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 9, at the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. Dr. Ann K. Masse, safety, health, and environmental manager of DuPont Chambers Works in Deepwater, New Jersey, was the guest speaker.
Now in its 33rd 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. Dr. Carolyn A. Thoroughgood serves as dean of the college, and Dr. David L. Kirchman, professor of marine biology–biochemistry, is associate dean.
CMS also serves as home to the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program, a partnership among the federal and state governments, universities, industry, and the public, focused on the wise use, conservation, and management of marine and coastal resources.
Michael M. Whitney, doctoral student in physical ocean science and engineering, 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 thesis or dissertation within a CMS program area were awarded to the following students: Janet A. Nye, thesis in marine biology–biochemistry; Miriam C. Balgos, dissertation in marine policy; Magdalena D. Anguelova, dissertation in oceanography; and Luc Lenain, thesis in physical ocean science and engineering.
Marian R. Okie Fellowships, based on academic and research excellence and demonstrated leadership abilities, were awarded for the academic year 2002–2003 to Karen N. Pelletreau, doctoral student in marine biology–biochemistry, Jason T. Didden, master’s student in marine policy, and Danielle M. Winget, doctoral student in marine biology–biochemistry. CMS Program Fellowships, also for 2002–2003, were presented to the following students on the basis of their academic accomplishments: Lindsay R. Kendall, master’s student in marine biology–biochemistry; Jonathan C. Lilley, doctoral student in marine policy; Elyse M. Scileppi, master’s student in oceanography; and Gregory S. Avicola, doctoral student in physical ocean science and engineering.
A University Competitive Fellowship was presented to Robert E. Barber III, master’s student in marine biology–biochemistry, which was granted on the basis of his academic and research excellence and demonstrated leadership abilities. Hila Elifantz, doctoral student in marine biology–biochemistry, received a University Tuition Scholarship on the basis of her academic and research accomplishments. President’s Fellowships were awarded to the following students on the basis of their academic and research accomplishments: Cindi A. Hoover, Letise T. Houser, and Michael B. Jones, doctoral students in marine biology–biochemistry; and Susan Park, doctoral student in oceanography. Karen N. Pelletreau received the first annual Joanne Currier Daiber Fellowship, which is granted to an exemplary female student in marine biology–biochemistry.
Clinton E. Hare, doctoral student in oceanography, received the Thomas H. Hinkle Award in recognition of his research involving Delaware’s Inland Bays. Kevin A. Goldstein, master’s 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.
Many students received special awards and fellowships from various organizations. Stefano Belfiore, doctoral student in marine policy, was a recipient of the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in the National Sea Grant Federal Fellows Program. Linda C. Popels, doctoral student in oceanography, and Coren A. Milbury, doctoral student in marine biology–biochemistry, received Delaware Sea Grant student awards in recognition of research excellence in the Delaware Sea Grant College Program.
Alexander E. Parker, doctoral student in oceanography, received the 2003 research scholarship from the Delaware Mobile Surf Fishermen, and Susan Park was recognized as the 2002 recipient. Brian Dzwonkowski, master’s student in oceanography, was a recipient of the NASA Space Grant Fellowship Award from the NASA Delaware Valley Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. Cindi A. Hoover received the Lerner-Gray Grant for Marine Research sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History. Allison Y. Beauregard, doctoral student in oceanography, received the P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization) Scholar Award sponsored by the P.E.O. Sisterhood.
The following students received publication awards: Gregory S. Avicola for his “Scaling Analysis for the Interaction Between a Buoyant Coastal Current and the Continental Shelf: Experiments and Observations,” co-authored by Pablo Huq, professor of physical ocean science and engineering, and published in the Journal of Physical Oceanography; Alvaro Hernandez, doctoral student in marine policy, for his “Spatial Distribution Analysis of Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio) Fishery in Yucatán, Mexico,” co-authored by Juan C. Seijo-Gutierrez, senior researcher at Cinvestav-Mérida, Mexico, and published in Fisheries Research; and Young-Heon Jo, doctoral student in oceanography, for his “Calculation of the Bowen Ratio in the Tropical Pacific using Sea Surface Temperature Data” and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Jo’s paper was co-authored by Xiao-Hai Yan, professor of oceanography; Jiayi Pan, postdoctoral fellow in the Ocean Dynamics Research Group; Ming-Xia He, Ocean Remote Sensing Institute, Ocean University of Qindao, China; and W. Timothy Liu, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Students also were recognized for exemplary presentations and honors in other areas. Luc Lenain received the Underwater Acoustics Best Student Paper Award at the June 2002 Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. Also recognized by the Acoustical Society of America was Robert M. Heitsenrether, master’s student in physical ocean science and engineering, as the recipient of the Best Student Paper Award in Acoustical Oceanography. Coren A. Milbury received the Gordon Gunther Poster Award at the National Shellfisheries Association Meeting in April 2002. Robin M. Tyler, doctoral student in marine biology-biochemistry, received the Best Student Poster Award in the Water Quality/Habitat Section of the National Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in 2002.
Faculty also were recognized for their teaching and research. John S. Boyer, E. I. du Pont Professor of Marine Biochemistry/Biophysics, was listed among the 250 most highly cited scientists in the world in the plant and animal sciences by the Institute for Scientific Information, which publishes the Science Citation Index. Charles E. Epifanio, professor of marine biology–biochemistry, was a recipient of the University of Delaware’s Office of Graduate Studies Outstanding Graduate Advising and Mentoring Award. Nancy M. Targett, professor of marine biology–biochemistry, was named a national associate of the National Academies in honor of her “extraordinary service” to the Institute. Timothy E. Targett, professor of marine biology–biochemistry, was reappointed to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as the Governor’s Appointee representing Delaware. The Spanish edition of Vista Nieve, written by Melbourne R. Carriker, professor emeritus, was published in 2002. It was financed by the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia and printed by Cenicafe in Chinchiná-Caldas, Colombia.
The Marine Public Education team consisting of David A. Barczak, art director; Tracey L. Bryant, director; Pamela L. Donnelly, production manager; and Kari K. Gulbrandsen, marine outreach specialist, were the recipients of nine awards in the Delaware Press Association’s 2003 First State Communications Contest for the following projects: Extreme 2002 Web Site, Extreme 2002 Resource Guide, News/Feature Press Releases, Feature Articles, University of Delaware Sea Grant Reporter Special Issue 2002, Bottlenose Dolphin Educational Bulletin, and Coast Day 2002.