2007 (PDF) - Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science ...

Above: Image of the southern Florida Keys, including the Key West Naval
Station on Boca Chica Key, captured by FORMOSAT-2. The image shows
the tidal channels that provide a daily exchange of water in Florida Bay
with the saltier water of the ocean. Credit: Center for Southeastern Tropical
Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS).
Cover: The eyewall of Hurricane Isabel, taken from NOAA’s hurricane
hunter aircraft in September 2003. Photo credit: Sim Aberson
Table of Contents
i ..................................................................... Dean’s Message
1 ..................................................... Hurricanes & Forecasting
5 ................................................................Tools & Technology
9 ....................................................................... Earth Dynamics
13 .............................................................................. Marine Life
17 .......................................................................... Sustainability
19 ...................................................... Oceans & Human Health
21 ...........................................Pew Institute for Ocean Science
22 ........................................................ 2007 Rosenstiel Award
23 ..................................................................................Outreach
25 ............................................................... Alumni Engagement
26 ............................................................. Financial Information
27 ................................................................... Donor Honor Roll
29 ................................................. Faculty, Staff and Students

Dean’s Message
Since its inception in the 1940’s, Rosenstiel
School scientists have been fascinated by
Earth’s ability to adapt to change, time
and time again. Be it shifts in marine
biodiversity in the aftermath of a hurricane,
the formation of new landscapes following
an earthquake or volcanic eruption, or
the evolution of a species over millions of
years, our planet has always found a way
to mitigate natural stressors through an
unending cycle of dynamism. It is this quest
to understand the dynamics of our “Blue
Planet” that has fueled the growth of the Rosenstiel School, and
continues to propel us today.
Understanding The Planet
Our scientists and students are intent on deciphering the systems
and processes that impact our planet. In an effort to improve lives
and build a sustainable future for generations to come, our 100
talented faculty members, 141 research staff, and 183 graduate
students are breaking new ground each day in hopes of unlocking
some of Earth’s long kept secrets.
Proven track records and innovative scientific studies make
Rosenstiel faculty members extremely competitive in the peerreviewed
grants environment. They receive approximately half of
the grants for which they apply, which is an impressive 20 percent
above the national average. Within the last five years our researchers
have garnered grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), among others. In
fact, their efforts have consistently placed the Rosenstiel School
among the Top 10 National Science Foundation/Geosciences
(NSF/GEO) funded institutions in the nation.
It’s no wonder that our interdisciplinary approach to research
and education attracts some of the best marine and atmospheric
science students from around the world. In 2007, applications for
graduate admission to the Rosenstiel School increased six percent,
a testament to the quality of our programs, as well as the relevance
our research has in today’s society.
Rosenstiel School graduate students are frequently the recipients of
coveted awards and fellowships in scientific research. While at the
School they conduct important studies and participate in valuable
fieldwork in marine and freshwater environments around the globe.
In 2007, the Rosenstiel School conferred a total of 47 degrees,
which is about 24 percent higher than our ten-year average number
of students per class over the last ten years.
The University of Miami enrolled an unprecedented 290
undergraduate students in Marine Science, Marine Affairs and
Meteorology in fall 2007. In a precedent-setting move, University
of Miami President Donna E. Shalala approved the transfer of the
undergraduate marine science program from the College of Arts
and Sciences to the Rosenstiel School, effective fall 2008. The shift
is part of an effort to provide greater access to the School’s graduate
and professional level scientific research earlier in a student’s
academic career and to offer students a bachelor’s degree conferred
by one of the nation’s top-rated marine schools.
Forming Forecasts & Policy
As one of the premier institutions for research into hurricane
development and intensification, as well as the study of
atmospheric dynamics, our work is inherently linked to national
policy. Through our sophisticated modeling, and the images
acquired by our state-of-the-art Center for Southeastern Tropical
Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS), we are supplying important
decision-support information to government agencies, and helping
to inform policies that can safeguard human life.
Throughout this Annual Report we highlight several of the
collaborations the School has established with government entities,
non-profit organizations, private and public agencies, and other
academic institutions. Sponsored funding in 2007 reached $47.9
million, an increase of 3.7 percent over the previous year, despite an
extremely competitive funding environment.
The University of Miami is making tremendous strides in enriching
its research capabilities. Our scientists are actively engaged in the
University’s newly-announced Center for Computational Science
which will create a valuable high performance computing core, and
serve as a catalyst to enable greater interdisciplinary collaborations.
This added data capability, when supplemented with the fiber
optic network provided by the Florida LambaRail, will provide
Rosenstiel scientists with direct connectivity to numerous domestic
and international research networks for the transfer of critical
knowledge about planetary processes.
The Rosenstiel School is also joining forces with other schools,
colleges and divisions within the University of Miami to work in
an increasingly multidisciplinary manner. This approach affords
faculty members and students access to broader perspectives
and greater creativity in trying to solve today’s most pressing
environmental issues. One sterling example of this is the Leonard
and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy,
which brings together university-wide resources to help promote
informed policy making, and supports science-based environmental
management for the future.
Sharing The Knowledge
With nearly 60 percent of the world’s populations living within
75 miles of a coastal area, understanding the interactions between
communities and the ocean has never been more important. The
Rosenstiel School has an active outreach program that provides
local students, teachers and members of the community with
the latest information to help them become more aware of their
natural surroundings. Programs range from our popular Sea
Secrets lecture series, which this year expanded beyond Miami to
Naples, to campus tours for high school students, participation in
community-based events, and a wide variety of scientific training
sessions for youth and teachers.
Over the next several decades, the School’s work will be essential
to improving how well we can forecast future states of the Earth
system, as well as observe it and validate the underlying models
that are currently in place. Regardless of whether these models are
physical, biological, chemical, or biogeochemical in origin, they are
the cornerstones of the sensible policy and management approaches
that will affect future generations.
Our distinguished faculty, highly-regarded researchers and
exceptional students are poised to tackle the emerging
environmental issues that affect our lives. Their ongoing research,
aided by the latest tools and technologies, will become increasingly
imbedded in Earth system models and help to improve our
understanding of this dynamic planet.
Sincerely,
Otis B. Brown, Ph.D.
Dean
University of Miami
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
“The truth of the matter is that this field of science is inextricably linked to our daily life and
that of future generations. Climate variability and natural disasters are taking a significant toll
on our economy, our environment, and our well-being. And that is why we must sustain the Earth
observations that underpin national preparedness and response.”
- Otis B. Brown, Ph.D., testifying before The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, Space, Aeronautics, and Related Sciences Subcommittee on March 7, 2007.
i
Photo credit: NASA
ii

Hurricanes & Forecasting
Recent hurricane seasons have highlighted the urgent need for better
understanding of the factors that contribute to hurricane formation
and intensity changes, and for developing better predictive models
to improve forecasts. Scientists at the Rosenstiel School are engaged
in research that is helping to improve and promote better preparation
and warnings for areas affected by tropical storms and cyclones.
An Eye For Storms
Forecasters in recent years have learned to predict storm paths with
increasing accuracy. However, a hurricane’s ability to evolve from
weak atmospheric disturbances into massive natural disasters is a
mystery still being dissected by scientists. Researchers constantly
look to better predict how strong a storm might be when it hits
land, and where it has
the potential to take
lives and demolish
property. Drs. Shuyi
Chen, a professor
of Meteorology and
Physical Oceanography
at the Rosenstiel
School, and Robert
Houze, Jr., a University
of Washington atmospheric
science professor,
may have found a
way of explaining how
hurricanes can gain
or lose intensity with
startling speed.
The team took a firstof-its-kind
look at the
processes of hurricane
intensification by
flying three Doppler
radar-equipped
aircraft directly into
These figures show examples of experimental forecast
and observation technologies in Hurricane Rita
(2005) over a three day period during RAINEX,
using data from aircraft observations. The high resolution
model (top) shows forecasted eyewall replacement,
a process known to weaken the storm at first,
which may then re-intensify, creating a more powerful
storm. The colored lines in (bottom) denote the flight
tracks of the three RAINEX aircraft -- yellow and
red are NOAA aircraft tracks and blue is the U.S.
Naval Research Laboratory’s aircraft. Credit: Robert
Houze, Shuyi Chen, Bradley Smull, Wen Chau Lee,
Michael Bell
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The project, Hurricane Rainbands
and Intensity Change Experiment (RAINEX) supported by
the National Science Foundation, collected data in the active 2005
hurricane season and marked the first time two NOAA aircraft and
one from the U.S. Navy flew simultaneously in and near a hurricane
eye, eyewall, and rainbands to document storm intensification.
A hurricane’s strongest winds generally occur in the walls of clouds
surrounding the eye. Chen and Houze found that as the storm
swirled into a tighter spin, a band of dry air developed around the
eyewall, like a moat around a castle. But while a moat protects a
castle, the hurricane’s ‘moat’ eventually destroys the existing eyewall.
Meanwhile, rainbands form a new eyewall outside and the ‘moat’
merges with the original eye allowing the storm to widen and
weaken. As this occurs, the hurricane’s spin is reduced and winds
around the eye are slowed temporarily, but soon the storm intensifies
as the new eye and eyewall shrink and take shape.
To analyze the data received from the three aircraft, Chen’s group at
the Rosenstiel School developed a computer model that provided an
exceptionally accurate forecast of eyewall replacement in Hurricane
Rita, and also guided the pilots as they helped collect the necessary
data.
Chen co-authored a paper published in the journal Science in 2007
that detailed some of this work, along with that of Drs. Houze and
Bradley Smull of the University of Washington, and Dr. W.C. Lee
and Michael Bell of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Their findings could prove very valuable for emergency response
agencies and coastal residents deciding whether a storm is powerful
enough to warrant their seeking safety inland. As the team continues
the analysis phase of the project, the expectation is that they might
identify other small-scale areas in a storm where processes are affecting
intensity, so additional data can be fed into their high-resolution
computer models to further enhance forecasts of storm intensity.
Intense Innovation
Aided by new observations from the Coupled Boundary Layer
Air-Sea Transfer (CBLAST) hurricane field program, scientists at
the Rosenstiel School are also helping to develop and test a highresolution
coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean computer model to
better understand how air-sea interactions directly affect hurricane
intensity, a factor seldom incorporated in current operational forecast
models.
The research, featured in the March 2007 issue of the Bulletin of
the American Meteorological Society (BAMS), explains that current
prediction models used in forecasting hurricane formation and
intensity have difficulty accurately representing data like ocean
temperature, surface wind, rain and waves. The new fully coupled
atmosphere-wave-ocean modeling system is capable of forecasting
detailed hurricane inner-core structure, as well as surface tempera-
ture, wind, ocean currents and surface
waves -- elements crucial to improving
hurricane intensity forecasts.
The CBLAST-Hurricane field program
was conducted using NOAA’s “Hurricane
Hunter” aircraft, as well as drifting
buoys and subsurface floats deployed
ahead of Hurricanes Fabian and Isabel
in 2003, and Hurricane Frances in
2004. The program brought together
new concepts and techniques, providing
a wealth of data that are helping scientists
improve their understanding of how hurricanes gain and lose
energy. Dr. William Drennan, associate professor of Applied Marine
Physics and one of the Rosenstiel scientists who participated in
the fieldwork, helped to provide unprecedented information about
how variations in ocean and sea surface conditions can accelerate or
inhibit the intensification of hurricanes.
Dr. Chen led the CBLAST program’s hurricane modeling effort.
She and other scientists including Rosenstiel Professor Dr. Mark
Donelan, developed the fully coupled high-resolution model, which
takes into account the fully interactive nature of the atmosphere
and ocean in tropical storms -- extremely high winds, intense
rainfall, large surface waves, strong ocean currents and sea spray
-- allowing scientists to predict the structure of a hurricane eye and
eyewall at nearly a 1-km resolution. This accomplishment is well
within the recommendation for next-generation hurricane-prediction
models established by the NOAA Science Advisory Board
Hurricane Intensity Research Working Group and the National
Science Board.
CBLAST-Hurricane modeling and observation efforts were sponsored
by the Office of Naval Research, and involved scientists from
several universities, as well as from NOAA. One of the most comprehensive
studies of the way the ocean and atmosphere interact in
hurricanes, it offered new insights that can now be applied to other
tropical storms, including typhoons over the Pacific Ocean.
Shear Energy
There is widespread scientific consensus that the world’s oceans are warming due to human activities, predominantly the burning of fossil
fuels. Many scientists have suggested that this warming is responsible for the sudden influx in intense tropical storms and hurricanes.
However, a pair of studies conducted by Dr. Brian Soden at the Rosenstiel School, and Dr. Gabriel Vecchi at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid
Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) in Princeton, N.J. have identified other environmental responses to global warming that may inhibit hurricane
activity in the Atlantic Ocean.
One is an increase in wind shear, vertical cross-winds in the atmosphere which are known to interfere with the development and intensification
of hurricanes. The team found that climate model simulations for the 21st Century indicate a robust increase in wind shear in the
tropical Atlantic due to global warming. Based on historical relationships, the impact on hurricane activity of the projected shear change
could be as large — and in the opposite sense — as that of the warming oceans.
Another is the vertical structure of temperature changes within the atmosphere, which tend to make the atmosphere more stable in
many parts of the tropics. By analyzing climate model projections and observational reconstructions, Soden and Vecchi found that
warmer oceans do not alone produce a more favorable environment for storms, because the effect of remote warming can counter, and
sometimes overwhelm, the effect of local surface warming. Warming near the storm acts to increase the potential intensity of tropical
Screenshots of a video portraying an idealized representation of a hurricane interacting with wind shear.
Though warm ocean surface temperatures cause stronger, more intense storm systems, increased shear acts to
greatly disperse the energy and lessen the storm’s intensity. Credit: NOAA
cyclones, whereas warming away
from the storm acts to decrease its
potential intensity. As a result, roughly
half of the tropics are projected to
experience a decrease in the potential
intensity of hurricanes over the next
century, even though the underlying
ocean surface becomes warmer.
Overall, the environmental changes
found in these studies do not suggest a
strong increase in tropical Atlantic hurricane
activity during the 21st century,
nor do they undermine the widespread scientific consensus about the reality of global warming. The impact of climate change on marine
environments is evident in coral bleaching events and sea level rise, among others associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures.
The wind shear study does, however, identify other regions, such as the western tropical Pacific, where global warming is causing
the environment to become more favorable for hurricanes.
1 2

