Students, faculty, and staff of the University of Delaware Graduate College of Marine Studies (CMS) were recognized for their accomplishments at Honors Day ceremonies held Friday, May 4, at the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. Dean Carolyn A. Thoroughgood presided over the ceremonies and along with Associate Dean Nancy M. Targett, presented awards to the recipients. Dr. Paula G. Coble, associate professor in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, was the guest speaker.
Now in its 31st year, CMS is a graduate college whose mission is to advance the knowledge, wise use, and conservation of global, estuarine, and coastal ocean environments through a program of excellence in research, teaching, and service. Students specialize in one of four program areas — marine biology-biochemistry, marine policy, oceanography, or physical ocean science and engineering — but gain a working knowledge of each area through interdisciplinary study and hands-on research designed to prepare them for careers in academia, industry, and public service. CMS also serves as home to the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program, a partnership among federal and state governments, universities, industry, and the public, focused on the wise use, conservation, and management of marine and coastal resources.
Magdalena D. Anguelova, doctoral student in oceanography, received the E. Sam Fitz Award, which recognizes the student who has displayed the greatest aptitude for professional development in the field of marine studies.
Frances Severance Academic Council Awards for the best dissertations within a program area were awarded to Indumathie V. Hewawasam, marine policy; Cecily C. Natunewicz, oceanography; Ursula A. H. Howson, marine biology-biochemistry; and Edward J. Stewart, physical ocean science and engineering. Gonzalo A. Cid, doctoral student in marine policy, received the Center for the Study of Marine Policy Award for the best research paper by a student in marine policy. Functioning within CMS, the center focuses on legal, political, and economic marine issues. Megan Jo Roadman, master’s student in oceanography, received the Thomas H. Hinkle Award in recognition of her research involving Delaware’s Inland Bays.
A publications award went to Carol A. Di Meo, doctoral student in marine biology-biochemistry, for “Genetic Variation among Endosymbionts of Widely Distributed Vestimentiferan Tubeworms,” co-authored by A. E. Wilbur, W. E. Holben, R. A. Feldman, R. C. Vrijenhoek, and S. C. Cary, and published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Marian R. Okie Fellowships based on academic and research excellence and demonstrated leadership abilities were awarded to the following students: Gregory S. Avicola, doctoral student in physical ocean science and engineering; Elias J. Hunter, master’s student in physical ocean science and engineering; Xuebin Zhang, Shufen Ma, Zhongxiang Zhao, and Dawn M. Castle Ward, doctoral students in oceanography; Steven M. Thur, master’s student in marine policy; Kirstin M. Ferrari, Elizabeth A. McCliment, Erin N. Stevens, and Paul N. Ulrich, master’s students in marine biology-biochemistry; and Lisa A. Waidner and Jiangbo Wang, doctoral students in marine biology-biochemistry. Okie Fellowships were also awarded to the following incoming master’s students: Linda C. Popels, oceanography; Anahita T. Marker, marine policy; and Robert E. Barber III, marine biology-biochemistry.
In addition, Coren A. Milbury, master’s student in marine biology-biochemistry, received the Dr. Paul R. Austin Sea Grant Student Fellowship, granted on the basis of academic and research excellence in biochemistry.
Recipients for 2000–2001 CMS Program Fellowships were granted to the following students on the basis of academic accomplishments: Katherine M. Achilles, master’s student in oceanography; Rex R. Malmstrom, master’s student in marine biology-biochemistry; and Stefano Belfiore, doctoral student in marine policy.
Robin M. Tyler, doctoral student in marine biology-biochemistry, received a University Tuition Scholarship. A University Competitive Fellowship was presented to Michael M. Whitney, doctoral student in physical ocean science and engineering. Cindi A. Hoover, master’s student in marine biology-biochemistry, and Susan Park, doctoral student in oceanography, were awarded President’s Fellowships for academic and research accomplishments.
Many students received special recognition from various organizations. Kevin A. Haas, Ph.D. graduate in civil engineering, and Ursula A. Howson, Ph.D. graduate in marine biology-biochemistry, received Delaware Sea Grant student awards in recognition of research excellence in the Delaware Sea Grant College Program. Kirstin M. Ferrari was named a finalist for a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Management Fellowship. Janet A. Nye, master’s student in marine biology-biochemistry, received a research scholarship from the Delaware Mobile Surf Fishermen to support her project — “The Reproductive Biology of the Weakfish Cynoscion regalis: Adaptive Responses to Changes in Population Size.” Nicole B. Lopanik, doctoral student in marine biology-biochemistry, received an award from Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, for her research on the production, transport, and fate of ontogenetic chemical defenses in the temperate bryozoan, Bugula neritina.
