News
December 8th, 2009
College of Marine Science Graduate Students Swim with the Manatees!
This week the Biological Oceanography class took a class excursion to Crystal River, FL where they had the opportunity to snorkel with wild manatees. It's estimated that there are only about 1,000 to 3,000 Florida manatees in existance. As there are few natural predators of manatees, the majority of manatee deaths occur due to humans, specifically injuries due to boats/propelles.
December 7th, 2009
Dolphins' Greatest Hits Rock The Gulf
David Mann, a biological oceanographer at the University of South Florida, and about 20 other scientists have created the largest non-military underwater listening post ever assembled in the United States.
Their submerged microphones, called hydrophones, are recording dolphin sounds beneath a 7,400-square-mile patch of the Gulf off the coast of west-central Florida.
Check out the entire article here!
December 3rd, 2009
Contaminated coral reefs and water ecosystems
USF marine scientist Mya Breitbart recently co-authored a study about using a plant virus to identify human waste in water instead of using the better known E. coli bacterium. Breitbart says that the pepper mild mottle virus is widespread in raw sewage, treated wastewater and seawater exposed to wastewater. The study,
which ran in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that sampling for this virus could be a new means of tracking pollution and if the virus can be correlated with disease risk, it may allow faster determination of whether or not a beach should be closed. The story was picked up by Science News.
November 20th, 2009
Lee Kump, the 2009 USF Distiniguished Alumnus is recognized at the College of Marine Science
Dr. Lee R. Kump, Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University, is the 2009 USF Distinguished Alumnus. He received this award out of the approximately 200,000 people who have received degrees from USF. He received his PhD from the Department of Marine Science, USF in 1986 with Dr. Robert Garrels as his major adviser. Dr. Garrels was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and one of top geochemists in the world. Prior to his receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award from President Genshaft, Lee was the honored guest in the College of Marine Science sponsored by the College of Marine Science Alumni Organization.
November 19th, 2009
Michael Martinez, College of Marine Science graduate student wins minority award
Congratulations to Michael Martinez for being chosen to receive the American Geological Institute Minority Scholarship for 2009-2010. Way to go, Mike! We're proud of you.
November 13th, 2009
College of Marine Science students present at the 2009 Graduate Student Symposium
The Graduate Student Symposium is an annual event oranized by College of Marine Science graduate students that allows students of all Marine Science disciplines to present their research in an informal setting. All students are provided with helpful critiques and constructive criticism from faculty and staff judges.
November 9th, 2009
College of Marine Science Professor David Mann's research is featured on main USF website!
David Mann, associate professor of biological oceanography in the College of Marine Science, is a very good listener – if you’re a red grouper, a bottlenose dolphin or a West Indian manatee, that is.
“Most people don’t believe me when I tell them that I listen to fish because they don’t really think about fish producing sound. Still, everyone knows that frogs and insects and birds make sounds, so it shouldn’t be so surprising that fish can, too.”
Click here to see full story!
November 3rd, 2009
Unlocking the Mystery of Sick Sea Lions
University of South Florida Postdoctoral Fellow Eric Montie, has produced a powerful new tool to help determine how chemical toxins and pollutants may impact the sea lion by creating the first MRI map of a sea lion's brain. The approach goes a step further by using a technique called "volumetric neuroimaging" - a way to measure the volumes of different parts of the brain from MR images. That approach has been done with humans, but Montie believes the technique is now a first in wildlife.
Click here to see full story!
11/4/2009 Update: Eric's research is featured on the Discovery Channel website!
October 31st, 2009
USF Joins Prestigious National Foundation to Support Science Studies
The University of South Florida has joined a select group of universities in creating a Tampa Bay chapter of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation, which supports the best and brightest emerging scientists in their education. The creation of the Tampa Bay ARCS chapter adds USF to a list of 17 chapters across the United States. The mission of the new Tampa Bay chapter is to establish a scholarship fund to attract talented ARCS scholars to USF’s advanced-degree programs in Marine Science and Cancer Biology.
Click here to see full story!
October 23rd, 2009
The College of Marine Science is Unstoppable!
