Sairah Malkin
smalkin@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and microbial ecology, particularly in sediment environments; benthic ecology; coastal and large lakes ecology. Current projects are investigating the ecology of sulfur oxidizing bacteria in coastal marine systems.

Eric B. May
ebmay@mail.umes.edu
web site
Effects of environmental contamination and habitat degradation on aquatic animal health; use of biochemical and metabolic indicators to determine the response of fish to injurious agents of conditions; establishment of clinical methods for non-lethal testing

Marla McIntosh
mmcintos@umd.edu
web site
Sustainable forestry; genetics of hyperaccumulation of Cd in Thlaspi caerulescens; pytomedicinals; genetic diversity

Tamra Mendelson (*currently not accepting students)
tamram@umbc.edu
web site
Ecology & evolution of communication; rate of communication evolution vs. ecological divergence & other reproductive barriers; biology at the science-policy-practice interface.

Donald Meritt
dmeritt@umces.edu
web site
Oyster aquaculture and restoration; wildlife management; invertebrate ecology; aquaculture

Andrew J. Miller (*currently not accepting students)
miller@umbc.edu
web site
Surface-water hydrology and fluvial geomorphology; interaction between flow patterns and boundary conditions imposed by geometry; effects of human activities on watershed hydrology and river channels

Thomas Miller (*currently not accepting students)
miller@umces.edu
web site
Recruitment and population dynamics of aquatic animals; fish early life history; feeding and bio-physical interactions; aquatic ecology; blue crabs

Carys Mitchelmore
mitchelm@umces.edu
web site
Investigating molecular, biochemical and cellular responses of aquatic organisms to inorganic and organic pollutants; determining species-specificity; biochemical pathways and toxic effects; applying and developing novel biomarkers to existing and emerging environmental problems

Madhumi Mitra
mmitra@mail.umes.edu
web site
Paleontology, paleocology and paleoenvironmental studies of cretaceous-quaternary sediments of atlantic coastal plain; factors impacting the decline of submerged aquatic vegetation; phytoplankton dynamics

Thoedore A. Mollett
tamollett@mail.umes.edu
Role of hormones in animal growth, reproduction and lactation

Laura Murray
murray@umces.edu
web site
Ecology of marine and estuarine wetland communities; research experiences for environmental education.

Jennifer L. Mullinax (Murrow)
wildlife@umd.edu
web site
Applied spatial wildlife ecology, with emphasis on habitat modeling, habitat use and selection, and animal movements in suburban and urban ecosystems; conflict resolution and conservation planning in natural resources

N

Abhijit Nagchaudhuri
anagchaudhuri@umes.edu
Integration of advanced technologies of mechatronics in the fields of precision agriculture, environmental, marine and geosciences; remote sensing and image analysis

William Nardin
wnardin@umces.edu
web site
We have 2 new projects and I am looking for candidates with engineering background to work on quantify metric's design of coastal restoration projects. Those projects involve mostly modeling and some fieldwork. Knowing how to pilot a drone is preferential.

Brian Needelman
bneed@umd.edu
web site
Applying the concepts and tools of pedology to solve environmental problem; pollutant fate and transport; improving management and phosphorus fate and transport; carbon sequestration in tidal marshes; spatial and geospatial analyses; soil mapping and applications of soil survey databases

Maile Neel
mneel@umd.edu
web site
Understanding patterns of biological diversity as well as the relationships between these patterns and the ecological and evolutionary processes that have created them; applying this understanding to developing effective conservation approaches and to predict effects of changing patterns and processes

David M. Nelson (*currently not accepting students)
dnelson@umces.edu
web site
Ecosystem responses to natural and human-induced variations in climatic and environmental conditions; study of plants and microbes in geologic and modern settings utilizing isotopic, paleoecological, genomic and biogeochemical tools

Judd O. Nelson
judd@umd.edu
web site
Insecticide toxicology; physiology; environmental toxicology

Genevieve Nesslage (*currently not accepting students)
nesslage@umces.edu
web site
Fish and wildlife population dynamics; fisheries stock assessment; invasive species biology, quantitative ecology, population dynamics.