Hurricanes & Forecasting
Warm Ocean Effects
Dr.. Nick Shay, professor of Meteorology and Physical oceanography
at the Rosenstiel School, and his Upper Ocean Processes
Laboratory team are also producing high demand scientific results
to assist in the understanding of the complex processes involved
in hurricane intensification. Based on satellite and in situ measurements
on variations in the oceanic heat content (OHC) throughout
the Gulf of Mexico and in the Loop Current, the data have become
a valuable source of hurricane prediction and evolution information
for the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme
(SHIPS) at the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Variations in the OHC played an important role in hurricane intensification
as seen in Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma which
all reached Category 5 strengths in 2005, and more recently during
Hurricane Dean’s passage in 2007. Using these OHC variations
have improved intensity forecasting by an average of 6 percent over
the basin, and in some cases by as much as 22 percent, as was the
case with Hurricane Ivan.
The OHC’s importance lies in its accuracy to depict the average
heat storage in the upper ocean from the sea surface to a depth
where the water temperature is 78°F (26°C). The deeper the warm
water, the higher the value of the OHC and vice versa. When these
values are high, there is more transfer of heat to the hurricane as
these deep warm regimes (such as the Loop Current and Warm eddies)
tend to resist wind stirring and mixing that work to decrease
the upper ocean’s temperatures. Similarly, Shay’s approach also
maps cold features that tend to diminish the available heat transfer
to the atmosphere.
In collaboration with NOAA’s Hurricane Forecasting Intensity
Program, and supported by the Minerals Management Service and
the National Science Foundation, the team is gearing up to acquire
ocean temperature and current profile measurements from aircraft
in the Loop Current, during hurricane passage over the next three
years. A grant from NOAA’s Joint Hurricane Testbed is allowing
this project to expand its reach into the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Ocean heat content (kJ cm-2) variations in the Northwest Caribbean Sea and
Gulf of Mexico relative to Hurricanes Dean (2007) and Gilbert (1988). Notice
that the core of the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico begins in the Northwest
Caribbean Sea. Credit: NOAA/RSMAS
basin, as well. This novel approach is now being incorporated into
SHIPS models at several centers, including the Central Pacific Hurricane
Center and the NHC.
Cyclogenesis Short Cut
One of the most important goals of hurricane forecasting is to
provide sufficient lead time for coastal communities to prepare
before a storm’s landfall. While the exact location and intensity of a
landfalling hurricane can not be predicted, in most cases there are
at least 48 hours of advance knowledge that a significant event is
likely to occur. Such was the case for some of the most significant
hurricanes in recent history, such as Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane
Katrina.
Using a modified version of the Weather Research and Forecasting
(WRF) model, Dr. David Nolan, assistant professor of Meteorology
and Physical Oceanography at the Rosenstiel School, has been
studying hurricane formation and strengthening in “ideal” environments
- those with warm ocean temperatures, high humidity, and
little or no wind shear.
Most hurricanes form over a period of five to seven days when a
larger, weak circulation slowly contracts to a more intense vortex.
In a paper published in 2007 in Australian Meteorological Magazine,
Nolan has shown that in very ideal circumstances, the path
to hurricane development can take a “short-cut,” in which a new,
smaller, and faster developing circulation can form inside of the
larger disturbance. While these results initially seemed overly
hypothetical, Hurricane Humberto went from a tropical depression
to a landfalling Category 1 hurricane in less than 24 hours in
2007, demonstrating that this same process can, and does, occur in
nature. Tropical Cyclone Larry in Northeast Australia, which went
from a depression to a powerful landfalling Category 4 hurricane
in just two and a half days, served as another vivid example of this
atmospheric process in action in 2006.
Computer simulations are now being used by Nolan and his colleagues
to identify what variables and locations, particularly in the
middle-levels of the atmosphere, should be observed in order to
anticipate and forecast rapid cyclogenesis and intensification.
The models show what radar images of a simulated, rapidly intensifying storm would
look like at three and four days after the start of the simulation. After 72 hours, the
storm has no discernible eye and there is only disorganized banding; just 24 hours
later a distinct eye and prominent spiral bands are clearly visible. Credit: David
Nolan
Threat Forecasting
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers created Task Force Guardian to begin restoring elements
of New Orleans’ battered hurricane-flood system. The Task
Force implemented a plan to close the interim gated structures at
the three outfall canals (17th Street, Orleans Avenue and London
Avenue Canals) to prevent storm surge water in Lake Pontchartrain
from entering these outfall canals and flooding the area.
In the event that a tropical storm system threatens the Gulf Coast
region, and metropolitan New Orleans in particular, the University
of Miami, as part of the National Oceanographic Partnership
Program (NOPP), has created a project called “Real-Time Forecasting
System of Winds, Waves and Surge in Tropical Cyclones,”
led by Dr. Hans C. Graber, Applied Marine Physics chairman and
professor. The project team provides two critical pieces of information
required to determine the need for gate closures: predicted
stages in Lake Pontchartrain, and predicted wind speeds at the
mouths of the three outfall canals. If a hurricane threatens the Gulf
Coast and the storm surge forecast exceeds pre-established safe
water levels, the gates would be closed to prevent flooding of local
parishes. The forecast of
water stages alone is not
sufficient, because the
gates have to be opened
and closed by cranes that
cannot be operated in high
wind conditions –making
accurately predicted wind
time histories of grave
importance.
Operational in both the
2006 and 2007 hurricane
seasons, the threat forecast
Pump station in New Orleans, the site of the
levee failure at the 17th Street Canal. Photo
credit: Chris Sinigalliano
for New Orleans provides an important tool for emergency management
personnel. Predictions from the NOPP are based on the
most official track forecasts from the National Hurricane Center,
as well as alternate tracks from other weather forecast models used
to compute probabilities associated with predicted stages and wind
speeds. The results are made available through e-mail text and
graphics messages, a dedicated website and in a condensed form for
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s).
Wind-Wave Winner
Beyond the Tropics
Ivan Savelyev. Photo credit: UM/RSMAS
Applied Marine Physics student Ivan Savelyev was recognized as an Outstanding Student Paper
award winner for his presentation at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting held annually
in San Francisco, Calif. His paper entitled, “Laboratory Study of Surface Gravity Wave Energy
Input,” was one of only eight recognized, from a field of 215 paper presentations.
Savelyev, a student of Drs. Mark Donelan and Brian Haus, used the school’s unique Air-Sea Interaction
Saltwater Tank (ASIST) for his work. In particular, Savelyev was exploring a new technique to
measure the rate of momentum that transfers from wind to waves. Using the tank he was able to
simulate different wind and wave conditions in the one-of-a-kind laboratory to measure air pressure
fluctuations caused by wind along the surface of a wave. Based on those and other measurements,
he and his professors are now able to calculate the momentum transfer from wind to waves
for different wind speeds and wave fields, including hurricane force conditions. Ultimately, this
science will be incorporated into predictive weather models to help further improve their accuracy.
In addition to forecasting tropical cyclones, faculty members at the Rosenstiel School are also
working diligently to improve forecasts of severe winter weather. Using a mathematical
method based on 'ensembles' of weather forecasts, Meteorology and Physical Oceanography
Professor Dr. Sharan Majumdar and graduate student Kathryn Sellwood have been exploring
whether one can accurately identify 'target' areas over the Pacific Ocean in which satellite
and aircraft measurements can help make better forecasts of heavy rain and winter storms ---
up to one week in advance of the actual event.
Their research has found that the 'targets' are often reliable, helping to improve the predictive
accuracy and extend the time range of winter forecasts. Based on this research, NOAA Dr. Sharan Majumdar and 2007 Dean’s
will be deploying their G-IV jet aircraft out of Japan from January to March 2009, to help Prize winner Kathryn Sellwood review their
improve forecasts of blizzards and other weather phenomena over the continental United prediction of atmospheric ‘target’ areas. Photo
States and Alaska.
credit: Christian Howard
3 4

Tools & Technology
From the use of satellite imagery and high performance computing,
to visual counts of fish, the tools employed by Rosenstiel scientists
are leading the way for some of marine and atmospheric science’s
most promising work. While many faculty members and students
actively employ supercomputers to process the data sets they collect
on seagoing buoys, others are comparing satellite imagery to predictive
computer models, or tagging endangered marine animals.
And when a required tool is not available, our scientists put their
heads together and become innovators.
Cutting-Edge Computing
The Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced
Remote Sensing (CSTARS,) a hightech
satellite analysis and reception facility
in southern Miami-Dade County, celebrated
its fifth anniversary in 2007. In a handful of
years, CSTARS has downlinked more than
120,000 images utilizing 60 TB of raw tape
storage capacity. Operated by the University
of Miami, CSTARS has attracted more
than $14 million in federal funding since its
launch.
The first image acquired at CSTARS on
September 18, 2002, extended from North
Carolina to the Bahamas, and was provided by
the Canadian-owned and operated RADAR-
SAT-1. The image (seen to the left) was taken
in a ScanSAR mode, using multiple SAR
beams to form a single image covering a 400
km wide swath.
Through the years, CSTARS has expanded its capabilities to collect
data from ERS2 and Envisat (ASAR) SAR satellites, as well as
optical data from SPOT-2, SPOT-4, SPOT-5, MODIS on Aqua
and Terra, ORBVIEW-3, FORMOSAT-2 and Envisat (MERIS).
In 2007, the Center saw the launch of several new SAR satellites,
some with extremely high-resolution capabilities, which will soon
be added to CSTARS’ collection capabilities.
Wildfires rage on land in May 2007, as an extra-tropical storm forms off the east
coast. This would soon become subtropical storm Andrea, the first of 15 named
storms in the 2007 hurricane season. Photo credit CSTARS/MODIS on Aqua
With near real-time satellite reception, analysis, and turnaround
processing, CSTARS provides valuable data to Rosenstiel School
researchers and a consortium of scientists from other universities,
research groups, and government agencies. The images offer
important environmental information about the Gulf of Mexico,
southeastern United States, northern South America, Central
America, and the Caribbean Basin. These images enhance the capability
of scientists to not only observe the planet, but also to support
emergency services personnel and monitor zones where there
are volcanoes, earthquakes, wild fires, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Flowing Earth
By employing interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), a
unique state-of-the-art satellite imaging technique, researchers at
the Rosenstiel School are finding ways to more precisely calculate
volcanic activity, bringing them even closer to understanding where
and when an eruption may occur. A paper in the May 2007 issue
of Science titled “Stress Control of Deep Rift Intrusion at Mauna
Loa Volcano, Hawaii,” profiles how InSAR has proven highly useful
in providing critical data to improve warning systems and hazard
assessment for the populated areas surrounding volcanoes.
As one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, Mauna Loa
provides scientists with a steady stream of opportunities to collect
data that may aid in disaster preparation. Volcanic hazards like lava
flows and flank collapse, pose a significant danger to populated
areas. Flank collapse, which can trigger tsunamis, creates an additional
risk to the increasingly populated areas surrounding volcano
flanks, like those near Mauna Loa.
A team of researchers, led by Dr. Falk Amelung, a Marine Geology
and Geophysics associate professor, used InSAR images from 2002
to 2005 to survey ground deformation in Hawaii associated with
volcanic activity. Researchers were able to see distinct patterns of
magma activity associated with rift zones, long narrow fractures in
the Earth’s crust from which lava flows. Magma pathways unclamped
by past eruptions and earthquakes, leave a channel for the
magma to enter. The magma accumulates in rift zones and pushes
flanks apart; building stress in the area until ultimately an eruption
occurs.
Surface deformation during 2002-2005
associated with the reawakening of
Mauna Loa volcano observed with the
Canadian Space Agency’s Radarsat-1
satellite . Credit: Scott Baker and Falk
Amelung
Amelung and his collaborators
were able to precisely infer where
magma accumulation occurred
and have an explanation of why it
occurred in a particular location.
This provided them with valuable
data on where the next eruption
was most likely to occur.
In the continental United States,
InSAR imagery has been useful
in monitoring sinking and
decline in the structural stability
of Florida’s wetland ecosystems.
Using funding from NASA’s
Earth Science program and
the National Science Foundation’s
Geophysics program, Drs.
Shimon Wdowinski, Tim Dixon,
Falk Amelung and San-Wang
Kim from UM’s Geodesy Labo-
Remote sensing of the Everglades
wetlands in South Florida. Lowest
level: L-band SAR image showing
the backscatter amplitude of the
study area. Second level: SAR interferogram
illustrating lateral phase
changes between SAR acquisitions
four months apart. Third level: map
of water level changes occurring between
the two acquisitions. Top level:
high spatial-resolution 3-D map of
“absolute” water levels calculated by
integrating the space- and groundbased
observations. The 3-D map
shows dynamic water topography
caused predominantly by flood
gate operation. Credit: Shimon
Wdinowski
ratory worked together with environmental engineer Dr. Fernando
Miralles-Wilhelm, from Florida International University, and Dr.
Roy Sonenshein, of the U.S. Geological Survey, to author the paper
“Space-based detection of wetlands’ surface water level changes
from L-band SAR interferometry.”
The article, which appeared in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment,
noted that interferometric processing of sophisticated
SAR data acquired over south Florida between 1993 and 1996
reveals detectable surface changes in the Everglades ecosystem.
The most noticeable changes occurred between managed and natural
flow wetlands. In the managed wetlands, fringes are organized
following patterns related to some of the managed water control
structures. They also have high fringe-rates, which reflect dynamic
water topography caused by gate operation. In natural flow areas,
fringes are irregular and have a low fringe-rate. The natural flow’s
fringe pattern reflects the uninterrupted flow that diffuses water
efficiently and evenly. Most of the interferograms in the natural
flow area also show an elongated fringe located along the transitional
zone between salt and freshwater wetlands, reflecting water
level changes due to ocean tides. Although the study was limited
to south Florida, local diversity of vegetation in both managed and
natural flow wetland environments presents implications that may
be applicable for other large-scale wetlands.
Kim Psencik. Photo credit: Edmundo
Norabuena
NASA Fellows’ Research Takes Flight
Two Marine Geology and Geophysics Ph.D. students from the Rosenstiel School, Kim Psencik
and Batuhan Osmanoğlu, were awarded prestigious 2007 National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) Fellowships in recognition of their outstanding dedication to research on
our planet. The students are both using space-based geodetic data acquired through Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite
(DORIS), and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to investigate changes in the
Earth’s land and water surfaces.
Psencik, in collaboration with advisor Dr. Tim Dixon and colleagues from University of California
- Santa Cruz, and National University of Costa Rica, conducted studies on Earth processes
occurring in the Cocos-Caribbean Subduction zone on the west coast of Costa Rica. Using high
precision GPS equipment, as well as seismometers, they intended to assess changes in the
locking patterns occurring in the Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast to
better understand the physics of earthquakes and energy release, in an effort to
determine if the occurrence of a slow slip event has any impact on the nature and
distribution of future earthquakes. The NASA fellowship will also help to support
similar work in Baja California, Mexico and in the Sierra Nevada Range.
Osmanoğlu is using the latest geodetic measurement techniques to create analytic
and numerical models like Finite Element Models (FEM). He is working on the
detection and modeling of small scale deformations in urban areas using satellite
data collected at the University of Miami’s Center for Southeastern Tropical
Advanced Remote Sensing.
5 6
Batuhan Osmanoğlu. Photo credit: Jackie Dixon