The USF: Unstoppable Campaign is a comprehensive fundraising effort by the University of South Florida to celebrate the energy, vision and future of the University. On Oct 20th, the University launched its fundraising kickoff event at the Marshall Center at USF-Tampa. Approximately 500 people attended. The College of Marine Science was among only 20 invited exhibitors university to present in-depth displays about our research, our graduate students, and our contribution to solving problems to improve human life and the ocean environment.
Two of our graduate students, Monica Mion and Inia Soto, shown in the photo were our ambassadors to this event. However, the display required the hard work and talents of our engineers, technologists, administrative staff, and faculty.
Also shown in another photo are Dr. Judy Genshaft, President of the University of South Florida and Dr. William T. Hogarth, Dean of the College of Marine Science.
October 20th, 2009
College of Marine Science student, Julie Galkiewicz, wins presentation award
Julie Galkiewicz won 2nd place for her oral presentation at the Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting. Julie's talk was entitled, "Biochemical Diversity of Cultivable Bacteria Isolated from the Cold-Water coral Lophelia pertusa".
October 19th, 2009
College of Marine Science student, Karyna Rosario, wins presentation award
Karyna Rosario won the best oral presentation award in Microbiology at the SACNAS (Advancing Hispanics/Chicanos & Native Americans in Science) National Conference in Dallas, TX for her work on the viruses found in reclaimed water and potential new viral indicators for fecal pollution.
October 6th, 2009
College of Marine Science faculty and students present research at ReasearchOne at USF Tampa
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| David Mann | Jim Patten |
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| John Paul (right) and students | Peter Simard |
David Mann, John Paul, and Jim Pattern each presented an exhibit representing different aspects of their on-going research within the College of Marine Science at ResearchOne on the USF Tampa Campus. ResearchOne is a week-long celebration of research at the University of South Florida sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
October 5th, 2009
College of Marine Science and the Florida Institue of Oceanography co-host 17 journalists from 13 African countries
The College of Marine Science and the Florida Institute of Oceanography co-hosted 17 journalists from 13 African countries on the R/V Bellows Oct 2, 2009 for a teaching cruise on Tampa Bay. The journalists were given a full safety briefing, tour of the research vessel, and demonstration of some basic over-the-side scientific equipment. Environmental issues concerning citizens of the Tampa Bay area were presented.
The visitors came from Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zimbabwe. They were reporters, editors, radio, television and print media directors and a university lecturer.
The morning on the R/V Bellows was part of a 5 day visit to St. Petersburg hosted by the USF St. Petersburg Department of Journalism and Media Studies. This department is one of 11 select programs in the country chosen to host foreign visitors in the 2009 Murrow Program for Journalists.
October 4th, 2009
Dr. Boris Galberin recieves USF 2009 Outstanding Research Award
The award was based was based on his contributions to a key paper published in Physical Review Letters titled, Nonlinear Waves in Zonotrophic Turbulence.
He will receive his award at a special luncheon in Tampa next Friday.
October 1st, 2009
Distinguished scientist, Dr. Pamela Hallock Muller discusses the future of coral reefs
Dr. Pamela Hallock Muller delivered a public lecture on "Coral Reefs in the 21st Century: Is the Past the Key to the Future?" on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Wege Auditorium in The Science Center on the Williams campus in Williamstown, Mass.
Coral reefs worldwide are under threat in this age of global warming and increased pollution. Reef health is the focus of Muller's research.
A professor of biogeological oceanography at the University of South Florida, she studies both the ancient geologic record and modern environments, using observations from both to investigate the present and future effects of human activities on coral reefs.
She has participated in the Ocean Drilling Program, and her work is funded by the National Center for Environmental Research and the National Undersea Research Program, among others.
She is author of many scientific papers, and a recipient of the Association for Women Geoscientists Outstanding Educator Award.
September 26th, 2009
Karyna Rosario's research on viruses in reclaimed water is highlighted by the USF community
As communities increasingly turn to reclaimed water as a source for irrigation – and some communities consider using it for drinking water – Rosario, a PhD student at USF’s College of Marine Science, became increasingly curious about exactly what viruses are present in reclaimed water.