Nicholas Nidzieko
nidzieko@umces.edu
web site
Effect of mixing and circulation on biogeochemical processes and fates in coastal ecosystems; ecosystem metabolism

Elizabeth North
enorth@umces.edu
web site
Fisheries oceanography with emphasis on shellfish in estuaries; Three-dimensional habitat and particle trajectory modeling; Carbon capture with microalgae; Stakeholder-driven research

O

Judith O'Neil (*currently not accepting students)
joneil@umces.edu
web site
Harmful Algal Bloom dynamics; plankton nutrient and trophodynamics; Cyanobacteria ecophysiology

Edward Orlando
eorlando@umd.edu
web site
Integration of molecular, endocrinological, and morphological endpoints to investigate the environment - genome interaction and its effect on development and reproduction; how environmental factors affect the development of sex specific characteristics and brain - pituitary - gonadal axis regulation of reproduction in fishes

P

Andrea Pain
apain@umces.edu
web site
My research links terrestrial and coastal processes by looking at the quantity and quality of water flowing from land to sea, including both stream runoff and groundwater. Streams and groundwater both contribute carbon and nutrients to the coast but vary in composition due to differences in how they flow through the landscape. I am interested in how terrestrial processes impact the quantity and quality of freshwater delivery to the coast and implications for ecological and biogeochemical processes in coastal regions, particularly in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.

Cindy Palinkas
cpalinkas@umces.edu
web site
Continental-margin sedimentation; formation and preservation of sedimentary strata in the geological record; deposition and accumulation of fluvial sediment in the coastal ocean; radioisotope geochronology

Margaret Palmer (*currently not accepting students)
palmer@umces.edu
web site
Stream community and ecosystems ecology; restoration ecology; stream ecosystem structure and function; influence of land use, hydrology and geomorphology on health of running-water ecosystems

Salina Parveen
sparveen@mail.umes.edu
web site
Genotypic and phenotypic methods for detecting sources of fecal pollution in aquatic environments; rapid molecular and immunological methods for detection of water and food borne pathogens; improvement of safety and quality characteristics of seafood, poultry, produce

Kennedy Paynter (*currently not accepting students)
paynter@umd.edu
web site
Comparative biochemistry and physiology of estuarine animals, especially bivalves; oyster disease biochemistry; biology and ecology of the eastern oyster

James J. Pierson (*currently not accepting students)
jpierson@umces.edu
web site
Zooplankton ecology; how individual behaviors affect population dynamics; how zooplankton individuals and groups function within an ecosystem; microplastic distribution and transport in estuaries; broadening participation in geoscience and ocean science.

Joseph Pitula
jspitula@umes.edu
web site
PFAS contamination of environmental sites and its biological impacts

Allen Place (*currently not accepting students)
place@umces.edu
web site
Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that permit organisms to adapt to unique diets, environments, and interactions (symbiosis); genomics of toxic dinoflagellates; and using aragonite to mitigate agricultural nutrient production

Louis V. Plough
lplough@umces.edu
web site
Population genetics of marine animals, quantitative genetics and experimental breeding of shellfish; oyster biology and aquaculture; ecological genomics of stress adaptation in marine animals; larval biology of marine invertebrates

Karen L. Prestegaard
kpresto@umd.edu
web site
Sediment transport and depositional processes; mechanisms of streamflow generation and their variations with watershed scale, geology and land use; hydrology of coastal and riparian wetlands

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No Faculty Listed

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Martin Rabenhorst
mrabenho@umd.edu
web site
Genesis, morphology and classification of hydromorphic soils, particularly non-tidal wetlands and coastal marshes; pedogenesis and resource inventory of subaqueous soils; technology development for documenting reducing soil conditions

Marjorie Reaka
mlreaka@umd.edu
web site
Marine ecology; coral reef ecology; bioerosion of coral reefs; ecology and behavior of mantis shrimp; evolutionary ecology of life history patterns in crustacea

Brian Reed
reedb@umbc.edu
web site
Sorption of organics/inorganics, surface chemistry, seperation processes, water and wastewater treatment, soil and site remediation, pollution prevention/waster minimization, stormwater management

Allison Reilly (*currently not accepting students)
areilly2@umd.edu
web site
Dr. Reilly is a civil engineer specializing in risk and resilience of infrastructure systems. She is particularly interested in characterizing the interplay between the resilience of infrastructure and individual decision-making. Recent projects include examination of investment decisions by managers of interdependent infrastructure systems and the movement of hazardous materials under threat of terrorism. Other interests include: hazard risk assessments; decision-making, and infrastructure system performance and protection

Frank T. Robb
FRobb@som.umaryland.edu
web site
Archaeal molecular biology and biochemistry; genome sequence, structure and repair in hyperthermophiles; mechanisms of thermal stabilization of proteins

Michael R. Roman
roman@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography; zooplankton ecology

Kenneth Rose
krose@umces.edu
web site
Dr. Rose is the France-Merrick Professor in Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration at Horn Point Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Prior to coming to UMCES, Dr. Rose was a professor at Louisiana State University and a research staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His research centers on using mathematical and computer simulation modeling to predict and better understand fish population and food web dynamics in estuaries, lakes, reservoirs, and oceans.

Christopher Rowe (*currently not accepting students)
rowe@umces.edu
web site
Physiological ecology and ecotoxicology of ectothermic animals. Research is focused on bioenergetic and resource-related effects of climate warming and environmental contamination.

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Lawrence P. Sanford (*currently not accepting students)
lsanford@umces.edu
web site
Coastal and esturaine physical oceanography; fine sediment transport mechanics, geophysical boundary layers, turbulence, surface and internal waves

Amir Sapkota
amirsap@umd.edu
web site
Exposure assessment and environmental epidemiology; understanding human exposures to chemical agents in the environment and how this exposure may vary across space and time, as well as between different population groups using personal air monitoring as well as urinary and serum based biomarkers of exposure; identification of specific subpopulations that are at increased risk of developing diseases

Amy R. Sapkota
ars@umd.edu
web site
Microbial environmental exposure assessment, with a focus on evaluating the complex relationships between the environment, food and water production systems, and human infectious diseases

Johan Schijf
schijf@umces.edu
web site
Aqueous geochemistry of trace metals, especially the rare earth and alkaline earth elements; uptake of trace metals by aquatic plants; trace metal coordination by siderophores and other biogenic organic ligands; using tree cores as archives of environmental metal pollution; environmental impacts of fossil energy production; physical chemistry of seawater; geochemistry of marine anoxic basins; inductively coupled plasma mass and atomic emission spectrometry; electrochemistry and potentiometric titration; ion chromatography

Eric Schott
schott@umces.edu
web site
The Schott lab research focuses on understanding aquatic health in two main areas: the discovery and tracking of estuarine pathogens in the blue crab and other shellfish and the health of urban estuaries for living resources and people. Dr. Schott collaborates with numerous researchers and stakeholders, applying molecular methods to study the health of fisheries and describe the biodiversity of Baltimore Harbor.

Harold Schreier (*currently not accepting students)
schreier@umbc.edu
web site
Microbial molecular genetics and physiology; nitrogen metabolism in Bacillus subtilis; control of glutamine synthease operon expression; regulation of gene expression

David Secor (*currently not accepting students)
secor@umces.edu
web site
Fish ecology; fish life history and migration studies; fisheries stock enhancement; migration and habitat use as behaviors controlling and regulating population dynamics

L. Jen Shaffer (*currently not accepting students)
lshaffe1@umd.edu
web site
Ethnoecology/Local Environmental Knowledge; social-ecological systems; conservation; livelihoods; food and water security; adaptation to environmental change; resilience; vulnerability; historical ecology; wildlife conflict & co-existence

Adel Shirmohammadi
ashirmo@umd.edu
web site
Bioenvironmental and water resources engineering; water quality/transport modeling; nonpoint source pollution assessment using an integrated watershed approach

Greg Silsbe
gsilsbe@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography with an emphasis on the role of phytoplankton in the global carbon cycle. Satellite remote sensing; phytoplankton physiology; African Great Lake limnology.

Kevin R. Sowers
sowers@umbc.edu
web site
Biology of methanogenesis; anaerobic bioremediation; regulatory pathways in methanogenic Archaea; bioprocess scale-up of microorganisms from extreme environments

Lori Staver (*currently not accepting students)
lstaver@umces.edu
web site
The common denominator in my work has been the role of nitrogen in aquatic plant ecology. I am most interested in how to build resilience into restored coastal habitats, given that most of these sites are impacted to some degree by eutrophication, and are also on the front lines of climate change and sea level rise. I am currently collaborating with others on biogeochemistry, restoration genetics, geomorphology, and the application of facilitation theory to vegetation establishment methods in tidal marsh restoration.

J. Court Stevenson (*currently not accepting students)
court@umces.edu
web site
Coastal zone resources and water quality management; ecology of marsh and sea grass systems; effects of sea-level rise on wetlands and coastal shorelines; environmental history of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed

Diane Stoecker (*currently not accepting students)
stoecker@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography & plankton ecology, microzooplankton; Mixotrophy (alternate modes of nutrition) in the plankton

Stephanie Stotts
snstotts@umes.edu
web site
Dr. Stephanie Stotts is Associate Professor of Forest Ecology and faculty lead for UMES' Urban Forestry Program. Dr. Stotts is a dendroecologist with expertise in tree and root response to changing environmental conditions.