Tools & Technology
Net Technology Gains
The results are, in a word, stunning.
Shedding New Light
Biological oceanographers constantly struggle to reduce delays
between specimen collection, data sorting, and final analysis.
Traditionally biological measurements are made primarily by use
of net collections, versus high speed digital output. Though net
technology has become quite sophisticated, enabling vertical resolution
coupled with detailed physical data, net samples still require
manual processing, which is time-consuming and costly. For many
projects, months to years of work must be spent sorting through
samples before even beginning analysis.
Top: ISIIS being hoisted into the water
by a crane aboard the R/V F.G. Walton
Smith to collect images of zoolpankton
in the Caribbean Sea. Included in the
samples gathered are (bottom left) salp
chain and (bottom right) bothidae.
Photo credit: Cedric Guigand
Dr. Robert Cowen and Cedric
Guigand are developing a
potential solution to this
problem. With the help of
Bellamare, LLC, they designed
and field-tested an experimental
towed vehicle with the
capabilities for non-invasive, in
situ sampling of both zooplankton
and associated water
conditions.
The In Situ Ichthyoplankton
Imaging System (ISIIS) is
composed of two large pressure
vessels with a payload capacity
sufficient for housing a highresolution
plankton imaging
system and its supporting
hardware. ISIIS combines digital
line scan cameras and high
speed computer data transfer
and storage devices with
shadow photographic lighting
techniques to record images
at 68 micron pixel resolution
with up to 20 cm depth of
field and 14 cm field of view.
ISIIS is also equipped with various environmental sensors including
a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiler, flourometer, and
others that allow it to map fine scale taxon-specific distributions in
relation to ocean environmental conditions. The next generation of
ISIIS will incorporate undulating capabilities and integrated image
analysis software that can classify specimens based on shape and
textural characteristics. The result of all this high-tech machinery: a
revolutionary increase in the speed of biological oceanography.
Extreme Buoy Design
In 2007, scientists at the Rosenstiel School participated in several
buoy deployments around the world. They also tested a new
high-tech observational buoy
designed to provide measurements
and information
about hurricane intensity in
extreme wind conditions.
Deployed in ‘Hurricane
Alley” near Jacksonville,
Florida, this buoy was designed
to furnish information
about air and sea interactions
in extreme wind conditions,
illuminating what we know
about hurricane intensity,
and helping to inform predictions
in the future.
The buoy was based on a
hull designed by the U.S.
Navy and utilized NOAA’s
National Data Buoy Center
for meteorological measurements
in high wind and
Dr. Will Drennan prepares an Air-Sea
Interaction Spar (ASIS) buoy for deployment
during the 2007 Deep Ocean Gas Exchange
Experiment off the coast of England. Photo
credit: Hien Nguyen
wave environments. To measure heat transfer rates in high winds,
Rosenstiel School scientists Drs. William Drennan and Neil Williams
redesigned everything above the waterline incorporating
the latest sensors, several with special modifications to survive the
Dr. Neil Williams prepares the Extreme Air-Sea Interaction (EASI) buoy for its
maiden deployment in August 2007, east of Jacksonville, Florida. Based on the NO-
MAD hull used by the National Data Buoy Center, the buoy includes instrumentation
and electronics tailored to measure parameters such as high wind speed drag coefficients,
which can greatly enhance the ability of hurricane models to more accurately
predict the intensity of storms. Photo credit: Mel Wang
extreme conditions. The electronics within the buoy hull were outfitted
with a unique data acquisition system developed in collaboration
with Environment Canada.
Researchers were aiming to garner the first-ever near-surface
measurements of the heat transfer rates that allow hurricanes the
necessary fuel they need to intensify. During times of high winds,
increased sea-spray concentrations can be found in the layer of
atmosphere directly above the ocean. This layer has been thought to
significantly affect evaporation rates and cyclone development, but,
without significant data, scientists are still unsure. Indeed, the effect
of sea spray on storm intensity remains one of the key unanswered
questions in hurricane science.
The buoy project was supported with funding from the National
Science Foundation’s Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary
Coordination program. While the successful 2007 ‘shake down’
test was focused on uses for this platform in hurricane applications,
the team already has plans to use it for research in a variety of other
high sea-state conditions, including typhoons.
When Dr. David L. Jones, a fisheries
oceanographer at the Cooperative Institute
for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CI-
MAS) set out to design a better light trap
to collect young reef fishes, he never imagined
his invention would contribute to the
discovery of a new species. But, after finding
a larval goby that didn’t quite match
any known description, his catch turned
out to be the answer to another scientist’s
25 year old research conundrum.
Jones, working with scientists from El
Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), deployed his new light
traps in the deep tropical waters surrounding Banco Chinchorro,
a remote coral reef atoll off Mexico’s Costa Maya. The traps attracted
the fish using a programmable lighting system enclosed in a
submersible housing. It allowed the team to collect live specimens
from a diverse range of reef fish species, which they meticulously
sorted and identified every night.
During his collection of fishes, Jones came across one specimen that
differed slightly from the known species of Atlantic gobies by having
fewer fin rays and lacking a frenum -- the small fold of tissue in
the pelvic fins of most gobies that forms a sucking disc for grasping
the substrate. He sent the fish to Dr. Benjamin Victor of the Ocean
Science Foundation in California, who used a new biochemical
technique known as barcoding to match mitochondrial DNA from
the larva to an adult fish Victor himself had found near Panama,
25 years earlier. Testing confirmed that
the fish was a new species, genetically
different from its closest know relatives
by about 25%. Dubbed Coryphopterus
kuna, the new goby marked the discovery
of the first vertebrate to have its
genetic barcode included in its original
species description, published by Victor
in the July 2007 issue of Zootaxa.
Scientist Monica Lara uses
the new light trap in the
Caribbean Sea. Photo credit:
Keri Wilk/ReefNet
Coryphopterus kuna. Photo credit:
Keri Wilk/ReefNet
Research Resources
The ISIIS and other equipment is often used aboard the R/V F.G. Walton Smith,
the Rosenstiel School’s primary research vessel. This state-of-the-art, 96-foot
research catamaran was placed into service in February 2000. Named in honor
of the Rosenstiel School’s founder, the ship offers 800 square-feet of laboratory
space, as well as an additional 800 square feet of multi-use space astern. It is
operated as part of the University National Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet.
In 2007, the Walton Smith was at sea a total of 154 days, and conducted 31
scientific cruises, of which more than a dozen had University of Miami faculty
as principal investigators. Funding for voyages came from the National Science
Foundation, Office of Naval Research and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, as well as, private companies, organizations.
The R/V F.G. Walton Smith docked at the Rosenstiel School
on Virginia Key, Florida. Photo credit: UM/RSMAS
Advanced Bookkeeping
The year 2007 marked the addition of the venerable Zoological Record an e-format to the
University of Miami’s library collection. First published in 1864, this resource is the world’s
leading taxonomic reference database and the oldest continuing resource for animal biology
research. Many publications by Rosenstiel researchers have been listed in this publication,
including a 1945 article published in Science, written by F. G. Walton Smith. His article records
one of the first reports of Coeloplana (comb jellies) living along the shorelines of the American
continent. The discovery came to his attention after a student, William Sutcliffe, noticed the
organisms crawling over the surface of algae and hydroids grown in tanks supplied by the lab’s
sea water supply.
The Rosenstiel School Library offers one of the most extensive marine science literature collections
in the nation. It continues to broaden its resources and expand the availability of e-publications,
increasing the array of subject matters available to faculty members and students -- regardless of
where their research takes them.
7 8
Graduate students Dwight Ebanks and
Marcela Ulate tap into the School’s resources
using wireless technology. Photo
credit: Oana Ioncel

Earth Dynamics
Crustal Considerations
From state-of-the-art satellite imaging, to paleo-oceanographic
studies of climate change in the Holocene, and modern-day analyses
of pollution impacts on coastal resources, Rosenstiel scientists
harbor broad interests in understanding the geology, geophysics
and geochemistry of the Earth system. Their work is helping us to
better understand the complex systems that are in place beneath,
within, and above the world’s oceans.
The Earth has always been restless—not just above ground, but
also below its surface, where years of heat and pressure are stored.
But for all the time tectonic plates take to build up stress below the
surface, even the slightest shift can trigger massive earthquakes, tsunamis,
landslides or volcanic eruptions above ground. For scientists
looking to provide accurate disaster assessments before and after
these often catastrophic events, slight miscalculations in their modeling
can cause inconsistencies that may leave scientists wondering
where the forecast was faulty.
In a study published in the April 2007 issue of Geology titled,
“Diffuse interseismic deformation across the Pacific-North America
plate boundary,” Dr. Shimon Wdowinski, a research associate professor
of Marine Geology and Geophysics at the Rosenstiel School,
in collaboration with a team of scientists from the Cecil H. and Ida
M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, suggests that factoring in crustal
changes in fault segments along the San Andreas Fault would
improve the accuracy of predictive models used to understand the
likelihood and intensity of earthquakes in the region.
The steady motion between the Pacific and North American
tectonic plates has deformed a wide region in the western United
States, and the 800 mile (1,287 kilometer) San Andreas Fault
absorbs most of that deformation. This deformation increases the
level of stress on the Earth’s crust, and once the pent up energy of
these stresses reaches high enough values that cannot be supported
by the planet’s crust, faulting occurs and excess stress is released in
the form of an earthquake.
Universities and government
agencies have
measured crustal movement
along the fault
using Global Positioning
Systems (GPS) and other
sophisticated measurement
tools that detect
movements in millimeters
per year. Utilizing
funding from NOAA and
NASA, Wdowinski and
the team used 840 precise
measurements of crustal
movements collected in
southern California over
the last 25 years. They
employed a geometrical
technique, and found
a disparity between the
recorded observations
and a mechanical model.
The finding suggests that
crustal changes and fault segments which haven’t been included in
models until now are important to integrate into future models.
Recording Radon Activity
Above: Color-coded maps of crustal movements
between big earthquakes in southern
California. Upper panels show parallel motion
and lower panels show the normal components,
with respect to the direction of Pacific-North
America relative plate motion. The figures
compare the GPS observed velocities (left) and
the model predicted velocities (center). The difference
between observed and modeled (right)
demonstrate an overall good fit, with a misfit
primarily along the active San Andreas Fault.
Photo Credit: Shimon Wdowinski
Halfway across the nation, at Yellowstone National Park, Dr. David
Kadko, professor of Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, is working
with Dr. Jacob Lowenstern of the U. S. Geological Survey
to launch a pilot program designed to study yet another facet of
earthquake prediction and monitoring. The purpose of the initial
year’s work was to deploy an in situ gamma detector to monitor
radon-222 variability in spring water from the Steamvalve Geyser
in the Norris Geyser Basin.
Radon-222, a chemically inert, radioactive gas is generated by the
decay of its parent isotope, radium-226. Found within hydrothermal
fluids, radon has been used in places like Iceland to help
monitor hydrothermal activity and tectonic events, where radon
anomalies in crustal fluid flow are seen as precursors to seismic
activity.
Kadko and Lowenstern were able to demonstrate
that the gamma detector could
successfully be deployed in an unobtrusive
manner and obtain a temporally wellresolved
record of radon activity in the
waters. These data will then be compared
to variability in temperature, air pressure
and other parameters being measured by
collaborating investigators.
The scientists hope to further research that has indicated that variations
in hydrothermal radon activity could be related to seismic
events stemming
from
tectonic and
magmatic
inflation or
deflation.
They will work
further to find
the variability
in groundwater
composition
arising,
for example,
through
Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. Photo credit:
David Kadko
Above: Gamma detector
used to measure Radon-222.
Photo Credit Matt Landis
various mixing
processes
among different
aquifers. Such variability could arise from factors affecting
crustal strain and permeability, such as earth tides and air pressure.
Atmospheric Accolades
Cheryl Tatum, a Ph.D. student working with Marine and Atmospheric
Chemistry Professor Dr. Anthony Hynes, was awarded
a highly competitive three-year National Defense Science and
Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship.
Sponsored and funded by
the U.S. Department of
Defense, the fellowship is
designed to help increase the
number of U.S. citizens and
nationals trained in science
and engineering. Only 200
fellowships are awarded each
year, providing awardees
with full tuition, a stipend,
and health insurance.
Tatum is involved in two
projects: the first utilizes
laser-based diagnostic techniques
to understand the
kinetics and mechanisms
(L- R) Cheryl Tatum, Dieter Bauer and Dr.
Anthony Hynes prepare to board the blimp
used for sample collection of atmospheric
mercury. Photo credit: Unknown
of reactions that contribute to the production, recycling, and
removal of HOx in the atmosphere. The second focuses on the
development of analytical techniques to examine the behavior of
mercury in the atmosphere dependent upon its form, or specie.
Tatum and members of Hynes’ laboratory joined a field project
in Pensacola, Florida with the Electric Power Research Institute
(EPRI), Southern Company, Environmental Protection Agency,
University of North Dakota, University of Michigan, Atmospheric
Research & Analysis, Inc., and Arcadis, to apply the same
techniques to study emissions from a coal-fired power plant. The
project used blimp-based sample collection along with sampling
directly from the power plant stack. This project is the first attempt
at determining the mercury speciation from power plant
emissions.
Model Scientist
In only a decade, Dr. Amy Clement, an associate professor of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography at the Rosenstiel School, has
established the kind of scientific reputation that often requires an entire career. With a talent for posing innovative and fundamental questions
about the coupled climate system, Clement addresses these questions in a way that reveals, very transparently, the processes at work.
In early 2007, Clement was awarded the American Meteorological Society’s 2007 Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award in recognition of “research
achievement that is, at least in part, meteorological in character and concerns the observation, theory, and modeling of atmospheric
motions on all scales. The award is given annually to young promising atmospheric scientists who have recently shown outstanding ability.”
But for Clement, this was only the beginning of an exceptionally fruitful year.
Clement was also honored at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif. alongside two of the authors of the
Nobel Peace Prize-winning IPCC report. During a black tie gala, the AGU acknowledged Clement’s unique approach to climate change
theories with the 2007 James B. Macelwane Medal, an award reserved for outstanding young scientists in recognition of their significant
contributions to geophysical sciences.
Providing new insights into how Earth’s climate system operates, Clement’s research studies what climate
changes of the past can teach us about the future. Focusing on tropical climate, Clement challenged
previously held notions about the driving forces behind climate change. Using computer models, she has
shown that changes in El Niño were critical to the dramatic changes in climate that occurred in the past.
She also extended these ideas about the role of the tropics in climate change to include variations that
occurred during the 20th century, and possible future changes as well.
For her insightful advances in understanding the role of the tropical ocean-atmosphere system in past
climate variations, Clement has also been recognized by the National Science Foundation with an Early
Career Award and has received funding from NASA and NOAA to support her research efforts.
Dr. Amy Cement. Photo credit:
American Geophysical Union
9 10

Earth Dynamics
NASA aircraft preparing for coordinated research flights during TC4 mission in Costa Rica. Photo credit: Sean Davis
Earth to Air
Our lives are affected by the chemistry and physics of different
parts of the atmosphere, which may influence air quality and
climate. In the lower atmosphere, emissions of pollutants from
human activity can interact with naturally occurring chemicals to
have adverse effects on air quality. At higher altitudes and near the
equator, chemical and physical processes that occur as the result
of tropical convection can have a significant impact on climate.
In 2007, scientists from the Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry
division had the opportunity to study both of these atmospheric
regions in coordinated studies with scientists from other universities
and government agencies.
Biosphere Effects on Aerosol and Photochemistry Experiment
(BEARPEX) was a collaborative field campaign, organized by
Ron Cohen and Allen Goldstein at the University of California -
Berkeley (UC-Berkeley), that took place in August and September
of 2007 at UC-Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station in the
Sierra Nevada Mountains. Drs. Xinrong Ren and Elliot Atlas from
the University of Miami were part of the scientific group making
coordinated measurements of atmospheric chemical composition
and variation at the site. Among the questions being addressed
were: How do natural emissions from plants interact with the
chemicals in an urban plume to alter the reactivity of this mixture?
What happens to chemical reactants during night, when different
chemical processing will occur? What proportion of the biogenic
emissions contribute to the formation of particles, and what influences
and determines particle production? What are the ecosystem
and environmental variables that control the exchange of reactive
atmospheric gases? The results of the study (with additional experiments
planned in 2009) will help to clarify potential consequences
of future anthropogenic development and climate change.
The Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Experiment
(TC4), organized by NASA, probed an even more remote region
of the atmosphere,
the tropical transition
layer (TTL). An
extremely cold region
located in the tropics
between about 14 – 18
km altitude, this region
of the atmosphere
cannot be reached by
conventional research
aircraft, and satellites
have trouble seeing
through the often
dense clouds. Many
facets of the chemical,
dynamic and physical
Dr. Elliot Atlas and Rich Lueb prepare air sampling
equipment to deploy on NASA WB-57 aircraft for
later analysis of the chemical composition of the
tropical atmosphere. Photo credit: Unknown
processes occurring in the TTL are not well understood. Identifying
and quantifying such processes are essential to understanding
ozone depletion, tropospheric chemistry and global warming. The
experiment, utilizing satellite and airborne observations, addressed
several questions,
As part of the scientific team of the WB57 aircraft, the UM team,
led by Atlas, collected air samples from the TTL that were later
analyzed in his laboratory at the Rosenstiel School. The chemical
composition measurements from these samples formed the basis for
better understanding of the amount and composition of ozonedepleting
substances that enter the stratosphere, as well as providing
chemical markers that identify the source of air masses in this
region of the atmosphere.
“Current” Research
Off the Atlantic coast of the United States, Rosenstiel School Co-
Principal Investigators Bill Johns and Lisa Beal are working on the
western boundary component of
the RAPID/MOCHA (Meridional
Overturning Circulation and
Heatflux Array) effort; a largescale,
highly collaborative program
which measures modes of Atlantic
Ocean heat transport from the
equator to the poles. Through
continuous monitoring, the project
will assess the natural shortterm
variability of the Meridional
Overturning Circulation, leading
toward an understanding of its role
in rapid climate change.
Dr. Bill Johns dismantling the strobe
from a recovered buoy on a RAPID/
MOCHA cruise aboard the R/V
Seward Johnson. Photo credit: Lisa
Beal
The basin-wide RAPID/MO-
CHA array comprises moorings
from the National Oceanography
Centre in the United Kingdom,
placed over the mid-Atlantic
Dr. Lisa Beal carrying an Aanderaa Doppler current meter
aboard the R/V Knorr. Photo credit: Unknown
Ridge and at the eastern boundary of the subtropical Atlantic, just
offshore from North Africa. The University of Miami’s team measures
the Antilles Current and Deep Western Boundary Current off
Abaco Island, Bahamas, where moorings are equipped with current
meters and microCATs to measure the velocity, temperature, and
water salinity.
Together with measurements of the Florida Current inferred from
submarine cable by NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological
Laboratory, the data capture the 3,000 mile basin-wide Atlantic
Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Until now the real
variability of the AMOC has not been studied, even on shorter
time scales. Because of the possible role the AMOC plays in rapid
climate change, measuring and understanding its variability and
sensitivity to atmospheric forcing has truly become a priority.
There is paleoceanographic evidence of rapid climate change events
during the last glacial period that have been linked with variability
in the AMOC. The AMOC can be described as the circulation of
warmer waters poleward at the surface of the ocean, which cool and
sink, to return to the equator in the deep ocean. Recent evidence
suggests that the AMOC may slow down in response to global
warming, and that this could, in turn, rapidly cool northern European
climate by reducing the northerly advection of warm surface
waters.
Sarah Woods provides routine
maintenance of the CO2 Flux
Tower on the CCGS Amundsen.
Photo credit: Bruce Johnson,
University of Manitoba
Breaking Through
Long sought after by early European explorers as a convenient passage between Europe and Asia, the
Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean has been essentially impassable due to thick sheets of sea
ice. Attributed to changes in climate, the pack ice is being reduced and this shrinkage is making known
waterways increasingly navigable, as new waterways are being charted for the first time.
As part of the 2007-2009 International Polar Year (IPY) research program to investigate global climate
change in the Arctic, Sarah Woods, a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Darek Bogucki in the
division of Applied Marine Physics, embarked on a six-week scientific cruise through the Northwest Passage.
Woods, who joined the scientific cruise in October 2007 in Resolute, Nunavut, Canada was among
the 40 scientists, students and crew members following in the trail blazed by Norwegian explorer Roald
Amundsen in 1906.
Aboard the aptly named Canadian icebreaker, the CCGS Amundsen, Woods
participated in ArcticNet and the Circumpolar Flaw Lead Study (CFL), two
studies investigating the changing Arctic climate and its impacts on local communities.
The ship will be at sea for the entire year, with scientists, students,
and crew rotating on and off. As part of a NASA-funded project, “Estimates
of Arctic air-sea CO2 transfer using QuikSCAT scatterometer,” Woods is collecting
data to measure air-sea CO2 transfer, and measurements of mean
square wave slope in order to derive estimates of arctic air-sea CO2 transfer
from QuikSCAT measurements.
The IPY will involve more than 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from
over 60 nations examining physical, chemical, biological and social science
research topics. Rosenstiel School faculty member, Dr. William Drennan and
Ph.D. student Silvia Gremes-Cordero plan to board the ship in summer 2008.
Early morning view of a small ice lead in the Canadian
Archipelago, near Paulatuk, Northwest Territories.
Photo credit: Sarah Woods
11
12

