FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Importance of Light and Color on Coral Reefs

University of Miami’s Dr. Michael Schmale Shares Stunning Underwater Photography;
4^th Annual Underwater Photo Contest Winner Announced

VIRGINIA KEY, FLA. (Apr. 10, 2008) — On coral reefs the fish are decorated with an astonishing variety of colors and patterns. Within the reefs of the Indo-Pacific the diversity and abundance of colorful life is especially fantastic, but it is not just fun to look at. Coloration plays an essential role in the reef ecosystem.

As part of the 2008 Sea Secrets lecture series to take place on Wednesday, April 16, at 6 p.m. in the Rosenstiel School Auditorium (4600 Rickenbacker Causeway), Dr. Michael Schmale, professor of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the Rosenstiel School, will give attendees a look into how color and species diversity relate to the lifestyle of reef animals, how they see, and the importance of light in the marine environment.

Schmale started his diving adventures as a teenager in the cold waters of the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. After receiving his B.A. in biology from Cornell University, he relocated to Miami where he received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the Rosenstiel School. While at the University of Miami, Schmale began to pursue underwater photography, primarily as a research tool. This was especially useful in his dissertation research for creating photographic documentation of disease progression in reef fish over time.

As a professor in Marine Biology and Fisheries, Schmale’s research focuses on aquatic animal models of human disease. He studies naturally occurring tumors in the bicolor damselfish on Florida reefs and how tumor development is controlled by a novel virus. His laboratory also uses zebrafish as a model system for genetic engineering and for investigation of developmental effects of toxins from harmful algal blooms. He is also the scientific director of the National Resource for Aplysia, the School’s hatchery facility devoted to raising sea hares for scientific research. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for the last 23 years.

Schmale has photographed diverse marine life in many areas of the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. In the Indo-Pacific he has traveled to reefs and other marine environments in Borneo in Malaysia, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and Bali in Indonesia, the Great Barrier reef in Australia and Papua New Guinea. He currently shoots with a Canon 40D DSLR in an Ikelite housing with Ikelite DS125 strobes and a variety of macro and wide angle lenses.

The lecture is free and open to the public, and includes a reception at 5:30 p.m., preceding the event.  Following the lecture, the winners of this year’s Rosenstiel School Underwater Photography Contest will be announced.

Sponsored by The Lawrence J. and Florence A. De George Charitable Trust, and the Charles N. and Eleanor Knight Leigh Foundation, Sea Secrets is designed for the South Florida non-scientific community.  The events, which are free and open to the general public, are designed to provide insight and information about the oceans that cover two-thirds of our planet, and much of which, are still an enigma.

The final lecture in the 2008 Sea Secrets series will take place on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. It is titled, “One Water: A Global Film About Our Changing Relationship To Water” and features Ali Habashi, Co-director and Editor of this inspiring film. For further information, please call 305-421-4207.

The year 2008 has been designated the International Year of the Reef by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). The Rosenstiel School supports this worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs, as well as the threats to their sustainability. The campaign will consist of activities designed to educate and motivate people to protect our reefs throughout the year and beyond. For more information, please visit www.iyor.org

About the Rosenstiel School
Founded in the 1940’s, the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life.  For more information, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu