SEMINAR: REMINDER - AOML Seminar - November 20, 2012 - 10:00 a.m.- Dr. A.A. Mohamed Hatha - “Research Initiatives in Marine Science at Cochin University of Science and Technology”

[Aoml.Receptionist <aoml.receptionist@noaa.gov>]

AOML Seminar

Date:          Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Time:         10:00 a.m. – refreshments at 9:45 a.m.

Location:   AOML First Floor Conference Room

Speaker:    Dr. A.A. Mohamed Hatha

            Associate Professor and Head

Department of Marine Biology,

                                    Microbiology and Biochemistry

School of Marine Sciences

Cochin University of Science and Technology

Kerala, India

Title:          “Research Initiatives in Marine Science at Cochin University of Science and Technology”

Abstract: School of Marine Science of CUSAT is one of its kind schools in the country, comprising major departments such as Marine Biology, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Chemical Oceanography, Physical Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences. Alumni of the department are holding key positions in various Marine Science related research institutes in India and abroad. School of Marine Sciences attracts significant funding from Ministry of Earth Sciences (formerly department of ocean development) and is a key participant in many of the research activities funded by the ministry. Major programs includes harmful algal monitoring, Benthos along the continental shelf and slope sediments, drugs from the sea and marine biogeochemical cycles. Considering the seminal contributions made by the School of Marine Sciences, department of Ocean development has instituted an Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Cell (renamed as Earth Science and Technology Cell recently) at this School. Dr. Mohamed Hatha is currently heading this cell and his lecture will include highlights of the research carried out at School of Marine Sciences, CUSAT.

 

Biography:Dr. Mohamed Hatha is Associate Professor at Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). He is also heading this department, which is an integral part of School of Marine Sciences which comprises other departments such as Marine Geology and Geophysics, Chemical Oceanography, Physical Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences. Dr. Hatha’s research includes diversity of culturable heterotrophic bacteria in the environment; food borne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, their drug resistance and survival kinetics in natural environments. Since joining the department in 2006 he has mobilized substantial research grants to look at role of microbenthos in marine biogeochemical cycles. Dr. Hatha, currently Fulbright Scholar at Michigan State University has lead the Indian Arctic Expedition in 2009 and visited Arctic again in 2011 as field participant. He has won Young Scientist Award instituted by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India in 2002, and currently Research Coordinator of Earth Science and Technology Cell (formerly Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Technology Cell – OSASTC – funded by Ministry  of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India) at CUSAT. Dr. Hatha has so far published 116 papers in leading national and international journals and also authored 3 books.