Marine Life
As the richest source of biodiversity on the planet, our oceans offer
up potential insights into everything from human diseases and
genomic mutations, to the potential for the extinction of certain
species. From the tiniest microorganisms of the deep ocean, to apex
predators, our scientists marvel at the interconnectedness of the
marine ecosystem. Through an intricate system of study of oceanic
biogeochemistry and the utilization of innovative technology conceived
and utilized by Rosenstiel School scientists, we bring new
insights into the biodiversity comprised on this planet.
Gene Expression & Genetic Adaptation
Marine Biology and Fisheries Professors Douglas Crawford and
Marjorie Oleksiak’s work has been featured in the Journal of Experimental
Biology, BMC Genomics, Nature Genetics and Molecular Ecology.
Their functional genomics research uses Fundulus heteroclitus,
a small species of killifish found
in estuarine and brackish waters
between northeastern Florida
and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Different populations and species
of these fish have demonstrated
an interesting ability to
adapt to extreme environmental
conditions, including temperature
changes, increased salinity,
hypoxia and environmental
pollutants. By studying how
the expression of genes affects
health, longevity and physiological
performance, we learn how
genes are important for human
health.
Patterns of gene expression in killifish,
where colors represent greater (red) or
lesser (green) gene expression. Credit:
Doug Crawford
One of the team’s findings was
that the natural variation in
gene expression affects the fish’s
cardiac metabolism. These
studies demonstrate how small
differences among individuals
can create important differences
in how a heart works
and how well fats or sugars
are used to sustain cardiac
Fundulus heteroclitus
performance. These results
are only possible because this research uses a marine fish with similar
population size and structure to humans to provide important
biological insights into human health. Data from this research suggests
that there is a great complexity regarding how gene expression
is related to physiological processes. With further investigation, the
goal for Crawford and Oleksiak’s evolutionary approach is to help
researchers understand how humans are different and why they are
affected differently by disease, drugs and stress.
Bonefish and Tarpon
Bonefish are one of
Florida’s most valuable
fish, contributing approximately
$1 billion
annually to the Florida
economy. Likewise, tarpon
play prominently in
the $5.5 billion regional
draw that sportfishing
brings to the state of School of large tarpon (>100 lbs) at Bahia Honda
in the Florida Keys. Photo credit: Don DeMaria
Florida. In fact, sportfishing
now surpasses
the citrus industry in state revenues.
In July 2007, a new Bonefish and Tarpon Research Center (BTRC)
was launched through funding from the Wildlife Foundation of
Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, and Bonefish and Tarpon
Unlimited, Inc. Housed at the Rosenstiel School the BTRC
will conduct science-based research that supports fisheries management
and helps to safeguard the long-term health of bonefish and
tarpon.
Under the leadership of Dr. Jerald Ault, a Rosenstiel School professor
of Marine Biology and Fisheries who has devoted his career to
understanding how to best manage some of Florida’s most popular
sport fish, the BTRC will focus scientific efforts in critical areas of
applied research to support science-based decision support for the
sustainability of these species.
Ault recently edited Biology and Management
of the World Tarpon and Bonefish Fisheries,
published by CRC Press. With contributions
from some of the world’s leading
experts on the subject, the compendium
synthesizes existing scientific literature,
presents new perspectives, and introduces
original scientific research to guide management
and conservation efforts for building
sustainable tarpon and bonefish fisheries.
The book also underscores the need for
improved fisheries sustainability by conducting censuses, enforcing
catch-and-release programs, and supporting management and decision
making that is rooted in science.
Studying and Saving Sharks
The South Florida Student Shark Program
(SFSSP) a collaborative, multi-disciplinary
research and education program was founded
in 2006. The SFSSP is a partnership between
the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School,
The Explorers Club® and the Herbert W.
Hoover Foundation that focuses on the study
and conservation of Floridian shark species,
mangrove fish habitats and the Florida watershed. Founded by
Rosenstiel faculty member Dr. David Dié and Marine Biology and
Fisheries graduate student, Neil Hammerschlag, the program offers
a full-immersion approach that allows students to participate firsthand
in scientific projects, while supporting important ongoing
research for shark conservation.
Great hammerhead shark. Photo credit: Neil Hammerschlag
In 2007, the SFSSP conducted more than 75 student research field
trips and held over 40 laboratory sessions. The program exposed
more than 300 high school, undergraduate and graduate students
from six different educational institutions -- among them Mast
Academy High School, Palmer Trinity High School and South
Broward High
School -- to methods
for sampling
and studying marine
animals. Students
helped to sample
and tag more than
200 sharks and
20,000 fishes in local
waters. Findings
based on these studies
were presented
at three conferences,
and six scientific reports
based on study
results were produced.
SSSFP Members: Corina Antal , Adam Matulik
(UM alumnus, NSU graduate student), Leann Winn
(Palmer Trinity Teacher), SFSSP Co-Director Neil
Hammerschlag, Brittany Vascik, Daniell Washington.
Photo credit: Barbra Gonzalez
Slugs for Science
S.T.A.R. Students
The National Resource for Aplysia is a facility funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National
Institutes of Health for the past 13 years. The Resource is the only place in the world where Aplysia californica
(commonly referred to as ‘sea hares’ or ‘sea slugs’) are cultured and raised for research.
A gastropod mollusk, Aplysia are limited to the Pacific Ocean from northern California to Baja, Mexico. These
animals eat marine macroalgae, principally red algae, cultivated especially for them in tanks at the Rosenstiel
School.
In the past three years, the Resource has provided over 25,000 animals per year to researchers. The Aplysia are
Aplysia californica used primarily as models for the study of basic nerve cell functions, as well as complex interactions in the nervous
system responsible for learning and the formation of memories. Some researchers use the oversized neurons of
Aplysia as a model for the study of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other common degenerative brain diseases. University
of Miami scientists working within the Resource are also conducting studies of changes in neurophysiology and gene expression
associated with aging, animal health, and conditions required for early life history development and metamorphosis.
13
In 2007, Rosenstiel School students Ed Mager and Deanna Donohoue, were awarded the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Science to Achieve Results (S.T.A.R.) Fellowship for Graduate Environmental Study.
Mager’s work with Dr. Martin Grosell, associate professor of Marine Biology and Fisheries, centers on
the environmental toxicology of lead in two freshwater organisms, the fathead minnow and the daphnid
(water flea), commonly used by the EPA in setting water quality criteria. The fellowship allows Mager to
further study how lead affects the fish at sub-lethal physiological and biochemical levels. The accumulation
of lead in body tissues has been shown to cause varying illness in different organisms, so Mager
hopes that his research will ultimately help improve lead-based water regulations.
Male fathead minnow in the
lab. Photo credit: Ed Mager
Donohoue’s dissertation focused on the cycling of mercury in the atmosphere, aiming to experimentally measure rate coefficients for
reactions of elementary mercury and halogen species. Her research is helping to clarify the unique chemistry observed in Florida, Polar
regions and in the open ocean, ultimately aiding in the development of effective pollution control strategies for this toxic chemical.
14

Marine Life
‘Nursing’ Coral Fragments
Until recently, branching elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn
(Acropora cervicornis) corals were among the most abundant reefbuilding
corals in Caribbean and Florida reefs. However, in the
last few decades a drastic regional decline of this genus has been recorded
due mainly to elevated temperatures, coral diseases, and the
impact of hurricanes. This region-wide decline, which has resulted
in losses of up to 95 percent of colonies at several locations, has
prompted the listing of these species as “threatened” under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act in 2006.
In response to the need for localized efforts to protect and recover
surviving coral populations, Dr. Diego Lirman and graduate student
James Herlan established an underwater
nursery dedicated to the propagation of
the threatened staghorn coral. The underwater
nursery, located in the waters of Biscayne
National Park, is part of a network of
Acropora nurseries established with support
from The Nature Conservancy, NOAA, and
the National Park Service.
Fragment of staghorn
coral demonstrating fast regrowth
between July 2007
and October 2007. Photo
credit: James Herlan and
Diego Lirman
The goals of the coral nursery program are
to develop effective coral fragmentation and
propagation methodologies, and to evaluate
the role of coral genetics on the resilience of
corals to disturbance. Coral nurseries provide
a unique opportunity to learn about
coral growth and survivorship, as well as
how to stabilize corals damaged by physical
disturbances.
A total of 250 staghorn coral fragments
have been collected and placed on cement
platforms where they are individually measured
at monthly intervals to assess growth
and mortality patterns. The fast growth
rate of these species -- up to 15 cm per
year -- makes them ideal candidates for reef restoration programs.
It is expected that the staghorn fragments kept in the University of
Miami’s nursery will provide an expanding coral stock to be used
for reef restoration.
Coral Cooldown
Scientists have known that hurricanes reduce sea-surface temperatures
upon passage. In fact, Rosenstiel School Professor Peter
Glynn was the first to put forth the hypothesis that thermally
stressed corals might benefit from cooling due to proximal hurricane
passage. But until
now, all evidence for this
phenomenon has been
anecdotal or qualitative,
or researchers have
chosen to focus solely
on the damaging effects
of hurricanes on coral
reef habitats. As seemingly
sensitive animals,
corals may seem unlikely
Pacific staghorn coral (Acropora sp.) Photo
credit: Andrew Baker
candidates to benefit from strong wind and wave conditions, but
as Rosenstiel School graduate student Derek Manzello and a team
from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) discovered, the intense cooling effect tropical cyclones
and storm force winds have on the waters of the Atlantic are giving
corals a much-needed boost to encourage repopulation.
Hurricane development is dependent on warm sea surface temperatures
and often closely linked with widespread coral bleaching
events. Corals survive mainly in shallow water where photosynthetic
algae reside symbiotically within the coral’s transparent tissue
using the sun’s energy to convert it into food for the coral. Even the
slightest changes in water temperature can cause widespread bleaching,
forcing the tiny food-producing algae to be expelled from the
coral tissue.
Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. Photo credit: Michael Schmale
In a study published in the July 2007 issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, the team, organized by Manzello,
documented the potential benefits of hurricane and tropical
storm weather on bleached coral reefs. Researchers showed
evidence suggesting that by circulating colder deep ocean waters
toward the surface, high winds surrounding hurricanes and tropical
storm events cooled surface waters enough to promote rapid
recovery of bleached corals stressed by anomalously warm waters
off the Florida coast. The study focused on the magnitude and duration
of sea temperature
cooling after the passage
of hurricanes and tropical
storms near five reef sites
on the Florida Reef Tract
between 1998 and 2005.
Data analyzed from the
2005 Atlantic hurricane
season -- the busiest in
recorded history -- showed
that the area affected by
hurricane cooling is much
Cervicornis polyps. Photo credit: Wade
Cooper
larger than the narrow bands where damage actually occurs to
reefs.
A Marine “Connection”
A special issue of Oceanography published in 2007 features articles
and cover images by faculty,
researchers and staff members
from the Rosenstiel School.
The edition focuses on
marine population connectivity,
a concept described in an
article authored by Rosenstiel
Marine Biology and Fisheries
Division Chair and Maytag
Professor of Ichthyology, Dr.
Robert Cowen, and colleagues
Drs. Glen Gawarkiewicz,
Jesus Pineda and Simon
Thorrold from Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution
(WHOI), and Cisco Werner
from UNC-Chapel Hill
(UNC-CH).
Larval transport and dispersal play a critical role in marine connectivity,
having important consequences on coastal and nearshore
marine populations as highlighted in an article by Drs. Jesus Pineda
(WHOI), Jonathan Hare (NOAA) and Su Sponaugle (Rosenstiel
School). Modern modeling and computational skills also play a
critical role in studying connectivity. Biological and physical models
are needed to uncover the dynamics at work in our oceans, as is
detailed in a piece by Drs. Cowen and Claire Paris-Limouzy, also
of the Rosenstiel School, in collaboration with Dr. Cisco Werner
(UNC-CH). The article details current model tracking for connectivity,
as well as the direction that needs to be taken in improving
the representation of physical dynamics and the development of
new algorithms. The authors also propose the use of more integrated
models that can help to inform how field experiments may
be designed for greater effectiveness.
Dr. Chris Langdon measures the
vertical extension rate of a coral
sample. Photo credit: Barbra
Gonzalez
Corals & Climate Change
In August 2007, Drs. Chris Langdon and Andrew Baker of the Marine Biology and Fisheries Division inaugurated
a first-of-its-kind laboratory to tackle the global impacts that climate change is having on corals.
The modest lab is the first to maintain corals under precisely controlled temperature and carbon dioxide
conditions, while exposing them to natural light conditions.
Using two Caribbean coral species, Montastraea faveolata (mountainous star coral) and Porites furcata
(finger coral), the team is studying how increasingly acidic oceans, caused by increasing atmospheric
carbon dioxide, can affect corals when accompanied with increasing temperatures. Corals in the laboratory
are being stressed with differing levels of carbon dioxide and temperatures, like those they might
experience in the next 50 to 100 years, to see if skeletal development is affected.
Since the year 1800, nearly 30 percent of total global carbon dioxide emissions have been absorbed
by the ocean. Despite the immensity of the world’s oceans, this accumulation is gradually lowering the
pH of ocean water, making it more acidic and in turn, making it difficult for corals and other
important marine organisms to thrive.
The duo’s experimental studies are simulating scenarios already occurring in the Florida Keys.
The Florida reef tract is the most extensive living coral reef system in the continental United
States. Langdon’s research has shown that a coral’s ability to produce a limestone skeleton
decreases substantially as oceans become more acidic, a conclusion which suggests that these
organisms will grow at a slower rate, or their skeletons will become more fragile (less dense);
a process that can be compared to osteoporosis in humans. As a result, reef structures will
become increasingly brittle and unable to develop extensively as erosion and other factors will
wear them away faster than they can grow.
The Coral Climate Change Lab was made possible through funding from the National Science
Foundation, the Packard Foundation, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation
Society.
Bleached coral. Photo credit:
Andrew Baker
15 16

Sustainability
We have entered an important era in understanding and mitigating
the complex interactions between humans and our environment.
The world is in urgent need of focused scientific research on the
sustainability of the world’s natural resources. Rosenstiel scientists
are helping to provide a clear and hopeful vision for the future of
aquaculture, the economics of coastal communities, marine animal
population growth and a mutually beneficial relationship with the
diversity of life in and around marine and freshwater environments.
Transferring Valuable Knowledge
The year 2007 proved pivotal for advancements in aquaculture; a
science dedicated to creating sustainable practices that will meet
growing consumer demand for aquatic foods in a manner that is
environmentally responsible. After
two years of collecting data from
scientists, fishermen, aquaculture
practitioners, government regulators
and coastal citizens, the U.S.
Marine Aquaculture Taskforce
issued its report, Sustainable
Marine Aquaculture: Fulfilling the
Promise; Managing the Risks, which
UM Veterinarian Dan Rothen assesses
the health of Cobia larvae in
the hatchery. Photo credit: UM/
Aquaculture
recommends guidelines to protect
the health of marine ecosystems
through sound adherence by U.S.
based aquaculture programs.
Dr. Daniel D. Benetti, Aquaculture Program director, associate professor
and chairman of the Division of Marine Affairs & Policy at
the Rosenstiel School, served as a member of the task force. In recent
years, Benetti has grown the thriving Aquaculture Program at
the University of Miami into an internationally recognized resource
for sustainable aquaculture practices. He and his graduate students
are currently involved in transferring technology to endeavors on
nearly every continent, in industrialized and developing nations.
Dr. Daniel Benetti exits a state-of-the -art Aquapod off the coast of Puerto
Rico. Photo credit: Brian O’Hanlon, president of Snapperfarm, Inc.
The advanced research being conducted at the Rosenstiel School
is helping to further develop hatchery and growout technology
around the world. A state-of-the-art experimental marine finfish
hatchery located on Virginia Key, Florida is providing handson
training for students and professionals in advanced hatchery
management for marine fish production. Emphasis has been given
to pelagic species such as cobia, Seriola and most recently, tuna, the
most sought-after species of fish because of its dangerously declining
wild populations.
The scope of the program at the
Rosenstiel School is as broad as its
student body is diverse. Students
who join the Aquaculture Program
have interests that range from science
and technology, to production,
business, regulatory and environmental
issues. With nearly 100
percent job placement after graduation,
the Aquaculture Program is
becoming increasingly popular, with
several graduates now leading the
industry and establishing their own
companies to support demand in an
ecologically sound manner.
Aaron Welch examines Cobia
as he prepares to relocate it to a
new growout tank. Photo credit:
Barbra Gonzalez
Fishing for Generations
PESCA (Partnership for Ecologically Sustainable Coastal Areas),
a collaborative project between the Rosenstiel School’s National
Center for Coral Reef Research (NCORE) and the PUNTACANA
Ecological Foundation, was established in 2007. Designed to
provide a sound scientific basis for coastal management in greater
Punta Cana, project leaders are working towards empowering local
communities and businesses to actively support environmental
awareness.
Drs. Liana Talaue-McManus, alongside Drs. Larry Brand, and
John McManus from the Rosenstiel School, began conducting
studies to assess the health of marine habitats in the greater Punta
Cana watershed. Using a combination of satellite data analyses and
underwater surveys, they gathered
information to map the major
habitat types in the Punta Cana
Reef Ecosystem. The data collected
also helped to establish a monitoring
program to study nutrient patterns
that might be affecting water
quality and seek out their potential
sources. The team also designed
broad socioeconomic studies of
fishing and tourism livelihood,
A total of nine skin divers and four
SCUBA divers, including Renata
Ferrari, (above) spent the morning
removing marine debris, such as nets
and ropes, from the Acropora that grow
prominently in the area. Photo credit:
Megan Stone
which were used to establish the
economic dependence of local
residents on reef resources.
As part of the environmental
education component of PESCA,
Rosenstiel students and scientists,
and staff from the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation were
joined by PADI AWARE, PUNTACANA Resort and Club’s Dive
Shop, Peace Corps volunteers and the Asociacion de Pescadores de
Juanillo for a reef and beach cleanup day. Fishermen, skin divers
and SCUBA divers spent the morning removing marine debris,
Local residents and University of Miami student Colleen Gatliff participated in
the cleanup which produced four sacks of trash and removed four nets from the
reef. Photo credit: Benjamin Kushner
such as nets and ropes, from the coral reef. Students from the Punta
Cana International School, Escuela Basica de Juanillo, and Colegio
Politécnico de Veron helped with beach cleanup on Cabo Engaño,
the easternmost point on Hispaniola.
The team’s overall goal
is to help educate and
foster stewardship of
natural resources in the
region. By analyzing
policies and regulatory
instruments, along with
ecological and socioeconomic
data, PESCA
hopes to provide options
to resource users
Elementary and high school students from three
different schools were organized to help in the beach
that will help to conserve cleanup on Punta Cana’s coral reefs. Photo credit:
the reef system for the Benjamin Kushner
long term.
Solomon Islands Subsistence
Damaged home in the town
of Paelongi on Ghizo Island.
Photo credit: Kelly L. Jackson
What began as an early morning rumble that shook coconut palm fronds to the ground, evolved into
the biggest natural disaster ever to hit the western Solomon Islands. An earthquake lasting just over
one minute, registering 8.1 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that left thousands in Western and
Choiseul provinces homeless and 52 dead. Amid the rapid response teams from global relief agencies
were a team of scientists, including Kelly Jackson, a Rosenstiel School graduate assistant who spent three
weeks assessing the effects the tsunami had on the geology of the Solomon Islands.
Jackson, a student in the Rosenstiel School’s Division of Marine Geology and Geophysics, applied her
knowledge of sedimentology and ancient geological records during her visit. The team traveled to
severely damaged villages on the islands of Ghizo, Ranongga and Simbo, as well as several small,
uninhabited reef-islands. The team witnessed homes made of thatched grasses and palm fronds and
vehicles that floated tens of meters inland, and were deposited with surprisingly little damage, suggesting
that the wave came in not as a turbulent bore, but rather as a rapidly
rising tide.
The purpose of the survey was to document the changes to the coastal geology
of the region, focusing on sediment transport on and off shore, to see
how tsunamis are potentially recorded in the long-term geological record.
The earthquake and resulting tsunami caused extensive damage to coral
reefs, coastal erosion, and in some locations, three meters of uplift, subsidence,
and landslides. In a community largely dependent on fishing and
tourism, the extensive damage to the islands’ many coral reefs, will leave a
significant imprint on both the geology and economy of the region.
People walking across exposed corals on the island of Ranongga.
Photo credit: Wilson Billy Rafiau - Department of Mines
& Energy, Solomon Islands
17 18

Oceans & Human Health
Florida Red Tide and Asthma
A study published in the January 2007 issue of CHEST, the
peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians
(ACCP), suggests that Florida red tide toxins (known as
brevetoxins) can impact respiratory function and increase respiratory
distress in patients with asthma. The article notes that though
Florida red tides may affect everyone adversely, inhaled aerosolized
brevetoxins may have a greater and longer lasting impact on patients
with asthma.
In the normal population, breathing in red tide toxins can lead to
eye irritation, rhinorrhea, coughing, and wheezing. However, these
symptoms usually subside after leaving beach areas.
Dr. Lora E. Fleming, who holds joint appointments at both the
University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School and Leonard M. Miller
School of Medicine, and a team of researchers from academic, environmental,
and government institutions funded by the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department
of Health, evaluated the exposures and effects of aerosolized
red tide brevetoxins in 97 subjects with asthma. Participants spent
at least one hour at Sarasota’s Siesta Beach during active Karenia
brevis blooms and during a period when there was no bloom.
Detailed baseline information was collected, and all participants
underwent pre-and post-beach evaluations, including medical history
questionnaires, nasal swab sampling, and lung function testing
(spirometry). Each participant also carried a personal air monitor
while at the beach. Throughout exposure and non-exposure periods,
researchers collected water and air samples and monitored air
temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction.
The study noted how far from the beach patients lived and their
relative use of asthma medications within the 12 hours prior to the
study. Inland residents were more likely to report more symptoms
and decreased respiratory function after toxin exposure. However,
inland residents had higher baseline spirometry scores, suggesting
that coastal residents may already have decreased lung function
from regular exposure prior
to the study, and, therefore,
reacted less to the one-hour
beach exposure. Participants
who reported using
asthma medication within
12 hours prior to the study
had similar post-exposure differences in spirometry and respiratory
symptoms compared with those who did not use medication.
Research showed that for asthmatics, spending an hour walking on
a beach during red tides, decreased their average lung capacity by a
statistically significant, but modest decrease in lung function. For
some asthma sufferers, full recovery of lung function took as long
as five days.
Florida red tides occur annually off Florida’s Gulf coast, where
blooms of Karenia brevis proliferate rapidly and produce potent
aerosolized toxins. As these algae reproduce, the coastline often
assumes a dark brown hue that can often stretch for miles. The tiny
microorganisms secrete toxins into the water, killing fish, seabirds,
and other marine organisms.
Asthmatics and other
patients with chronic
respiratory illnesses,
whether residents or
tourists, need to be
aware of the potential
risks involved with
Florida red tide and
how they might react to
exposure. It is important
for patients to take steps
to reduce exposure,
especially during times
when Florida red tide
levels are highest.
A Sarasota County lifeguard is monitored during
a red tide field study on Florida’s west coast.
Photo credit: Barbara Kirkpatrick
Hurricanes & Health
For most, the aftermath of a hurricane brings thoughts of flattened
homes, uprooted trees, and water damage to property left standing
once the wind and rain stop. But it is the dust and organic debris
pumped into the area by the strong winds and storm surge that
may pack the hardest punch -- the potential for illness and even
death – long after the storm has passed.
As part of a study assessing urban sediment after Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita, scientists from the University of Miami published
findings in an April 2007 issue of the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, pointing to the need for rapid environmental
assessments as part of preventative disaster relief policies. The study,
entitled “Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Microbial
Landscape of the New Orleans Area,” provided new insights into
the potential for human exposures to both inhaled and ingested
pathogens from sewage-contaminated floodwaters generated by
hurricane activity.
Dr. Helena Solo-Gabriele, professor of Civil and Environmental
Engineering at the University of Miami and co-author of the
paper, along
with colleagues
at the NSF/
NIEHS Center
for Oceans and
Human Health
(OHH) based
at the Rosenstiel
School,
researchers from
five universities,
and two other
NSF/NIEHS
Dr. Helena Solo-Gabriele takes a sediment sample in New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Photo credit: Brajesh
Dubey
Centers for
OHH, analyzed
water and sediment
samples in
New Orleans during the two
months following the 2005
hurricane season. Samples
from the interior canal and
shoreline of New Orleans, and
the offshore waters of Lake
Pontchartrain showed higher
than normal bacteria and
pathogen levels. The microbial
levels reduced to acceptable
levels within a few weeks after
the intense flooding completely
subsided.
Dried sediment covers the porch of a home
after Hurricane Katrina, near New Orleans’
London Street Canal. Photo credit:
Maribeth Gidley
Public health impacts of
hurricanes vary depending on a number of factors. Initial threats
may include drowning due to storm surge or rainfall flooding, with
additional risks from high winds and potential tornadoes spawned
by the storm. Emergency response teams face serious public health
risks when attempting rescues, both during and after natural disasters.
Findings show the importance of a rapid assessment of conditions
to protect emergency workers and residents from potential
illnesses that could result from exposure.
The 2005 events were characterized by an unusually high volume
and long duration of human exposure to potentially dangerous
microbes. The most contaminated area tested near the Superdome
contained high levels of sewage pathogens. Researchers underscore
the need for improved monitoring efforts that focus on evaluating
the impacts of sediments in affected areas, since exposure to contaminated
sediments through inhalation or ingestion, could result
in potential health risks.
Scientists have long been aware that with hurricanes come the
potential for disease, chemical contamination and even death. But
concerted efforts are now being undertaken to study and understand
the connections between them and how at-risk communities
might add another level of preparedness to their hurricane preparation
and response.
Where We Swim & Play
Hobie Beach, Florida
In fall 2007, the University of Miami’s NSF NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health, the Miami-Dade County Health
Department, Nova Southeastern University, NOAA, University of Florida and other collaborators
kicked off an interdisciplinary epidemiological study on Hobie Beach, Florida. Investigators wanted to
find out if regular beachgoers in marine recreational waters with no known point sources of pollution
experience any adverse health effects from swimming in subtropical water often cited for contamination
with infectious microorganisms. Similar studies have been done in Great Britain, Spain and Hungary
-- but this is the first time it is being done in a sub-tropical climate.
The research team is recruiting nearly 1,300 participants through June 2008. After completing baseline
and pre-exposure questionnaires, adult residents of South Florida who regularly use recreational
marine waters are asked to either: a) enter the water or b) remain on the beach for 15 minutes, with
those sitting on the beach serving as the control group for the study. Individuals randomly selected
to enter the water, submerge their entire body and collect a water
sample in a five gallon receptacle for microbial analyses (e.g. bacteria,
viruses, parasites). Researchers then schedule a telephone interview
for a follow up questionnaire about the person’s health to assess
their well being over the seven days after exposure. Ultimately, the
researchers will evaluate if reported health effects are associated
with exposure to non-point source subtropical marine waters, and if
the currently recommended microbial assessment methods protect human
health.
Julie Armstrong records pre-study baseline beach characteristics,
such as number of people and dogs on the beach. Photo credit: Julie
Hollenbeck
19 20

Pew Institute for Ocean Science
2007 Rosenstiel Award
Conserving Our Oceans
The Pew Institute for Ocean Science (PIOS) in 2007 conducted
and sponsored pioneering research worldwide to conserve oceans
and protect marine life, and reduce human impacts upon them.
PIOS is headed by Executive Director Ellen Pikitch, Ph.D., who
is also professor of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the Rosenstiel
School. The Institute created important new knowledge this year
about sharks, coral reefs, sturgeon and ocean ecosystems.
Pew Institute Executive Director Dr. Ellen Pikitch and
research scientist Dr. Daniel Erickson tagging an Atlantic
sturgeon on the Hudson River to track its movement patterns.
Photo credit: PIOS
PIOS sponsored
research that uncovered,
through
DNA testing,
that endangered
basking sharks
are still being
wastefully
killed for their
high-priced fins
for use in soup
in Japan, Hong
Kong, and
even the United
States, despite
an international
trade ban.
Documenting the first “Virgin Birth” of a shark – named by Science
News as one of the year’s top science stories –the team identified a
possible evolutionary adaptation to a shrinking male hammerhead
shark population. The team also continued its eight-year Glover’s
Reef Shark Survey in Belize, tagging and tracking Caribbean reef
sharks and amassing scientific data needed to conserve local populations
and protect reef sharks worldwide.
The Pew Institute supported the work of external scientists who
uncovered far-reaching implications of ocean food web disruptions.
Their research published in Science, for example, found that a shellfish
shortage along the U.S. Atlantic coast was caused by depletion
of predatory sharks, whose favorite food
(rays and skates) multiplied dramatically
and gorged on bay scallops.
Additionally, sturgeon experts from the
Pew Institute took steps to protect this
ancient fish, which is on the brink of
extinction due to the incessant pursuit
of its caviar eggs. Scientists tagged and
tracked threatened sturgeon species into Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea,
and closer to home into New York’s Hudson and Oregon’s Rogue
Rivers, to better understand migratory behavior and spawning
habitats. PIOS also collaborated with American Museum of Natural
History geneticists to detect, through DNA analysis of storebought
caviar, whether beluga caviar continues to be sold in the
United States despite an importation ban.
The year also marked the beginning of an exciting partnership with
Chantecaille cosmetics, which designed a collector’s edition compact
with a beautiful faux-coral cover (photo below) and donated
five percent of the proceeds to the “Reefs of Hope” project. The
funds will help PIOS scientists
to uncover whether certain
coral species can adapt to survive
climate change, and apply that
knowledge to protecting other
corals.
Throughout the year, more than
100 Pew Fellows in Marine
Conservation representing 27
countries, continued to pursue conservation solutions through
research, education, advocacy, and community-based projects. Five
new Pew Fellows from Australia, Japan and the United States were
selected to address critical challenges to healthy oceans, including
climate change and ecosystem mismanagement. These scientists
joined over 100 Fellows and guests at an annual gathering in Morro
Bay, California to share ideas that can lead to increasingly effective
conservation solutions.
Of Ice and Men
On the tropical island of Oahu, Hawaii, amidst active volcanoes
and easterly trade winds, Dr. Axel Timmermann, an associate
professor of Oceanography at the University of Hawaii, Manoa,
cannot stop thinking about ice. Thousands of years ago during the
last ice age, the global climate shifted suddenly from cold to warm,
and then in only a
century, swung back
to a glacial state. For
Timmermann, finding
out why abrupt
climate variations
occurred in the past
offers the chance to
step back hundreds of
thousands of years at
a time, to uncover the
answers to important
questions surrounding
modern climate
dynamics.
Dr. Axel Timmermann in Kalaupapa on Molokai
carrying a “portable” CTD to analyze the temperature
and salinity structure of the 4th deepest lake in
the US. Photo credit: Niklas Schneider.
For his dedication
and substantial
contributions to
marine oceanographic
research, Timmermann
was selected by the
Division of Meteorology
and Physical Oceanography to receive the prestigious 2007
Rosenstiel Award for Outstanding Achievement and Distinction in
Oceanographic Science. The Rosenstiel Award is designed to honor
scientists who have made significant and growing impacts in their
field in the last decade.
Timmermann is highly regarded for his seminal modeling study,
which predicts increased El Niño Southern Oscillation frequency
in response to future greenhouse warming. His work is widely cited
and part of a large catalog of published works that seek to understand
the fundamental mechanisms driving El Niño in the past,
present and future. Timmermann’s more recent work has revealed
mechanisms that link climate variability in the Pacific Ocean with
the Atlantic Ocean, on decadal and longer timescales. His theories
have contributed to a modern, integrated view of the global climate
system.
Co-author of three chapters of the 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) 3rd Assessment Report, Timmermann currently
chairs the International Pacific CLIVAR (Climate Variability
and Predictability) Panel.
In 2007, together with Dr. Lowell Stott from the University of
Southern California, he published a groundbreaking paper in
Science that proposes a new forcing mechanism for the southern
hemispheric deglacial temperature rise: an increase in orbitally-induced
spring insolation starting around 19,000 years ago. According
to the team’s coupled climate model, this event led to a massive
reduction in spring and summer sea-ice extent around Antarctica,
which had repercussions for not only the southern hemisphere,
but also potentially for the oceanic release of carbon dioxide. This
explanation is at odds with previous ideas on deglacial temperature
rise in the southern hemisphere that invoked northern hemispheric
forcing.
Timmermann, who is currently the research team leader at the
International Pacific Research Center of the School of Ocean
and Earth Science and Technology at the University of Hawaii at
Manoa, is studying the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum, a
period of global warming 55 million years ago that marks one of
the most fascinating climate changes in the planet’s history. He is
also working to obtain funding for fieldwork on Lake Kauhako,
the 4th deepest lake in the United States. The ultimate goal of the
project is to retrieve a sediment core from this anoxic lake in order
to reconstruct the history of climate, vegetation, mega-tsunamis
and volcanic eruptions for the Hawaiian Islands, which will help
explain environmental changes the Hawaiian Islands may have
experienced before the arrival of humans.
Little Salt Spring: Plunging into the Past
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Little Salt Spring is a unique underwater archaeological site, providing unparalleled
evidence of human activity in the New World from at least 12,000 years ago, and an environment that has helped preserve to present
day the most fragile traces of human activities, dating back to the end of the last Ice Age.
What makes the Little Salt Spring Archaeological and Ecological Preserve truly unique is the lack of dissolved oxygen in the water,
which has essentially preserved artifacts from the earliest New World cultures, keeping even organic materials from deteriorating.
Located in Sarasota County, Florida, this geological phenomenon known as a karst sinkhole slowly developed over thousands of years,
penetrating the limestone bedrock to ultimately produce a more-than-200-foot-deep, hourglass-shaped spring that is fed from an
underground water source.
The University of Miami owns the 110-acre preserve that includes the spring in which researchers have unearthed hundreds of artifacts.
A natural ledge at 90 feet below the spring’s surface became an important resting spot for organic artifacts – wood, bone, antler and
plant fiber – that researchers have excavated and carbon dated to the Paleo Indian period- the earliest of North American habitation.
In 1986, researchers recovered human tissue almost 7,000 years old from other parts
of the spring, dating to the Middle Archaic period. In amplifying and sequencing
fragments of mitochondrial DNA, they discovered a genetic lineage not previously
recognized in New World populations.
Limited funding has kept infrastructure and facilities on the site rudimentary. With 95
percent of the spring yet to be explored, the potential this site offers for underwater
archaeologists such as Dr. John Gifford, Little Salt Spring Principal Investigator and
Associate Professor at the Rosenstiel School, is unparalleled. The University of Miami
is now in a position to offer some of the most important research and educational opportunities
to its students, faculty and guest researchers, who will have the potential
to make a major impact on our understanding of the initial colonization of the New
World.
Little Salt Spring located in North Port, Florida.
Photo credit: Barbra Gonzalez
21 22

Outreach
Promoting accurate, meaningful scientific information to local
communities is an integral part of our mission. Throughout the
year Rosenstiel School scientists, staff and students participate in
a variety of events designed to help inform and involve people in
protecting the planet.
Sharing New Perspectives
Year-round the Rosenstiel
School hosts lectures, and events
designed to share new perspectives
on contemporary scientific
issues. In 2007, acclaimed author
Dallas Murphy, Jr. visited our
campus to discuss his book To
Follow The Water, an in-depth recounting
of the roots of modern
oceanography from Benjamin
Franklin to the latest theories on
climate change. Murphy made
sure to recognize the School’s
talented faculty as well as NOAA
researchers with whom he collaborated
when writing the book.
The School also hosted a panel on a topic of international importance:
the trafficking of animals, animal parts and plants. Miami
serves as an entry point
into the United States for
many of these products,
and the Rosenstiel School
worked with U.S. Customs
and Border Protection
officials to inform
South Floridians about his
Dr. Robert Cowen provides a tour of the R/V
F. G. Walton Smith to Special Envoy Bo Derek
during her visit to the school. Photo credit:
Angel Li
Author Dallas Murphy (center) with
students Ryan Adams and Johnny Wiborg
from St. Thomas Aquinas High
School who drove down from Fort
Lauderdale for the lecture. Photo
Credit: Barbra Gonzalez
issue. Moderated by Dr.
Larry Peterson, associate
dean of graduate studies,
the panel included Special
Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues,
Bo Derek; U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for Oceans
and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Claudia
McMurray; Sharkwater director, Rob Stewart; Rosenstiel coral reef
scientist, Dr. Andrew Baker; and Rosenstiel graduate student and
founder of the South Florida Student Shark Program, Neil Hammerschlag.
Working with the Yamaha Contender Miami Billfish Tournament,
the Rosenstiel School also hosted a public program to promote
marine conservation. The evening featured interactive exhibits
by organizations dedicated to preserving marine wildlife in South
Florida, and Captain Frank “Skip” Smith, Chairman of The Billfish
Foundation’s Captains’ Advisory Board discussed efforts to assist in
refining and clarifying circle hook regulations.
The popular Sea Secrets lecture series continues to provide timely
scientific highlights from prominent marine and atmospheric
scientists on topics like undersea volcanoes and submersibles,
octopi, and spelunking. Founded by Dr. Robert Ginsburg, the
series is sponsored through The
Lawrence J. and Florence A. De
George Charitable Trust, and the
Charles N. and Eleanor Knight
Leigh Foundation. The 2007
lectures concluded with a dazzling
undersea photographic journey led
by photographer Myron Wang,
who shared his personal collection
of images captured over more than
40 years of international diving.
The winners of the Rosenstiel
School’s 3rd Annual Underwater
Photo Contest were announced at 2007 Underwater Photo Contest
the conclusion of the final Sea Secrets Overall Winner. Photo Credit:
program. The competition attracted Peter Weir, Georgetown, Cayman
Islands, BWI
more than 250 stunning images from
a diverse array of amateur photographers in 14 countries.
Tomorrow’s Science Scholars
Eighteen teams from high schools throughout
eastern Florida converged on MAST Academy
for the 10th anniversary of the National Ocean
Sciences Bowl (NOSB®). Hosted in collaboration
with the Rosenstiel School, the NOSB® is designed
to generate interest and excitement about science
and the oceans, giving teenagers a chance to get in-depth information
about potential careers in marine science. Students from Eau
Gallie High School emerged as the 2007 winners, moving on to
compete at the national competition in Stony Brook, N.Y.
More than 60 sixth and seventh grade girls from Miami-Dade
Student in the laboratory playing a billfish
larvae matching game ,(left) while outside
on the Rosenstiel dock a student is comparing
the pH of different liquids against a pH
indicator stick with Rosenstiel graduate
student Carolyn Margolin on ‘Exploring
Marine Science Day.’ Photo Credit: Barbra
Gonzalez
County visited the Rosenstiel School to attend the annual “Exploring
Marine Science Day.” Held in collaboration with the American
Association of University Women, the event featured female faculty
members and graduate students, who gave hands-on presentations,
and provided inspiration to the budding scientists. A similar
program with Fairchild Tropical Garden, called Environmental
Immersion Day, awarded scholarships for local students to visit
the Rosenstiel campus and other environmental sites for a day of
comprehensive learning about careers in research.
Students were not the only ones learning about ocean sciences from
Rosenstiel School faculty – the School also offered Atmospheric
and Marine-Based Interdisciplinary Environmental Health Training
(AMBIENT) and Project INSTAR (Investigating Nature Through
Science Teacher Active Research) for teachers. Funded through the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, AMBIENT
provided an interactive workshop for 37 Miami-Dade County
teachers, which emphasized team teaching strategies for large classes
(more than 35 students.) Research scientists from the University of
Miami, Florida International University, and County Department
of Health helped to facilitate the training.
Project INSTAR, funded through the National Science Foundation
and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, aims to bridge the gap
between scientific research and K-12 education by enhancing the
knowledge, skills, and field study experience of teachers. Participants
select one of four theme areas: earth systems science, marine
animals, tropical meteorology, or coral reefs.
The 2007 graduating class of INSTAR teachers celebrates the program’s 10th
anniversary. Photo credit: Oana Ioncel
Ongoing IMPACT
Picture Perfect
Winners of the 2007 Underwater Photo Contest (L-R) 1st Place Portrait Category- Mauro Ristorto, Caracas,
Venezuela; 1st Place Macro Category - Patrick Weir, Cayman Islands, BWI; 1st Place Wide Angle
Category - Alex Tattersall, Charmister, Dorset, United Kingdom; and Ist Place Student Entry Category-
Evan D’Alessandro, UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
The Integrated Marine Program and College Training (IMPACT) Project, established in 1999
by the Miami Science Museum, in cooperation with the Rosenstiel School was awarded a fouryear
continuation grant by the U.S. Department of Education. The program has mentored 252
students since its inception, and helps local students prepare for postsecondary study with an
emphasis on math, science and technology.
The Museum, in partnership with the Rosenstiel School and Miami-Dade County Public Schools,
hosts a six-week summer marine program. Classroom lectures and computer-based training are
held at the Rosenstiel School. Each week, a marine science professor or graduate student shares
their research with the group. To-date, 100 percent of the students remaining active throughout
the 4-year program have graduated high school, with more than 95 percent of those students
going on to enroll in postsecondary education. Two students have even gone on to win highly
competitive Dell Scholarships.
IMPACT students sort samples collected during
a cruise in Biscayne Bay with the South
Florida Student Shark Program. Photo
credit: Miami Science Museum
23 24

Alumni Engagement
Financial Information
The Rosenstiel School is exceptionally proud of its alumni, and the
connection many of them have kept with their alma mater. This
is a testament to the type of close-knit, supportive environment
that exists on Virginia Key. Year-round activities keep our alumni
engaged, and help them to network successfully.
Paying It Forward
A primary objective of the Alumni Association is to
raise funds in support of an annual student fellowship,
providing tuition and a stipend for an academic
year. Lyanne Yurco was the 2007-2008 Alumni
Fellowship recipient.
Lyanne Yurco
Yurco holds a B. S. in Geology and dual minors in
Spanish and Biology from Kent State University. While at Kent,
she participated in a scientific research cruise to the Arctic aboard
the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter HEALY, the country’s newest and
most technologically advanced polar icebreaker. This experience
helped Yurco develop her senior honors thesis, studying grain size
and spectral reflectance of a sediment core from the Northwind
Ridge, Chukchi Sea, to better understand past climate change in
the region. She is pursuing an M.S. in Marine Geology and Geophysics
to further her research interests in paleoclimatology. Yurco
hopes to contribute to the better understanding of past climate
changes and their implications for the future of the planet.
Traditions Old & New
The Alumni Association is also involved in keeping alumni connected
to the school. In October 2007, several alumni returned to
RSMAS during Alumni Weekend. Waterfront, on The Commons
patio, alumni from several decades traded stories and shared cocktails
from the Wetlab.
The year 2007 marked the first Alumni Crawfish Boil – a new
Rosenstiel tradition, not soon to be relinquished. Sponsored by
the Alumni Association following May Commencement, the tra-
ditional Louisiana-style crawfish
boil boasted a huge steaming pot of crawfish boiled with corn, artichokes
and potatoes, prepared by our very own alumnus, . It was
a great chance for alumni and their families to visit the campus, reconnect
with old friends, and welcome our newest alumni just after
their graduation.
Bowled Over!
The Alumni Association
sponsored a social during
the 60th Gulf and Caribbean
Fisheries Institute
(GCFI) Conference at the
Ocean Blue Hotel in Punta
Cana, Dominican Republic.
After being treated to
hors d’oeuvres and cocktails,
alumni donned colorful
bowling shoes and spent
Left: Our very own alumnus, Lou Kaufman,
PHD ’04 (MBF); Above: Corey
Moss, BS ‘91, MS ‘98 (MGG), Shari
Vaughan, BS ’81, MS ’83, MS ’87,
PHD ’93 (MPO), Frances Provenzano,
Nancy Voss, MS ‘54 (MBF), and Martin
Roessler, BS ‘61, MS ‘64 (MBF),
PHD ‘67 (MBF). Photo credit: Karen
Wilkening
Rosenstiel Alumni Board: (L-R) : Jennifer
Schull, AB ‘97, MA ‘00 (Vice President),
Jenny Litz, BS ‘96, PHD ‘07 (Secretary),
Erica Rule, MA ‘99 (President). Photo credit:
Karen Wilkening
time bowling a few frames with fellow alumni, faculty, students and
friends of the Rosenstiel School. Alumni Association Vice President,
Jen Schull hosted the event in honor of the School’s founder Walton
Smith, who was the first chairman of the GCFI.
Dr. John Reynolds with a bowhead whale.
Photo credit Dick Dickenson
2007 Alumni Lecturer: John E. Reynolds, MS ’77, PHD ’80 (MBF)
In the last 30 or so years, since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the
Endangered Species Act, certain marine mammal species and stocks have slowly and successfully
recovered. However, there remain issues in terms of the conservation and management of
several species and their ecosystems – noise and chemical pollution, fishing, development, and
climate change are among those issues. Reynolds is using his research and expertise to help improve
management and conservation of these important marine species.
Reynolds served over 20 years as professor of Marine Science and Biology, and chairman of
the Natural Sciences Collegium at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Chairman of the
Marine Mammal Commission since 1991, he has been co-chair of the IUCN Sirenian Specialist
Group since 2001. Reynolds was also President of the International Society for Marine Mammalogy from 2006 to 2008. At Mote Marine
Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida., he currently serves as senior scientist and Manatee Research Program manager, helping to improve
knowledge and enhance stewardship of marine mammals and their habitats.
Fiscal Year 2007
The University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is one of the nation’s leading oceanographic research
and education institutions. A leader in developing innovative collaborations with government, industry, foundations and other institutions
of higher education, the School has had impressive success in obtaining funding for its proposals. Approximately on of every two proposals
submitted by Rosenstiel School scientists is awarded the requested funding.
In 2007, the Rosenstiel School received total support of $56.5 million. External funding for the School reached $47.8 million, in an extremely
competitive funding environment. Federal funds came predominantly from the following organizations:
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
• the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
25 26

