Winter 2004 • Volume XVIII, Number 1

Nova Southeastern UniversityOceanographic Center

A group of intrepid OceanographicCenter students, along with Edward O. Keith,Ph.D., and scientists from the SoutheastFisheries Science Center (NOAA Fisheries)in Miami set sail on November 18, 2003,aboard the R/V Bellows. The group planned toconduct visual and acoustic surveys of marinemammals, as well as physical and biologicaloceanographic investigations, in the Bahamas.This trip was courtesy of a ship-time grantawarded to Keith from the Florida Institute ofOceanography, and was designed to teachNSUOC graduate students how to collectmarine mammal and oceanographic data and toinitiate thesis projects for some of the students.

The scientists from NOAA Fisheriesconduct marine mammal and oceanographicsurveys in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean,the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexicoeach year and are often in need of volunteerassistance, both with data collection andanalysis. These scientists provided the acoustichydrophone array and the computers neededto collect acoustic, physical, and biologicaloceanographic data. They were also involvedin training NSUOC students in data collec-tion and analysis protocols.

Susan Zaretsky, an M.S. student at theNSUOC, has already begun working withthese scientists, analyzing the data previouslycollected, and is participating in some of thecruises for her degree. M.S. students RyanGoldman and Walt Justice hope that thetraining they received on the cruise wouldlead to similar opportunities to participate inthe research being conducted at the SoutheastFisheries Science Laboratory, furthering theirgraduate programs. Students Sarah Maurer,Jaime Hilliard, and Jennifer Scharnitzwere aboard to learn the techniques and assistwith the data collection.

The crew of the R/V Bellows, CaptainTom Worle, First Mate Larry Braun, andPatrick Foster (cook/deckhand) welcomed theNSU and NOAA Fisheries contingent aboardon the afternoon of Tuesday, November 18.Once all of the gear was aboard and stowed fordeparture, Foster brought out a wonderfuldinner of broiled salmon, stir-fried rice withwalnuts, tossed salad, and blueberry pie, andeveryone ate their fill. The ship departedabout 6:30 p.m.

Unfortunately, the seas did not cooperatewith the departure. There were heavy swellsand high wind, as the R/V Bellows headed

northeast to the Bahamas. Most of the partysuffered from seasickness, but the passage wasuneventful, and the ship arrived in Freeport,Bahamas, to clear customs early the nextmorning. After arriving in Freeport, the shipset out to conduct the first day of data collec-tion. The winds were from the north, so theship kept in the lee of Greater Bahama Island,and started both acoustic and visual marinemammal surveys.

Several instruments were onboard tocollect a temperature profile of the water,either a CTD (Conductivity [salinity]),Temperature, and Depth) instrument or an

Bahamas Cruise for Marine Mammal Research

The scientific party (L to R): Anthony Martinez (NOAA), Susan Zaretsky (NSU), Sarah Gomez (NOAA),Sarah Maurer (NSU), Walt Justice (NSU), Jennifer Scharnitz (NSU), Ryan Goldman (NSU), JaimeHilliard (NSU), Ed Keith (NSU), and Lance Garrison (NOAA).

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The crew of the R/V Bellows (L to R): First mate Larry Braun, Cook/deckhand Patrick Foster, and CaptainTom Worle.

NSUOC student Walt Justice and NOAA Fisheriesscientist Sarah Gomez operate the ship’s winch, usedto deploy the CTD instrument and the plankton andneuston nets. The analysis of the samples collectedwith these nets forms the beginning of Justice’s thesisproject.

Ryan Goldman prepares the CTD (Conductivity,Temperature, and Depth) instrument for deploymentfrom the R/V Bellows

XBT (expendable bathythermograph). Tocollect data with a CTD, the ship mustremain stationary in the water while theinstrument is deployed—using a winch, tothe bottom or a depth of 500 m, whichever isreached first. This is challenging with strongwinds or strong currents. In these situations,an XBT can be deployed without stoppingthe vessel, although the XBT yields less datathan the CTD. The plan was to deploy aCTD at first light and at dusk, to avoid con-flicting with the marine mammal surveys,whereas the XBT could be deployed middaywithout the need to cease marine mammalsurveys.

