College of Marine and Earth Studies (CMES) faculty, staff, students, and recent alumni gathered today to recognize accomplishments made by members of the college in the past year. Honors Day ceremonies, which were held Friday, May 8, at the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes, Del., honored those who have made outstanding contributions to the college as well as the field of marine and earth studies.
College alumna Maria Honeycutt was guest speaker for the event, which attracted members of the college from both Newark and Lewes campuses. Honeycutt, who earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in oceanography at UD in 1997 and 2003, is a climate and hazards policy analyst with NOAA Coastal Services Center and NOAA Climate Program Office.
The day’s first honoree was Ryan Dale, graduate of the oceanography doctoral program. He received the E. Sam Fitz Award, which recognizes the student who has displayed the greatest aptitude for professional development in marine studies.
Recipients of the Frances Severance Academic Council Awards, given for the best thesis or dissertation within a program area, were Damian Brady, graduate of the marine biosciences doctoral program; Kathryn Semmens, graduate of the marine policy master’s program; Tom Moore, graduate of the oceanography doctoral program; and Adam Skarke, geology doctoral student.
Receiving the University Graduate Fellows award for academic accomplishments were
Karen Rossmassler, doctoral student in marine biosciences, and Hilary Stevens, geology doctoral student. Haifeng Wang, doctoral student in marine policy, received the University Dissertation Fellows Award. The award is given to doctoral students for academic achievement, the need to devote full-time effort to dissertation writing, and the likelihood of completing the dissertation within one academic year.
The Marian R. Okie Fellowship, which is awarded based on academic and research excellence and demonstrated leadership abilities, was given to the following students: Joseph Appiott, marine policy master’s student; Brian Eddie, marine biosciences doctoral student; Sharon Grim, marine biosciences master’s student; Christopher Hughes, oceanography master’s student; and Ellen McGuiness, oceanography master’s student.
The recipient of the Joanne Currier Daiber Fellowship, which is named in honor of the first female marine scientist hired by the university, was Jennifer Stewart, marine biosciences doctoral student.
Oceanography master’s student Adam Pimenta was awarded the DuPont Clear into the Future Graduate Student Fellowship. The award, which Pimenta also earned in 2008, supports efforts to increase scientific understanding of the Delaware Estuary.
The morning ceremony, held at UD’s Virden Center, also highlighted the awardees of CMES Program Fellowships: Richard Balouskus, marine biosciences master’s student; Matthew Grossi, oceanography master’s student; Wei Huang, doctoral student in marine policy; and Joseph Senne, doctoral student in physical ocean science and engineering (POSE).
Several students also were recognized for winning awards and fellowships from local and national organizations.
James Mueller, POSE doctoral student, was recognized for receiving a Dean John A. Knauss Fellowship, which matches highly qualified graduate students with host agencies in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. Mueller is working in Washington, D.C., as a legislative aid in the office of Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington.
Susanne Moskalski, oceanography doctoral student, received a NOAA-NERR Fellowship. Moskalski also received this fellowship in 2008. Brian Dzwonkowski, graduate of the oceanography doctoral program, and Lauren Urban, oceanography master’s student, won NASA/Delaware Space Grant Graduate Fellowships. Receiving the Center for Critical Zone Research Fellowship was Amy Gartman, oceanography master’s student.
Tom Moore, graduate of the oceanography doctoral program, received the Delaware Sea Grant Student Award in recognition of research excellence in the Delaware Sea Grant College Program. Moore also received the award in 2008.