Donor Honor Roll
The following lists the names of organizations and individuals who donated $100 or more to the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science from June 1, 2006 to May 31, 2007. These gifts are helping to sponsor important research that is increasing our knowledge
of the planet, helping to shape important policies and forecasts, and improving overall quality of life. Thank you for your continued support
and partnership. (Note: degrees listed in All CAPS denote donors who are alumni of the University of Miami.)
$100,000 +
Arthur B. Choate, AB ‘70, JD ‘74
Colleen F. Fain and Richard D. Fain
Alfonso Fanjul
Caroline H. Owre
Virginia P. Storer, BBA ‘51†, and Peter Storer,
BBA ‘51
$10,000 - $49,999
Anonymous
Anonymous
Arlene J. Chaplin and Wayne E. Chaplin, BBA
‘79, JD ‘82
Chris D. Rosenberg and S. Lee Rosenberg
Johann W. Scheidt
Nicole Wang and Myron Wang
$5,000 - $9,999
Marc Grodman, M.D.
Eugenia B. McCrea and W. Sloan McCrea†
Barbara Monroe and Archie L. Monroe
$2,500 - $4,999
Anonymous
Judith L. George and Phillip T. George, MD ‘65
Joan M. Vernon
Robert N. Ginsburg, Ph.D.
Martha H. Harrison and Christopher G.
Harrison, Ph.D.
$1,000 - $2,499
E-Chien Foo, MSCE ‘75, PHD ‘80
Julia F. Gammon
David N. Gomberg, Ph.D., MS ‘72
Donald R. Johnson, PHD ‘74
William H. Losner
W. Kendall Melville, Ph.D.
Christine W. Snovell and Donald Snovell
Shirley S. Springer and Dr. Victor G. Springer,
MS ‘54
$100 - $999
Susan L. Alspector, BBA ‘88, JD ‘91, and Robert
J. Alspector, C.P.A., BBA ‘88
Lixion A. Avila, MS ‘84, PHD ‘93
Annette C. Baddour and Frederick R. Baddour,
MS ‘84
Elizabeth S. Baker and Dr. Edward K. Baker III
Sathish Balasubramanian, MS ‘95, PHD ‘98
Mark D. Barbire, BS ‘00
Andrea Benetti and Daniel D. Benetti, PHD ‘93
John E. Brown, Ph.D.
Thomas Brunstetter
Jon R. Buck, MS ‘70
Diane W. Camber and Isaac Camber, Ph.D.,
MS ‘54
Catherine E. Campbell, MS, ‘94, PHD ‘99
Becky Carlsson and Jan Carlsson, MBA ‘97
Joan Feil Clancey, MS ‘55
Andrew G. Costello, MSCE ‘73
Daniel J. Cottrell, PHD ‘89
Walter Courtenay, Jr., MS ‘60, PHD ‘65
William C. Cummings, MS ‘60, PHD ‘68
Amie Gimon Davis, AB ‘95, MA ‘98, and Matt
Davis, BS ‘95, MS ‘98
Zoe M. DeMason and Laif J. DeMason, MS ‘88
Kelly L. Denit, MS ‘03
Guillermo A. Diaz, MS ‘95, PHD ‘02
Audrey B. Dobkin and Sheldon Dobkin, MS
‘60, PHD ‘65
Nancy B. Douglas, MS ‘88
Linda E. Duguay, MSCE ‘73, PHD ‘80, and
Douglas G. Capone, BS ‘ 73, PHD ‘79
William N. Eschmeyer, MS ‘64, PHD ‘67
Maria Luisa Estevanez-Villanueva, MA ‘90
Lynne A. Fieber, MS ‘83, PHD ‘90, and Michael
C. Schmale, MS ‘79, PHD ‘85
Paolo L. Figari and Joshua S. Feingold, PHD ‘95
Lisa Fitzgerald, MS ‘86, PHD ‘92
Donna M. Gannon and Patrick T. Gannon, Sr.,
PHD ‘77
Rolando R. Garcia, Jr., MS ‘74
Julio Garcia-Gomez, PHD ‘91
Nancy J. Gassman, PHD ‘92
Edgar C. Gentle III, MS ‘77
John A. Gifford, Ph.D., MSCE ‘73
Rosalie J. Goldberg and Walter M. Goldberg,
PHD ‘73
Lucien Gordon, D.D.S.
Amanda Gotto and John W. Gotto, Ph.D., MS
‘76
Kelly Griffin and Bruce Griffin
Henrike Groschel-Becker, PHD ‘97, and Keir
Becker, Ph.D.
Patricia L. Gruber, MS ‘81
Vicki M. Halliwell and George R. Halliwell
Janet S. Hamilton, Ph.D, BS ‘84, and Ewan J.M.
Hamilton
William H. Hartwell, AB ‘71
Rafael J. Ramos Heredia, Ph.D.
Saundra L. Hinsley, MA ‘05, and William E.
Hinsley III, MA ‘00
Jane Z. Iversen AB ‘64
Constance C. Johnson, BS ‘71, MS ‘74, and
Walter R. Johnson, Ph.D., BS ‘72, MS ‘75
Barry J. Katz, PHD ‘79
Christopher Kent
Kristine M. Kelly and Rafael J. Araujo, MA ‘98
Lourdes F. LaPaz and Donald F. McNeill, PHD
‘89
Suzanne B. Lepple and Frederick K. Lepple, BS
‘67, MS ‘71
Arne Lillehamer
Jerome J. Lorenz, PHD ‘00
Joan Randall Mason and Allen S. Mason, PHD
‘74
Carole K. Maul and George A. Maul, PHD ‘74
Charles G. Messing, MS ‘75, PHD ‘79
Beverly A. Mixson and William T. Mixson,
M.D., BS ‘46
Roxanne L. Nikolaus, MA ‘98
Rutherfurd Pierrepont III, BBA ‘77
Caroline M. Pomeroy, Ph.D., MA ‘89, and
Andrew T. Fisher, PHD ‘89
Frances L. Provenzano and Anthony Provenzano,
Jr., MS ‘58, PHD ‘62
Joanna Y. Pruitt and John C. Pruitt, Jr.
Melissa Ray and Douglass E. Ray
Pamela Reid, PHD ‘85, and Jack W. Fell, MS
‘59, PHD ‘65
Helga Richards and Joseph A. Richards
John D. Riege, MS ‘74
Lisa L. Robbins, PHD ‘87, and Charles C. Evans,
MS ‘83, PHD ‘87
Carolyn D. Rossinsky and Victor Rossinsky, MS
‘84, PHD ‘90
Erica Rule, MA ‘99, and Lance Rule
Susan R. Healy and Darren G. Rumbold, PHD
‘96
Alan Schneyer, MS ‘80, PHD ‘84
Kenneth R. Schultz
Christina D. Senft and Daniel D. Senft
Merit W. Shalett and Monte C. Shalett, BGS ‘72
Raymond Silcock
David G. Smith, MS ‘67, PHD ‘71
Captain Jason Smith
Karen P. Smith and Stephen M. Smith, MS ‘93,
PHD ‘97
Francine Snyder and Thomas H. Snyder
Jack Stamates, MS ‘03
Sarah Steinmetz and John C. Steinmetz, Ph.D.
Mark C. Sullivan, PHD ‘04
Dr. Nancy McKeever Targett, MSCE ‘75, and
Timothy E. Targett, Ph.D., MS ‘75
Lenore P. Tedesco, PHD ‘91
James A. Vallee, MS ‘63, PHD ‘65
Nancy A. Voss, MS ‘54
Carolyn J. Westman and Carl E. Westman, JD
‘69
Lois J. Willoughby and Hugh E. Willoughby,
PHD ‘77
Stephen L. Wood, MSOE ‘88
Alexis S. Wright, MA ‘96
Myong Hee Choo Yang and Won Tack Yang, BS
‘55, MS ‘57, PHD ‘67
Jean T. Yehle
Frances W. Yokel and Bernard J. Yokel, MS ‘66,
PHD ‘83
ASSOCIATIONS
American Association of University Women
The Greater Miami Billfish Tournament
South Florida Water Management District
The Southern Florida Chapter of The Explorers
Club, Inc.
Tarpon Tomorrow Pro/Am Texas Tournament
Series
United Way of Miami-Dade County, Inc.
CORPORATIONS
AllCanes
Aqua Cat Cruises
Austin’s Diving Center, Inc.
Blackbeard’s Cruises
Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited, Inc.
Capt. Harry’s Fishing Supply
ChevronTexaco*
Crook & Crook, Inc.
Dan Marino’s Fine Food & Spirits
Doubletree Hotels
Eden Roc
ExxonMobil Corporation*
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund*
The Florida Aquarium
Florida Crystals Corporation
Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Hartwell Concrete & M.S.
IBM Corporation
Jungle Island
Key West Express
Luckett Holdings Inc.
NCH Healthcare System, Inc.
Perigree Environmental, Inc.
R. R. Beason, Jr., Inc.
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.
Rusty Pelican
Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys
Shell Lumber & Hardware Company
Southern Wine & Spirits America, Inc.
Sporting Traditions
Tobacco Road
ZUZU Bioceuticals, Ltd.
FOUNDATIONS
Applebaum Foundation, Inc.
The Billfish Foundation
The de Hechavarria Foundation
The Dow Chemical Company Foundation
ExxonMobil Foundation*
Jefferson Lee Ford III Memorial Foundation, Inc.
Atwater Kent Foundation, Inc.
The Korein Foundation
McCrea Foundation
MMC Matching Gifts Program*
Alex G. Nason Foundation, Inc.
The New York Community Trust
Ocean Research & Education Foundation
Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation, Inc.
The George B. Storer Foundation, Inc.
J. F. Thye Charitable Trust
The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation
The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science would like also to express sincere
appreciation to all those volunteers, who have
contributed their time and efforts and especially
recognize the organizations that provided matching
gifts.
Honor roll information has been carefully reviewed;
nevertheless, errors or omissions may occur.
If your name does not appear or is not listed
correctly, please accept our apologies. Inquiries
or corrections should be directed to the Office of
Advancement at (305) 421-4061.
* Matching gift organization
† Deceased
Reitmeister Scholarship
In support of higher education in environmental
and conservation-based sciences, the
Louis Aaron Reitmeister Endowed Scholarship
Fund was established at the Rosenstiel School
this year. Reitmeister was a 20th century
American philosopher and writer for whom
humanism and the environment were lifelong
passions. The scholarship supports students
working “to preserve and safeguard endangered
species, and help rid pollution from
rivers, streams and oceans of the world.”
Funding also included the creation of the Louis
Louis Reitmeister. Aaron Reitmeister Environmental Stewardship
Credit: Reitmeister Endowed Award Fund at UM’s Leonard and
Foundation Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and
Policy.
Sailboat in Florida
Keys. Credit:
RSMAS Archive
Dr. William W. Dolan Lectureship
Established in 2007, and hosted by Mrs. Jean
Dolan, this series honors the memory and affinity
for the sea of Dr. William W. Dolan. Lectures
feature distinguished scientists and explorers,
and help to promote the Rosenstiel School’s mission
to help communities better understand our
planet, and aid in the improvement of society
and quality of life.
Honorary committee members include: Kenneth
Atherton, Dr. Mervyn Dixon, Dr. Richard Forum,
E.H. “Skipper” Hill, Sally and Robert Lambert,
Taylor Larimore, Farris J. “Trey” Martin III, John
Moynahan, Commodore Fred E. Welker III,
Mark Yonge, and Ann and William Zani.
Explorer of the Seas. Photo
credit: Karen Wilkening
Rest, Relaxation, RCCL & Rosenstiel
27 28
In 2007, the Rosenstiel School hosted its first oceanographic voyage aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’
Explorer of the Seas. More than 38 passengers joined the successful 5-day cruise, traveling with oceanographer,
author and Rosenstiel Marine Geology and Geophysics alumna Dr. Ellen
Prager, who provided fascinating seminars about the marine environment and
its future, and led a variety of interesting shore excursions.
Guests also spent time in the state-of-the-art marine and atmospheric laboratories
aboard the ship. Equipped with WeatherPak 2000 technology, acoustic
Doppler current profilers, and other sophisticated scientific equipment, Explorer
of the Seas has been collecting observational data for seven years. In 2007, a
project to retool the laboratories for fully autonomous operation was initiated.
If successful this approach should facilitate the instrumentation of additional RCCL
vessels enabling the program to reach even more passengers.
Yilitza Acosta, BBA ‘99 and
John Harris. Photo credit:
Karen Wilkening