Joseph Sullivan
jsull@umd.edu
web site
The responses of plants to various forms of environmental stress - both natural and anthropogenic; physiological mechanisms that enable plants to exist in a wide range of environmental conditions; how human activities impact plant, agricultural or ecosystem productivity

R. Dwi Susanto
dwisusa@umd.edu
web site
Quantitative study of oceanography in the tropical Indo-Pacific region using in situ observation and remote sensing approaches, including the Indonesian throughflow (ITF) monitoring; Upper ocean circulation and processes (ocean currents, upwelling, tidal mixing, air-sea interactions, internal waves, marine heat waves) and their impacts on marine primary productivity; Ocean renewable energy

Christopher Swan (*currently not accepting students)
cmswan@umbc.edu
web site
Steam community and ecosystem ecology; riparian biodiversity and stream processes; urban riparian-steam ecology

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Mario Tamburri
tamburri@umces.edu
web site
Coastal sensor and sensor platform development; chemical ecology of marine organisms; ecosystem monitoring and marine conservation

Daniel E. Terlizzi
dterlizz@umd.edu
Plant aquaculture; phycology (Sea Grant Extension Service, NOAA)

Jeremy M. Testa (*currently not accepting students)
jtesta@umces.edu
web site
Coastal marine ecology, including eutrophication, nutrient cycling, and dissolved oxygen dynamics; interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes in coastal ecosystems using a combination of experimental efforts, historical data analysis, and coupled biogeochemical-hydrodynmaic modeling studies to examine these aspects of estuarine and coastal aquatic science.

David Rogers Tilley
dtilley@umd.edu
web site
Ecological engineering; wetland assessment with hyperspectral radiometry; ecosystem filtration of air pollutants; net energy analysis of bio-fuels; environmental accounting and emergy analysis

Stephen Tomasetti
sjtomasetti@umes.edu
web site
Global change ecology with emphasis on warming, deoxygenation, and acidification; Shellfishes and biogenic habitats; Resilience and climate-adapted habitat restoration; Aquaculture and sustainable coastal food systems; Socio-ecological systems

Alba Torrents
alba@eng.umd.edu
web site
Chemical transformations and sorption of organic pollutants; environmental fate of toxic chemicals; applications of spectroscopic techniques to environmental systems

Allison Tracy
amtracy@umbc.edu
web site
I am a community ecologist studying the impact of the environment on species interactions. I'm especially interested in the ecology and evolution of disease, spatial ecology, and the role of habitat-forming foundation species in ecosystems.

My research focuses on marine health and disease, with a focus on Chesapeake Bay organisms and ecosystems. I study the ecology of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, including the reef habitat they form, the impact of restoration and management, and species interactions. Chesapeake Bay oysters are a well-studied system for understanding marine disease, which serves as a strong foundation for my work on host-parasite interactions. The other branch of my research focuses on co-infection, immunity, and environmental drivers on corals reefs in Puerto Rico. Understanding and conserving foundation species is a uniting theme of my work.

Kate Tully
kltully@umd.edu
web site
Research interests: agroecology; nutrient and carbon cycling in plant-soil-water systems; soil health, environmental impacts of agriculture; sustainable agricultural systems; impacts of agriculture on Chesapeake Bay water quality; impacts of sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion on coastal farmlands.

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V

Gerardo R. Vasta
GVasta@som.umaryland.edu
web site
Molecular aspects and evolution of the acute phase response in vertebrates and invertebrates; structure/function relationships in carbohydrate-binding proteins; role of lectins in development and internal defense; host/parasite interactions; disease prevention, control in fisheries

Victoria Volkis
vvolkis@umes.edu
web site (under construction)
Natural plants in antifouling protection, the science of biofilm formation and prevention, polymeric resins for extraction of antioxidants, natural pants incapsulated into biodegradable polymers as natural pesticides.

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Yan Waguespack
yywaguespack@umes.edu
web site
Lethal and sublethal responses of early life-stages of winter flounder to habitat contamination in their natal estuaries; sublethal physiological effects of heavy metal on ecologically key marine and aquatic organisms by using 31P NMR, AAS and ICP-AES; characterization of high molecular weight mucin-like glycoconjugates from fish models; heavy metal and polyaromatic hydrocarbon investigations on sediment along Maryland coastal bay, and heavy metal contaminants' effect on SAV plant along Maryland coastal bay; phyto remediation of TNT, DNT and other contaminants

Lisa Wainger
wainger@umces.edu
web site
Risk analysis and decision support tools for prioritizing natural resource management options; invasive species risk assessment; wetland restoration prioritization; ecological and economic indicators for communicating relative costs and benefits of natural resource change

Raymond R. Weil (*currently not accepting students)
rweil@umd.edu
web site
Soil ecology; plant-soil relationships; soil fertility; soil quality; environmental impacts of agricultural systems; nutrient and carbon cycling; cover crops in sustainable cropping systems; soil management.

Claire Welty
weltyc@umbc.edu
web site
Transport processes in aquifers; mathematical modeling of groundwater flow and transport in porous and fractured media; application of stochastic methods to interpreting groundwater problems; design and analysis of field-scale hydraulic and tracer tests

Michael Wilberg
wilberg@umces.edu
web site
Stock assessment; dynamics of exploited populations; harvest policy development and application; statistical model selection and averaging

Gerald Wilkinson
wilkinso@umd.edu
web site
Dr. Wilkinson conducts research on the evolution of social behavior, with emphasis on how genetic mechanisms may influence the outcome of evolution. Recent research in the lab addresses several controversial topics in animal behavior: sexual selection, genomic conflict, cooperation and communication. Stalk-eyed flies are being used as a model system for studying the evolution of sexually selected traits. Our recent empirical and theoretical results have surprisingly implicated meiotic drive as a potent evolutionary agent which can catalyze sexual selection. Using quantitative trait locus studies we confirmed the prediction that sex-linked genes that influence a sexually selected trait are linked to genes causing sex chromosome meiotic drive. By hybridizing genomic DNA to custom Agilent microarrays we discovered that stalk-eyed flies contain a neo-X chromosome and that genes have moved both onto and off of this chromosome. We have recently assembled the genome for a stalk-eyed fly and are currently using RNA-seq to infer gene duplication events and expression change across tissues and sexes for over a dozen different species of flies. Bats in the neotropics and in the US are also being studied in the lab and field to understand how communication mediates cooperation and social learning.

Ten-Tsao Wong
wong@umbc.edu
web site
Molecular, cellular and applied aspects of fish germ cell biology, reproductive physiology and vaccine development

Ryan Woodland (*currently not accepting students)
woodland@umces.edu
web site
Trophic and food web ecology, anthropogenic effects on coastal ecosystems, stable isotope ecology, ecological connectivity across coastal ecosystems

L. Curry Woods III
curry@umd.edu
web site
Aquaculture; evaluation of fish gamete quality; cryopreservation of fish sperm; physiological responsiveness of fish to stress; selective breeding of striped bass.

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Meng Xia
mxia@umes.edu
web site
Numerical modeling of estuarine and coastal ocean, such as hydrodynamic modeling and plume dynamics; water quality modeling and bio-physical interaction; wave-current coupling and nearshore circulation

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Stephanie Yarwood (*currently not accepting students)
syarwood@umd.edu
Microbial interactions and functioning in soils, with the overall goal of understanding environmental factors that affect microbial community composition and how microbial community structure in turn affects ecosystem function; examination of how subsurface microbial communities change during soil formation and how microbial communities vary due to anthropogenic disturbance.

Lance T. Yonkos
lyonkos@umd.edu
web site
Point and non-point source pollution effects on the health of aquatic biota particularly in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; endocrine disruption as a consequence of environmental exposure to complex contaminant mixtures.

Z

Xin Zhang
xzhang@al.umces.edu
web site
Environmental science and policy, coupled human and natural systems, biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen, earth system modeling, atmospheric-biosphere interactions.

Jian Zhao
jianzhao@umces.edu
web site
I am a physical oceanographer seeking to understand multi-scale oceanic processes and their roles in the global climate system. My approach is observational, using both traditional and modern innovative instrument platforms – such as autonomous underwater vehicle– coupled with numerical modeling, to explore fundamental physical processes.

Yonathan Zohar
zohar@umbc.edu
web site
Fish physiology, aquaculture and endocrinology; environmental and hormonal regulation of fish reproductive cycles, spawning induction technologies, drug delivery in aquaculture, molecular biotechnology