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DECEMBER-JANUARY 2007THE NEW DIMENSION IN
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WOMEN IN SCIENCERSMAS held the 4th Annual Exploring Marine Science program for 6th to 7th grade females on Saturday, November 11, 2006. For the second year, more than 100 girls from South Florida registered for this event and attendance had to be capped at 50. This year we hosted a very bright and enthusiastic group representing 22 area schools and the home-schooled population. Hands-on activities were led by Dr. Lisa Beal (MPO), Dr. Lynne Fieber (MBF), Dr. Rana Fine (MAC), Dr. Lora Fleming (MBF/OHH), Dr. Danielle McDonald (MBF), Dr. Lisa Pitman, Tauna Rankin (MBF), Katie Shulzitski (MBF), and Dr. Paquita Zuidema (MPO). Marilyn Brandt (MBF), Deanna Donohoue (MAC), Janet Genz (MBF), Silvia Gremes-Cordero (AMP), Jennifer Grimm (MAF), Julie Hollenbeck (MBF/OHH), Lucy Hynes, Mandy Karnauskas (MBF), Kat Loftus (MBF), Melany McFadden (MGG), Maaike Petrie (MGG), and Terry Pitman volunteered to assist with the day’s activities and interact with the visiting females. Exploring
Marine Science was developed to bring awareness to young women
of the increasing
opportunities
as marine and atmospheric scientists
in industry, academia, government, and society. The American
Association of University Women (AAUW), whose mission is to promote
equity
for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal
change,
partners with RSMAS to present this event. For more information,
contact Karen Wilkening at 305-421-4612 or kwilkening@rsmas.miami.edu.
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| e-SOUNDINGS DECEMBER-JANUARY 2007 |
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ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH STAR:
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IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MSC AQUARIUMHopefully you've noticed the recent improvements to the aquarium in the MSC Lobby near the entrance to the Commons. The aquarium has been maintained by MPO student Mike McGauley for years with startup funds from numerous patrons and continued funding from the RSMAS Advancement Office. As of recent, MBF student Tammy Laberge MacDonald and her husband, Glenn, have joined in. Together, they've introduced a reverse osmosis system, installed new lights and are slowly integrating new marine life. Others at RSMAS have contributed funding, advice and support and it certainly shows. We hope you all enjoy the ongoing improvements! |
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| e-SOUNDINGS DECEMBER-JANUARY 2007 |
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REMEMBERING ALUMNI JOHN D. BUCK(from TheDay.com Connecticut) Dr. John D. Buck, 71, passed away suddenly on Dec. 6, 2006, following a stroke. Dr. Buck was a Professor Emeritus of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut, where he earned his bachelor of arts and master of science with honors and distinction in bacteriology. He taught for 43 years. Dr. Buck received his Ph.D. in marine sciences from the University of Miami, Virginia Key, Miami, Fla. Distinguished in the fields of bacteriology, marine sciences, and marine microbiology, Dr. Buck was a senior scientist at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Fla. Dr.
Buck was chairman of the board of advisors and vice-chairman
of the board of governors
for the Mystic Marinelife Aquarium.
He was also a member of the board of trustees for the Sea Research
Foundation, a member of the Council of Scientific Advisers
for the Whale Study Center, and he served for many years as Task
Group
chairman for the American Society of Testing & Materials.
He was a member of many professional organizations as well, including
an emeritus, 50-year member of the American Society of Microbiology,
and Sigma XI. Survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, the family strongly asks, with gratitude, that no flowers are sent. Contributions may be made to the Dr. John D. Buck Memorial, established for the Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 City Island Park, Sarasota FL 34236. |
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Alumni LectureMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
AND POLICY:
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VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED FOR THE
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UPCOMING SEA SECRETS LECTURESWEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2007
Contributors
to this issue of
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of Miami 1994-2007. All rights Reserved.
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“AUVs,
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles will revolutionize sea floor
observing, data collection and mapping” so argued Assistant
Professor Mark Grasmueck six years ago in his seminar as
part of being interviewed to join MGG. His personal confirmation
of that prediction finally came six years later when NOAA’s
Ocean Exploration Program funded ten days of AUV time to
map deep-water coral reefs in the Straits of Florida. Over
the
last forty years numerous specimens of deep sea corals
living at temperatures
below 12° C have been recovered by dredging from depths
of 400-800 m in the Caribbean (e.g. RV Gerda and RV Columbus
Iselin). Until
recently, this extensive collection of samples and observations
lacked a proper geomorphologic context because existing
bathymetric
charts could not resolve these coral reefs. Research on
these unusual reefs was stalled and efforts to locate and
protect
these fragile and slow growing oases were stymied by the
lack of charts
with adequate resolution. To fill that critical gap, Grasmueck
assembled an interdisciplinary research team from RSMAS
and other Florida institutions to recover a new generation
of
sea floor
images. He and Professor Gregor Eberli selected five sites
in the Straits of Florida. The AUV (Fig. 1) was powered by
a fuel
cell providing a mission endurance of more than 55 hours;
it cruises at 1.8 m/s scanning the seafloor in parallel lines
spaced 200 m apart like a lawn mower. The AUV mapped the
five
sites
ranging from 14–48 km2 in 590–875 m water depth
acquiring 1–3 m resolution bathymetry and acoustic
backscatter together with subbottom profiles, current vectors,
salinity,
and temperature.
The processed multibeam data rendered a three-dimensional
image of the seabed in unprecedented resolution and show
hundreds
of coral mounds with heights of 1–120m (Fig.2). 
In
the United States, interesting feedback exists between marine
mammal science and policy. Within the past thirty or so years,
roughly
since the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the
Endangered Species Act, some marine mammal species and stocks
have recovered
well. However, there remain some deficiencies in terms of marine
mammal science and management if these animals and the ecosystems
on which they depend are to be conserved well into the future.
This presentation will cover some of the critical research and
management needs.
co-Chair
of the IUCN Sirenian Specialist Group since 2001. He was elected
to serve as President
of the International Society for Marine Mammalogy from 2006 to
2008 and currently works for Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota,
Florida as Senior Scientist and Manatee Research Program Manager.
John is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, has received awards for his
teaching, leadership, and scholarship, and has published nearly
200 papers, abstracts, and books. Although most of his research
involves subtropical and temperate species, his significant efforts
in the Arctic recently led to his being given the Eskimo name,
Emuqtannee.