For more information, view full article here.
10/7/09 Update: Check out another story from Channel 10 news on Karyna here!
September 22nd, 2009
Eloy Martinez, Inia Soto Ramos, Laura Lorenzoni, Digna Rueda Roa and Enrique Montes win "Sucessful Latino/a Student Awards"
The Succesful Latino/a Student Award is given to students who are meritorious and demonstrate excellence in areas of a) inquiry,scholarship, research, b) professional development and c) service. To recieve this award the student must demonstrate high levels of both professional and ethical behaviors, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in program courses.
September 16th, 2009
College of Marine Science students and staff recognized by the USF Division of Sponsored Research for inventions leading to patents
Heather Broadbent is recognized as the inventor of the patent "Method for Etching Microchannel Networks within Liquid Crystal Polymer Substrates".
David Fries is recognized for the following patents:-
- "Method of Using Sol-Gel Coatings for On-Line Preconcentration of Amino Acids in Capillary Electrophoresis"
- "Metho for Etching Microchannel Networks within Liquid Crystal Polymer Substrates"
- "Actuated Electrochemical Power Source"
- "Maskless Photolithography for Using Photoreactive Agents"
- "Total Fluid Conductivity Sensor System and Method"
- "Apperatus that Harnesses Explosive to do Work"
- "Viable Exposure Rotary Spectrometer and Method of Use"
Jim Patten is recognized as the inventor of the patent "3-D Imaging System".
Heather, David, and Jim will be recognized by the University on October 5th for Innovation Day as part of the ResearchOne celebration.
September 16th, 2009
Laura Lorenzonie receives Hispanic Pathways Award
Laura Lorenzoni has been selected to receive the Hispanic Pathways Award in the Student category The award was created in 2004 to recognize the USF faculty for outstanding research and/or outreach that creates pathways to the betterment of the lives of Latinos. This year the Committee chose to honor outstanding students as well and Laura is the first student to receive the award.
September 7th, 2009
New CMS graduate student Adrienne George studies deep-sea hydrothermal vent communites at WHOI
In 2004, the leaders of six institutions—the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC), and Sea Education Association (SEA)—pledged to work together to attract and retain a more diverse workforce. This summer, they coordinated a new program that specifically encourages underrepresented groups, and brought 16 science students from 11 colleges to Woods Hole for a four-week course on environmental and ocean science taught by scientists from all the institutions. Then the students continued on, doing research internships with Woods Hole scientists.
Five students did research internships this summer at WHOI in the new Partnership Education Program (PEP) to encourage underrepresented groups into the fields of ocean and environmental sciences. Adrienne George, a recent graduate of Delaware State University, interned this summer in WHOI biologist Lauren Mullineaux's lab, identifying creatures collected at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. George entered the Unviversity of Florida College of Marine Science as graduate student focusing on biological oceanography this fall. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
"Research internships can help you find out what you like—and what you don’t", said Adrienne George, a recent graduate of Delaware State University. “This project has been entirely in the lab, and I’ve found I’m much more of a field person,” she said. “I’m learning what I like to do in science, and I like working with live animals. It’s better to have experiences you don’t enjoy as much, and learn from them.”
July 13, 2009
Dr. Ashanti Johnson Pyrtle receives the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
President Obama today named more than 100 science, math, and engineering teachers and mentors as recipients of two prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence. The educators will receive their awards in the Fall at a White House ceremony.
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, awarded each year to individuals or organizations, recognizes the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science or engineering and who belong to minorities that are underrepresented in those fields. By offering their time, encouragement and expertise to these students, mentors help ensure that the next generation of scientists and engineers will better reflect the diversity of the United States.
Candidates for the Presidential Mentoring Award are nominated by colleagues, administrators, and students from their home institutions. The mentoring can involve students at any grade level from elementary through graduate school. In addition to being honored at the White House, recipients receive awards of $10,000 to advance their mentoring efforts.
July 1, 2009
Dr. Benjamin Flower speaks about new reaseach on abrupt climate change
During Spring 2009, CMS Associate Professor Benjamin P. Flower served as invited speaker for two presentations on past climate change.