Additional student awards and honors
-Publication Award — Katherine Skalak, geology doctoral student, and Amanda Waite, graduate of the oceanography doctoral program
-The Center for the Inland Bays Award — Danielle Tuzzolino, graduate of the marine biosciences master's program
-Gerard J. Mangone Center For Marine Policy Award — Kathleen McCole, senior wildlife conservation major
-Travel Award from the International Society for Subsurface Microbiology to present at the 7th International Symposium, Shizuoka, Japan — Karen Rossmassler, marine biosciences doctoral student
-Best Student Poster, 2009 Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit — Rebecca Hays, oceanography doctoral student
-Best Student Talk, 2009 Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit — Jennifer Halchak, marine biosciences master’s student
-Outstanding Student Talk, 2009 Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit — Kelley Appleman, marine policy doctoral student
-Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award in Geological Sciences — Paul Martin, geology master’s student, and Adam Skarke, geology doctoral student
-Chateaubriand Fellowship from the French Embassy in the United States and Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research associated with the Chateaubriand Fellowship — Benjamin Ciotti, marine biosciences doctoral student
-Excellence Award for Geosciences — Jason Barrowclough, senior geology student, and Cristina Fernandez, senior geology student
-Outstanding Senior Award for Geosciences — Nathan Maier, senior geology student
-Special Merit Award for Geosciences — Curtis Romanchok, senior geology student
-2009 Preston C. Townsend Biotechnology Fellowship and FEMS Young Scientist Meeting Grant and Outstanding Poster Presentation at EMBO-FEMS Workshop on Microbial Sulfur Metabolism, Tomar, Portugal — Jennifer Hiras, marine biosciences doctoral student
-Outstanding Student Presentation Award from the American Society for Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Nice, France — Tiffany Straza, oceanography doctoral student
-Harvey Herro Prize from the National Association for Corrosion and Engineering (International), Atlanta — Matthew Strom, marine biosciences doctoral student
-First Prize for Powerboats over 25 Feet, Lewes Boast the Coast Festival Boat Parade, Oct. 2008 — Julie Anderson, marine biosciences doctoral student; Jill Brown, marine biosciences doctoral student; Erick Geiger, oceanography master’s student; Matthew Grossi, oceanography master’s student; Catherine House, research technician; Ellen McGuiness, oceanography master’s student; Vanessa Michelou, marine biosciences doctoral student; Emily Maung, marine biosciences doctoral student; Kelly Peeler, research associate; Madeleine Russell, marine policy master’s student; Tiffany Straza, oceanography doctoral student; Yoana Voynova, oceanography master’s student; and Capt. Art Sundberg, assistant director of marine operations
Faculty recognitions
-Appointed to editorial board of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology and named Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies — Charles Epifanio, associate dean and professor of marine biosciences
-Named Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies — Lee Anderson, professor of marine policy
-Gerard J. Mangone Prize established in the Netherlands to be awarded annually to the author of the best contribution published in The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law — Gerard Mangone, University Research Professor
-Appointed to the Sea Level Rise Foundation Board of Directors and appointed as a member of the Coastal Marine Management Institute Advisory Committee, Xiamen University, China — Biliana Cicin-Sain, professor of marine policy
-NASA Early Career Award — Matthew Oliver, assistant professor of oceanography
-Group paper selected by Discover magazine as one of the top 100 discoveries in 2008 — George Luther, Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies
Staff recognitions
-Delaware Nursery and Landscaping Association Landscape Design Award — Wendy Carey, coastal processes specialist, and Christopher Valenti, of JB Landscaping
-Recipients of ten awards in the Delaware Press Association’s 2009 Communications Contest — Marine Public Education Office members Tamara Beeson, graphic designer; Elizabeth Boyle, production coordinator; Kimberly Doucette, administrative assistant; Ronald Ohrel, director; and Lisa Tossey, marine outreach specialist; and of the Delaware Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service, Wendy Carey, coastal processes specialist; and of Fifer Middle School in Camden, Del., Trevor Metz
University Service Awards
-5 years — Dana Veron, POSE research faculty, and Gwendolyn Tucker, senior oceanographic specialist
-10 years — Charles Baird, assistant chief engineer, and William Byam, director of marine operations
-15 years — Entin Karjadi, POSE post-doctoral researcher; Kathryn Coyne, assistant professor of marine biosciences; and Jacqueline Bijansky, staff assistant
-20 years — Kimberly Doucette, administrative assistant
-25 years — Timothy Deering, coordinator, and Kuo-Chuin Wong, professor of POSE
-30 years — John Ewart, aquaculture and water quality specialist; James Falk, director of the Delaware Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service; and Doris Hicks, seafood technology specialist
-35 years — Jonathan Sharp, professor of oceanography
Docent recognition
CMES recognized current participants in the CMES Docent Program, a corps of volunteer guides organized in 1992 to help inform the public of the college’s research and education activities.
Carol Bason
Gordon Blizard, Jr.
Val Cloutier
Dorothy Danegger
William Ebner
Charles Freed
Jerry Klavans
Jack Lesher
Russell Payne
George Stadler
Rosalind Troupin
Carl Wisler
Now in its 39th year, CMES is dedicated to advancing the knowledge, use, and conservation of Earth, its oceans, and its other resources. The college produces well-rounded scientists and policy specialists who have the broad vision and interdisciplinary background necessary to address the sweeping, interrelated issues that are part of the study of ocean and earth systems.
The college also serves as home to the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, a partnership among federal and state governments, universities, industry, and the public. Delaware Sea Grant focuses on the wise use, conservation, and management of marine and coastal resources.
To learn more about the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, visit www.deseagrant.org. For more about UD’s College of Marine and Earth Studies, visit www.ocean.udel.edu.