At the same time that the CTD wasdeployed, plankton and neuston nets weretowed behind the ship to collect biologicaloceanographic samples. These tows yieldedsamples of the invertebrates, fish, and plank-ton occurring in the area of the two, whichcould hopefully be correlated with the fre-quency of marine mammal occurrence in thesame area. These samples were preserved informalin for later analysis in the NSUOC lab-oratory.

The first few days, the ship had to remainto the lee of Greater Bahama Island, as thewind was strong from the north. The ship alsohad to return to Freeport on Friday,November 21, to clear customs for departureto the United States before the weekend.Thus, marine mammal acoustic and visualsurveys were conducted along the southernside of Grand Bahama Island for two days.

Once the R/V Bellows cleared customs,the ship departed again and proceeded on aneasterly heading to the Southeast ProvidenceChannel, which lies between GreaterBahama Island and Eleuthera Island. Visualand acoustic surveys for marine mammalswere conducted, as were CTD and XBT casts,as dictated by the sea state. This portion ofthe cruise passed near the site where a num-ber of marine mammals of different specieswere stranded as a consequence of U.S. Navysonar testing a few years ago.

The most exciting moment of the cruiseoccurred on the last day (November 23),once the ship had turned back to the westand was proceeding along the northern edgeof the Greater Bahama Bank. At about 2:30

p.m., Keith, who was monitoring thehydrophones, heard whistles and squeaks onthe hydrophone array. The computer softwareused to monitor the hydrophones determinedthe direction from which the sounds werecoming and the ship altered course to locatethe animals. A group of Atlantic-spotted dol-phins (Stenella frontalis) rode the bow of theship for about 20 minutes, allowing for a lot ofpicture-taking and exclamations of delightover finally seeing some marine mammals.

That evening, the R/V Bellows set asouthwesterly course across the Gulf Stream,heading for the Port of Miami. The crossingwas uneventful, and the ship arrived at theMiami Beach marina about 8:00 p.m.Everyone was tired and glad to be home, butalso satisfied with a job well done, and eventhough not many marine mammals wereseen, everyone was gratified that they haddone their best.

Susan Zaretsky deploys the hydrophone array used tocollect acoustic signals from marine mammals. Herthesis project involves analyzing these sounds todetermine the species that made them and theirpossible significance to cetacean communication.

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People on the Move

Charles Messing, Ph.D., participatedin a Decapod Crustacean Workshop at theSoutheastern Regional Taxonomic Center,Marine Resources Research Institute inCharleston, South Carolina, January 21–23.At the workshop, he was initiated into thearcana of identifying crabs, lobsters, andshrimps. He fully intends to inflict the resultson his students.

Messing also presented his paper,“Distribution and biozonation of Anthozoaalong the southwestern margin of LittleBahama Bank,” at the Deep-sea Corals ses-sion of the Ocean Sciences Division meetingof the American Geophysical Union (AGU)in Portland, Oregon, on January 30. His co-authors were Ryan P. Moyer, Brian K. Walker,Richard E. Dodge, and Richard Shaul(Seabyte, Inc.).

Jane Guentzel, Ph.D., from CoastalCarolina University in Conway, SouthCarolina, and Edward O. Keith, Ph.D.,presented a poster entitled “Preliminaryinvestigations of mercury levels in water sam-ples and fish tissue from the Alvarado LagoonSystem, Veracruz State, Mexico” at thesoutheastern regional meeting of theAmerican Chemical Society, held November16–19, 2003, in Atlanta. This posterdescribed the results of investigations fundedby a faculty development grant from theFarquhar College of Arts and Sciences thatenabled Keith and Guentzel to visit theAlvarado Lagoon in March 2003. They col-lected samples of water, fish, and shellfish formercury contaminant analysis. The localpopulation consumes large quantities of localfish, shrimp, and clams as part of their dailydiet, and studies in the remote past had sug-gested that mercury contamination was sig-nificant. The results presented in Atlanta byGuentzel and Keith indicate that, at present,the waters and marine life are no more con-taminated than similar samples taken fromaround the world.