Giselle F. Firme, master’s student in oceanography, was a recipient of the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in the National Sea Grant Federal Fellows Program. Alexander E. Parker, doctoral student in oceanography, was named a NOAA graduate research fellow in the National Estuarine Research Reserve Fellow-ship Program. Jennifer A. Jennings, master’s student in oceanography, was a recipient of the 2000–2001 Delaware Resources Center Graduate Fellowship to support her research project — “Baseflow and Storm Discharges of Nutrients to Delaware’s Inland Bays.”
The Lighted Boat Parade at the annual Boast the Coast Festival in Lewes provides a unique opportunity for CMS to showcase its creative skills. This year, CMS received first place in the “Power Boat Under 30-Foot/Private and was also awarded the grand prize. The CMS team included the following members: Lexia M. Valdes, Brian T. Glazer, and Michael B. Jones, doctoral students in marine biology-biochemistry; Kathryn E. Preen, Rebecca M. Banwarth, Janet A. Nye, Erin N. Stevens, and Christopher J. Petrone, master’s students in marine biology-biochemistry; Magdalena D. Anguelova and Alexander E. Parker, doctoral students in oceanography; Christine J. Tallamy, undergraduate student in entomology; and Arthur J. Sundberg, assistant director of Marine Operations.
Faculty also were recognized for their teaching and research. George W. Luther III, professor of oceanography, was appointed the Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies. Luther also was appointed a member of the U.S. National Committee for the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics. Nancy M. Targett, associate dean and professor of marine biology-biochemistry, was appointed to the National Research Council’s Ocean Studies Board and was also named associate editor of the Journal of Chemical Ecology. Timothy E. Targett, professor of marine biology-biochemistry, was reappointed by the Governor to represent Delaware in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Xiao-Hai Yan, professor of oceanography and associate director of the Center for Remote Sensing, received the Cheung Kong Chair Professor Award from the Li Ka-Shing Foundation, Hong Kong, and the Ministry of Education, China.
Melbourne R. Carriker, Professor Emeritus of Marine Studies, was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of the Delaware Museum of Natural History. His former students also presented him with the gift of a Meditation Gar-den to be located between Smith and Cannon laboratories. Kent S. Price, Jr. was honored with the title of Associate Professor Emeritus of Marine Studies upon his retirement on February 1, 2000, after 33 years of dedicated service.
The following CMS staff also were honored. Pamela L. Donnelly, production manager, and Douglas A. White, campus information technology associate, earned Professional Staff Merit Awards. Charles W. Baird, assistant chief engineer, and Deborah N. Nickerson-Booth, staff assistant, received Salaried Staff Merit Awards.
The marine communications team of David A. Barczak, art director; Tracey L. Bryant, marine outreach coordinator; and Pamela L. Donnelly, production manager; were the recipients of numerous awards. The following projects — the University of Delaware Sea Grant Reporter Newsletter, the University of Delaware Sea Grant Reporter Special Issue 1999, and Boating in Delaware’s Inland Bays: Tips for Protecting the Environment — received three awards in the National Federation of Press Women 2000 Communication Competition. The Extreme 2000 Web Site (http://www.ocean.udel.edu/deepsea) received both a Distinguished Award in the Society for Technical Communication’s (STC) International Online Communication Competition and a Blue Ribbon Award in the National Sea Grant Network Communications Contest at Sea Grant Week 2001. In addition, Barczak, Bryant, Donnelly, and Kari Gulbrandsen, marine outreach specialist, were the recipients of eight awards in the Delaware Press Association’s 2001 First State Communications Contest and five awards in the STC Philadelphia Metro Chapter 2001 Publications Competition for the following projects: At Sea Newsletter, Extreme 2000 Web Site, Extreme 2000 Resource Guide, News/Feature Press Releases, University of Delaware Sea Grant Reporter Special Issue 2000, and 2000 Coast Day Poster.