Faculty, Staff and Students
Michael Absten
Juan Agar
Vera Agostini
Bruce Albrecht
Rebecca Albright
Carmen Alex
Brenton Alexander
Ramon Alfonso
Cedric Allio
Claudia Alvarez
Falk Amelung
Michael Anderson
Miriam Andres
Bachir Annane
Sandrine Apelbaum
Efrain Aranda
Rafael Araujo
Fredi Arthur
Elliot Atlas
Zachary Atlas
Ellsworth Augustus
Jerald Ault
Elizabeth Babcock
Tali Babila
Donald Bacoat
Gregor Baechle
Andrew Baker
Michael Baker
Tiffen Baker
Andrew Bakun
Mayleen Baluja
Inkweon Bang
Patria Viva Banzon
Ana Bardales
Ruben Barreiro
Hersy Basham
Dieter Bauer
Lisa Beal
Keir Becker
Mustapha Ben-Taout
Daniel Benetti
George Berberian
Robert Berg
Francisco Beron-Vera
Dinah Berry
John Berry
Ranjeet Bhagooli
David Bitterman
Patricia Blackwelder
Jay Blaire
Jonathan Blanchard
Yanira Blanco Oliveras
Catherine Bliss
Francine Bobroff
Dariusz Bogucki
Christopher Boland
Lizett Bowen
Emily Bowlin
Albert Boyd
Laura Bracken
Larry Brand
Marilyn Brandt
Norman Breuer
Jodi Brewster
Francis Bringas Gutierrez
Ayeisha Brinson
Kenneth Broad
James Brown
Michael Brown
Otis Brown
Elizabeth Bruce
Alan Buck
Eric Buck
Rachel Buenconsejo
Robert Burgman
Hector Bustos-Serrano
Enrique Cabral
Maria Calderin
Ann Campbell
Thomas Capo
Hernando Cardenas
Stephen Carlson
Annabelle Carney
Jean Carpenter
Hector Carrasco
Andrew Carter
Michael Caruso
Gustavo Carvalho
Tania Casal
Guy Cascella
Guilherme Castelao
Fernando Cavalin
Ana Cekova
Sigfrido Celestino
Yeon Chang
Mareva Chanson
Demian Chapman
Bertrand Chapron
Shuyi Chen
Wenhao Chen
Laurent Cherubin
Toshio Chin
Angela Clark
Amy Clement
Penny Cohen
Manuel Collazo
Susan Colley Theodosiou
Angela Compton
Wade Cooper
Thiago Correa
Robert Cowen
David Cox
Douglas Crawford
Maria Criales
Francisco Cruz
Donald Cucchiara
Armando Cuervo
Lillian Custals
Patricia Custals
Marie Cuvelier
Evan D’Alessandro
De’Andre Daniels
Garin Davidson
Harry DeFerrari
Vallierre Deleveaux
Bristol Denlinger
Melicie Desflots
Pedro Di Nezio
Fernando Diaz
Isabel Diaz
Jose Diaz
Mara Diaz
Soraida Diaz
Meghan Dick
David Die
Anthony DiSilvestro
Timothy Dixon
Shaun Dolk
Shaunna Donaher
Anthony Donelan
Shenfu Dong
Deanna Donohoue
Daniel Doolittle
Courtney Drayer
William Drennan
Katherine Drew
Eliseo Duarte
Aurelie Duchez
Jason Dunion
Dwight Ebanks
Sue Ebanks
Gregor Eberli
Nelson Ehrhardt
Tanos Elfouhaily
Augustin Engman
Ian Enochs
Jaime Escobar
Lillian Estefan
Randee Esteve
Anna Estrada
Margaret Evans
Robert Evans
Meredith Everett
Amy Exum
Andrew Exum
Desiderio Fajardo
Charles Farmer
Nicholas Farmer
Jack Fell
Christian Ferdinand
Sarah Ferguson-Brown
Aaron Feuer
Lynne Fieber
Jerome Fiechter
Richard Findley
Rana Fine
Elizabeth Fish
Mark Fitchett
Mary Fitts
Joseph Fleischer
Louis Florit
Carlos Fonseca
Roberto Fonseca
Francesca Forrestal
William Forsee
Elizabeth Forteza
Mariana Framinan
Sarah Frias-Torres
Jennifer Fritz
Olimpia Gamez
Chenglin Gan
Rigoberto Garcia
Sabrina Garcia
Zulema Garraffo
Joaquin Garza-Perez
Felimon Gayanilo
Chelle Gentemann
Donald Gentile
Janet Genz
Robert Gerdes
Virenda Ghate
Guillaume Ghesquiere
Rebekah Gibble
Patrick Gibbs
Kelly Gibson
Brian Giebel
John Gifford
Phillip Gillette
Robert Ginsburg
Brooke Gintert
Robert Glassmer
Arthur Gleason
Peter Glynn
Polita Glynn
Sarah Goff-Tlemsani
Barbra Gonzalez
Rafael Gonzalez
Vanessa Gonzalez
Noel Gourmelen
Andreas Graber
Hans Graber
Peter Graber
Malcolm Graham
Mark Graham
Taylor Graham
Charlene Grall
Lewis Gramer
Mark Grasmueck
David Grasso
Marilyn Greene
Mayda Greer
Silvia Gremes-Cordero
Annalisa Griffa
Jennifer Grimm
Kirsten Grorud Colvert
Martin Grosell
Samuel Gruber
Cedric Guigand
Lisa Gundlach
Shengru Guo
Rafael Gutierrez
Thomas Hahn
Fikril Hakiki
George Halliwell
Vicki Halliwell
Neil Hammerschlag
Dennis Hansell
James Happell
Jeffery Happell
Christopher Harrison
Corinne Hartin
Sidney Hartley
Martha Hauff
Brian Haus
Angelique Haza
Destiny Hazra
Genevieve Healy
James Herlan
Silvia Hernandez
Cinthia Herrera
Edward Hildebrand
Gary Hitchcock
Ronald Hoenig
Julie Hollenbeck
Daniel Holstein
Akos Horvath
Christian Howard
Fen Huang
Jingfeng Huang
Xiaolan Huang
Alice Hudder
Klaus Huebert
Brittany Huntington
Anthony Hynes
Denis Ilias
Mehmet Ilicak
Katherine Inderbitzen
Gay Ingram
Mohamed Iskandarani
Nicole Iyescas
Miguel Izaguirre
Kelly Jackson
Benjamin Jaimes
Karl James
Michael Jankulak
Da Hai Jeong
Yan Jiang
Ieng Jo
Viju John
William Johns
Darlene Johnson
Lindsey Johnson
Lyza Johnston
David Jones
Paul Jones
Robert Jones
Sarah Jones
Terrell Jones
David Kadko
Atul Kapur
Heesook Kang
Mandy Karnauskas
Constance Karras
Christopher Kelble
Patrick Kelly
David Kerstetter
Melissa Kesden
Erica Key
Kristin Kleisner
Katherine Kilpatrick
Sang Wan Kim
Benjamin Kirtman
Veronique Koch
Marina Kosenko
Steven Koski
Johnathan Kool
Vassiliki Kourafalou
Katherine Kramer
Ajoy Kumar
Erik Kumetz
Ivy Kupec
Tammy Laberge-McDonald
Michael LaGier
Marcello Lago
Shawn Lake
Allison Lamb
Peter Lane
Chris Langdon
Christopher Langdon
Monica Lara
Michael Larkin
Anne Le Guen
Kevin Leaman
Chia-Ying Lee
Jae-Yon Lee
Sang-Ki Lee
2007 Student Award Winners
Rosenstiel School of Marine and
Atmospheric Science Fellowships
Jennifer Wylie, AMP
Robert Letscher, MAC
Constance Karras, MAF
Kristine Stump, MBF
Noelle Van Ee, MGG
Wei Wei Zhang, MPO
Dean’s Prize
Kathryn Sellwood, MPO
Koczy Fellowship
Ilya Udovydchenkov, AMP
F.G. Walton Smith Prize
Dr. Jeremy Mathis, MAC
RSMAS Alumni Fellowship
Lyanne Yurco, MGG
Don deSylva Memorial Award
Martha Hauff, MBF
Frank J. Millero Prize
Irina Rypina, AMP
Honorable mention:
Dr. Jenny Litz, MBF
Iversen Student Award
Aaron Welch, MAF
Bruno Sardenberg, MAF
Mary Roche Fellowship
Virendra Ghate, MPO
RCCL Fellowships
Dwight Ebanks, MBF
Jason Waters, MAC
University of Miami
Fellowships
Rachel Silverstein, MBF
Brittany Huntington, MBF
Benjamin Shaw, MPO
Left: Rosenstiel School Fellows: Noelle Van Ee,
Kristine Stump, Jennifer Wylie, Robert Letscher,
Wei Wei Zhang. (not pictured Constance Karras).
Above: F.G. Walton Smith Prize Winner Dr.
Jeremy Mathis and Dr. Dennis Hansell. Photo
credit: Susan MacMahon
29 30

Faculty, Staff and Students
Thomas Lee
Ayn Lee Sing
Yuri Leon
Justin Lerner
Robert Letscher
David Letson
Angel Li
Qian Li
Diego Lirman
Jenny Litz
Leopoldo Llinas
Joel Llopiz
Katherine Loftus
Cassandra Lopez
Marva Loi
Joecelis Lopez
Sylvie Lorsolo
James Lovin
Carla Lovinsky
Alexander Lowag
Joseph Lucas
Noelle Lucey
Heike Lueger
Jiangang Luo
Susan MacMahon
Marcello Magaldi
Edward Mager
Sharanya Majumdar
Paul Mallas
Azais Manalich
Rosemary Mann
Damianos Mantsis
Derek Manzello
Brian Mapes
Rosely Marcal
Carolyn Margolin
Arthur Mariano
Keith Martin
Eduardo Martinez
Sabrina Martinez
Jorge Martinez-Pedraja
Benjamin Mason
Juan Mate
Joe Mathews
Jeremy Mathis
Philip Matich
Silvia Matt
Walter Maxwell
Patricia May-Archuleta
Christina McCain
Ashley McCrea
Danielle McDonald
Sarah McDonald
Melany McFadden
Florizel McKenzie
Miguel McKinney
Timothy McLean
John McManus
Jena McNeal
Donald McNeill
Liana Mcmanus
Ralph Mead
Lea Medeiros
Nelson Melo
Sarah Meltzoff
Wilson Mendoza
Yudania Mendoza
Alberto Mestas-Nunez
Darcy Metzler
Ellen Mikesh
Avis Miller
Kimberly Miller
Frank Millero
Edward Minnett
Peter Minnett
Christos Mitas
Heike Moehlig
Jonathan Molina
Robert Molinari
Maria Monsalve
Mary Montes
Christopher Mooers
Yumin Moon
Cynthia Moore
Oriel Morales
Michael Morando
Fernando Moreno
Nirva Morisseauleroy
Jennifer Mravic
Valerie Mueller
Doreen Murray
James Natland
Jose Navarrete
Karen Neher
Hien Ba Nguyen
Ilya Nikanorov
David Nolan
Remy Okazaki
Maria Olascoaga
Marjorie Oleksiak
Richard Oleson
Donald Olson
M Refik Orhun
Derek Ortt
Batuhan Osmanoglu
Elizabeth Oswald
Sonia Otero
Robert Otto
Jean Overton
Tamay Ozgokmen
David Painemal
Kevin Palmer
Claire Paris-Limouzy
James Parker
Andrew Parks
Mariana Pedroso
Ge Peng
Marcos Perez
Hartmut Peters
Nicholas Peters
Larry Peterson
Maaike Petrie
Denis Pierrot
Dora Pilz
Diana Pina
Lisa Pitman
Noah Planavsky
Guillermo Podesta
Kevin Polk
David Powell
Joseph Prospero
Kimberly Psencik
Lisa Pytka
Jennifer Rahn
Rafael Ramos Heredia
Roberta Rand
Eugene Rankey
Tauna Rankin
Eric Rappin
Grant Rawson
Douglass Ray
Leah Ray
Pallav Ray
Michael Rebozo
Jessica Redman
Stacy Reeder
Lisa Regensburg
R. Pamela Reid
Patrick Rice
David Richardson
Adrianus Reniers
Daniel Riemer
Eliseo Riera-Gomez
Emily Riley
Rocio Rivera
Jose Rodriguez
Vincente Rodriguez
Cecilia Roig
Adrianne Rondon
Claes Rooth
Juan Rosado
Angela Rosenberg
Angel Ruiz
Edward Ryan
Irina Rypina
Alberto Sabater
Yael Sade
Amel Saied
Fernande Saintilis
Frances Sampedro
Geoffrey Samuels
Leo San Pedro Siqueira
Susan Sanchez
Adrian Santiago
Bruno Sardenberg
Steven Saul
Ivan Savelyev
Rafael Schiller
Michael Schmale
Gina Schmalzle
Cory Schroeder
Evelyn Schwartz
Gloria Scorzetti
Cinda Scott
Rizky Sekti
Kyle Seaton
Kathryn Sellwood
Xaymara Serrano
Brandon Servis
Monte Shalett
Benjamin Shaw
Lynn Shay
Dilip Shinde
Akihiro Shiroza
Manoj Shivlani
Kathryn Shulzitski
Roger Simon
Rachel Silverstein
Christopher Sinigalliano
Peter Skipp
Laurence Smith
Ryan Smith
Sharon Smith
Steven Smith
Thomas Snowdon
Brian Soden
Nitzan Soffer
Daniel Solis
Marlen Sotolongo
Joanie Splain
Susan Sponaugle
Ashwanth Srinivasan
Elliott Stark
Aubri Steele
Andrew Stefanick
Ashley Stephens
Mark Stephens
Daniel Stern
John Stieglitz
Lesley Stokes
Dustin Stommes
Megan Stone
Colleen Stovall
Kristine Stump
Anthony Stumpo
Kevin Sullivan
Daniel Suman
Donatto Surratt
Dione Swanson
Greta Swart
Peter Swart
Malgorzata Szczodrak
Vincent Taillandier
Adele Tallman
Cheryl Tatum
Barrie Taylor
Josi Taylor
Kristian Taylor
Paul Teare
Veronica Tejeda
Gary Thomas
Jayme Timberlake
Megan Tinsley
Jospeh Tomoleoni
Flavia Tonioli
Zafer Top
Bonnie Townsend
(John) Michael Trapp
Francisco Travieso
Stephen Trbovich
Daniel Trimarco
Michael Tubman
Brendan Turley
Raymond Turner
Michael Tust
Douglas Tyrrell
Ilya Udovydchenkov
Chris Uyeda
Eric Uhlhorn
Kate Upton
Lauren Vaisman
Krystal Valde
Monica Valle Esquivel
Gayl Van De Bogart
Noelle Van Ee
John Van Leer
Jacobus Van de Kreeke
Jeffrey VanWye
John Vanilla
Clemence Veauvy
Victorino Velas
Joelle Verhagen
Peter Vertes
David Viggiano
Teresita Villamor
Marialuisa Villanueva
Joseph Vitale
Brigitte Vlaswinkel
Jeff Vogel
Nancy Voss
Robert Waara
Rebecca Waddington
Amanda Waite
Patrick Walsh
Susan Walsh
John Walter
Kristen Walter
John Wang
Mei Wang
David Wanless
Lynnette Washington
Jason Waters
John Waunsch
Shimon Wdowinski
Ralf Weger
David Weinstein
Aaron Welch
Rory Welsh
Robert Westcott
Elizabeth Wheaton
Samantha Whitcraft
LaTricia White
Sean White
Jesse Wicker
Karen Wilkening
Jorge Willemsen
Debra Willey
Dana Williams
Dean Williams
Elizabeth Williams
Neil Williams
Kathleen Willis
Paul Willis
Joseph Winn
Tiffany Wintle
Herman Wirshing
Froma Wlazlo
Sarah Woods
Ryan Woosley
Alexandra Worden
Xinglong Wu
Jennifer Wylie
Xiangdong Xia
Hua Xie
Jingshuang Xue
Tokuo Yamamoto
Huiqin Yang
Fengchao Yao
Qi Yao
Aletta Yniguez
Lyanne Yurco
Lauren Zamora
Chidong Zhang
Fei Zhang
Jun Zhang
Weiwei Zhang
Wei Zhao
Xue Zheng
Xiaofang Zhu
Xiaorong Zhu
Rod Zika
Ian Zink
Paquita Zuidema
Natalia Zurcher
2006-2007 MSGSO Officers
New Division Chairs
Two closely related academic divisions, Meteorology and Physical Oceanography (MPO) and Applied
Marine Physics (AMP), elected new departmental chairs this year. Dr. Peter Minnett, professor and
researcher studying the oceanic and atmospheric variables from satellite- and ship-borne sensors, was
elected MPO chairman; a division engaged in interdisciplinary observational, diagnostic, modeling,
and theoretical studies to improve our understanding of the oceans and atmosphere. The division works
closely with other groups within the School, as well as with scientists at the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic
and Meteorological Laboratory and the National Hurricane Center.
Dr. Peter Minnett
(L-R) MSGSO Officers: Laura Bracken (Secretary), Sarah Woods (Vice
President), Courtney Drayer (Treasurer), Ian Zink (President), not pictured -
Aric Bickel (Secretary). Photo credit: Oana Ioncel
Students, faculty and staff playing volleyball at the welcome
back picnic. Photo credit: Susan MacMahon
Dr. Hans Graber, an expert on radar remote sensing of hurricanes, the understanding air-sea interactions
and the generation of ocean waves and storm surge, was elected AMP chairman. In addition to operating
a hurricane forecasting model using remotely sensed data that predicts winds, waves and storm surge
up to five days in advance, Graber is currently co-director of the University’s Center for Southeastern
Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS) in southern Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Dr. Hans Graber
31 32

Sunset view of an iceberg against the Greenland coastline, Baffin Bay. Photo credit: Sarah Woods