Alex Soloviev, Ph.D., attended theNational Science Foundation-sponsoredworkshop in Puerto Rico relating to the glob-al observatory initiative (ORION) fromJanuary 3–9. He presented the paper entitled:“Environmental Array and Data Analysis(SFOMC)” by A. Soloviev, R. Weisberg, andM. Luther.

Soloviev also attended the 2004 AGUOcean Sciences Meeting in Portland,Oregon, from January 26–30. He was a con-vener of the session “Diurnal Cycling in theOcean” and presented a joint paper withKristina Katsaros entitled: “AtmosphericRegulation of SST Under Low Wind SpeedCondition.”

M.S. student Matthew Potenski trav-eled to the Grand Cayman to present a filmat the International Diving Hall of Fame FilmFestival for Guy Harvey, January 30–31, titled“Guy Harvey’s Underwater Realm: TheStingray Chronicles.” It depicts the researchcurrently being conducted on the SouthernStingray in Grand Cayman by the GuyHarvey Research Institute, overseen byMahmood Shivji, Ph.D.

Veljko Dragojlovic, Ph.D., attendedthe 226th American Chemical SocietyNational Meeting and Exposition, New York,held September 7–11, 2003. He presented atalk titled “Effect of chloride salts on cobalt-catalyzed photochemical methoxy-carbonylation of bromo- and chloroaklanes.”

The 56th Gulf and Caribbean InstituteConference was held on Tortola, in theBritish Virgin Islands (BVI) from November10–14, 2003. M.S. students Paul Arena, ArloHemphill, and Ryan Greathouse, as well asRob Baron, an NSUOC alumnus, were inattendance. Unfortunately, the blue waterstypical of this region were nowhere to befound due to a tropical system that remainedover the BVI for the duration of the confer-

ence. The tropical system produced rainfallamounts not seen in this area for over 100years and caused widespread flooding andmudslides, which restricted access to manyparts of the island. Even so, the diehard grad-uate students braved the rough seas to con-duct some exciting dives, including the infa-mous wreck of the R.M.S. Rhone.

The 56th GCFI Conference includedsessions focusing on: biology, ecology, andassessment of reef and pelagic fisheries; assess-ment of invertebrate marine fisheries; man-agement and socioeconomics of marine fish-eries; marine protected areas (MPAs) andecological reserves; essential fisheries habitat;and Caribbean aquaculture. The graduatestudents enjoyed Jean Michele Cousteau’sopening speech, in which he stressed theimportance of communicating the results ofscientific research to the public. The severe

Atlantic-spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) photographed from the bow of the R/V Bellows. A group of theseanimals were located using the hydrophone array, and then they rode the bow of the ship for about 20 minutes,giving everyone ample time to photograph them and delight in their beauty.

From left to right: Ryan Greathouse, Arlo Hemphill,Jean Michele Cousteau, Rob Baron, and Paul Arena

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problems of overfishing and habitat degrada-tion is an obvious reality to scientists in thefield, but the majority of the public are eitherunaware or do not understand these issues.Cousteau challenged all those in attendanceto make an effort, any effort, to change thiscurrent situation. One of the easiest ways toget started is to send an email to an unawarefamily member. Cousteau said that scientistsnot only have a responsibility to present theresults of their research to their peers, but alsoto the vast majority of the uninformed public.