Dr. Flower's recent research focuses on the role of ocean circulation in past abrupt climate change.
On June 8th he presented "Relationships Between CO2 and Temperature in Glacial-Interglacial Transitions of the Past 800,000 Years." at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado. The session "Global Climate Change: The Science of the Relationship Between CO2 and Temperature" was organized by Ray Thomasson, Gene Shinn, Eric Barron, and David Jenkins. Among the speakers was CMS alum Dr. Lee Kump.
On June 19th he presented "Meltwater Routing and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation During the Last Glacial-Interglacial Cycle: A Gulf of Mexico Perspective" at the AGU Chapman Conference on "Abrupt Climate Change" at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The conference was organized by H. Rashid, L. Polyak, and L. Thompson. Co-authors are Clare Williams, Julie Richey, Heather Hill (U. of Michigan), David Hastings (Eckerd College), and Tom Guilderson (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory).
June 24, 2009
SEM images taken by Tony Greco and Andrew Remsen displayed in Tampa International Airport
Dr. Wendy Babcox in the USF College of Visual Performing Arts just completed a public art project in the Tampa International Airport based on images of plankton taken by Tony Greco and Andrew Remsen. Tony submitted images of marine diatoms and dinoflagellates taken on the scanning electron microscope (SEM) which records the surface of samples at high resolution. These SEM images were translated into artistic renditions etched into the floor of the exhibit.
The etched glass images in the TIA parking garage lobby are adapted from real imagery of plankton collected in the Gulf of Mexico using a sensor called the Shadowed Image Particle Profiling and Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER). The SIPPER was developed by the Center for Ocean Technology at the University of South Florida, College of Marine Science to better understand the distribution and composition of plankton in our oceans. The development of the SIPPER was funded by the Office of Naval Research through funding to Dr. Andrew Remsen and Dr. Thomas Hopkins of the University of South Florida. These images were collected on cruises with the assistance of graduate students Kurt Kramer and Sennai Habtes.
June 11, 2009
Heather Havens recieves a Knass Marine Policy Fellowship
Heather is a PhD candidate in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida. Her dissertation research is focused on developing modeling tools to better predict the occurrence of harmful algal blooms, a project she is doing in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In addition, Heather has used her modeling skills to help the state predict the spread of a toxic chemical spill in Tampa Bay in 2007. She volunteers as a tutor for grade school children, mentors at an oceanography camp for 8th grade girls, and has worked as a volunteer at the annual Ocean Science Bowl, the Coastal Cities Summit, and at Florida Oceans Day. Heather’s fellowship will be with the legislative branch.
June 2, 2009
Dr. Robert Weisberg: Storm Surge Experts Issue Warning on Outdated Modeling Systems
Click Here to view the full article
May 6, 2009
Terry Fei Fan Ng best student oral presentation award
Terry Fei Fan Ng won the best student oral presentation award for his talk entitled "Discovering Novel Animal Viruses using Viral Metagnomics" at the 40th International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
4-10-2009
Congratulations to Dr. David John for winning the 2009 Sackett Prize for Innovative Research.
David received his PhD in the CMS working with Dr.John Paul. A committee of five senior CMS faculty determined that Dr. John's work merited the award. The prize consists of a cash award and certificate. Today's ceremony included Ann Sackett and extended members of the Sackett family. The Sackett Prize is designed to award the most meritorious research completed within the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida by one or more deserving students. The Prize is named in honor of Dr. William M. Sackett, who was Chairman of the Department of Marine Science from 1979 to 1983 and retired in 1997 as Distinguished Research Professor. He passed away November 30, 2003 at age 73. Dr. Sackett completed all three academic degrees, including the PhD, at Washington University in St. Louis. During his long and distinguished career as a chemical oceanographer, he was on the faculty at the University of Tulsa, Columbia University, and Texas A&M University before coming to the University of South Florida. The Sackett Prize for Innovative Research is unique in that it is the only award in the College of Marine Science that recognizes demonstrated excellence in a completed research project. The other endowments recognize potential excellence in graduate students. Visit photo gallery | More about David John