M.S. student Neil Hammerschlagwent on a weeklong cruise to the Bahamas fora shark expedition on December 6–13, 2003.The trip was hosted by Shark Diver magazineand operated by Jim Abernethy (world-famous photographer and shark dive opera-tor). On the expedition, the group got in thewater and dove with great hammerheads,Caribbean reef sharks, bull sharks, and tigersharks. They attracted the sharks to their boatusing chum and bait. The most memorable

moment for Hammerschlag was on the thirdday of the trip. Just as the sun set a big tigershark was spotted off the bow of the boat.After fish bait was thrown on a line to drawthe shark closer to the boat, Hammerschlaggrabbed his camera and jumped in with snor-keling gear to see if he could get a good photo.As he swam towards the bow of the boat hecould see two large tiger sharks comingtowards the bait. Someone on the boat pulledthe bait line past his head and a 15-ft tigershark followed the bait towards him. Whenthe tiger shark passed by, its attention quick-ly changed towards Hammerschlag. Theshark then proceeded to circle him twice,only inches from his face. The shark then left,but it suddenly came back and circled him acouple more times to investigatehim. Hammerschlag said it was absolutelythrilling. A diver from below got a photo ofthe encounter.

Seventeen NSUOC students participat-ed in a shark dive at Sharky Canyon off WestPalm Beach, Florida, with dive operator JimAbernethy. The group encountered roughseas, but still saw about 10 Caribbean reefsharks and at least one bull shark. Thestudents who participated in the dive were:Neil Hammerschlag, Nicolle Cushion,Michele Morgado, Leah Motzko,Kristina Evans, Paul Arena, DavidPortnoy, Tony Crease, Steve Kish,Ernie Wallace, Maddie Kwapinska,Matt Potenski, Travis Rutzel (NSUundergraduate), Kevin Lasagna, BrendanBray, Shawn McQuaid, and ChristinaSylianos.

Seven students also went on a manateesnorkel encounter off West Palm Beach onJanuary 10–11. Abernethy also operated this

encounter. The group snorkeled with about10 manatees in 5–10 feet of shallow water.The students who participated were JamieHilliard, Ryan Goldman, LeslyeWaugh, Neil Hammerschlag, JessieWatters, and Whitney Scholtens.

During December, Edward O. Keith,Ph.D., and a large group of graduate studentsattended the XV Biennial Conference on theBiology of Marine Mammals, held inGreensboro, North Carolina. The conferencewas sponsored by the Society for MarineMammalogy. Keith had spent the last threeyears planning this conference, in the capac-ity of chair of the Conference Committee.This large, international marine mammalogyconference occurs every two years. This year’sconference attracted about 1,450 scientistsand students from around the world.

The conference itself was held fromDecember 14–19, but during the two daysprior to the conference, a large number ofworkshops were presented. JenniferScharnitz attended a workshop on the biolo-gy of the genus Kogia, which contains thedwarf and pygmy sperm whales. Scharnitz isstudying the acoustic signals produced bythese enigmatic animals for her master’s the-sis. Jaime Hilliard and Ryan Goldmanattended a workshop on the biology of theSirenia, the order containing the Floridamanatee, which Hilliard is monitoring at PortEverglades for her master’s research.

The conference proper started on theevening of December 14 with a reception.Highlights of the reception were five articu-lated marine mammal skeletons, on display,courtesy of Skulls Unlimited, one of theexhibitors at the conference.

Hammerschlag and tiger shark (Photo by Aaron Whittmore)

Caribbean Reef Shark (Photo by Jim Abernethy)

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The following posters were present-ed by NSUOC M.S. students:

Arena, P.T., Jordan, L.K.B., Quinn, P.T.,Hemphill, A.H., Bryan, D.R., Buskirk,B., and Spieler, R.E. “Fish Colonizationof a Newly Deployed Vessel-reef offSoutheast Florida: Preliminary Results.”

Hemphill, A.H., Arena, P.T., andSpieler, R.E. “Seasonal Dynamics ofIchthyofauna Closely Associated withPelagic Sargassum in Broward County,Florida, USA: Preliminary Results.”

Greathouse, R. and Moe, M. “PreliminaryExperiments on Breeding the Blue DevilDamselfish, Chrysiptera cyanea, forCommercial Ornamental Production.”

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The next morning, the plenary sessionexamined the potential causes of sequentialdeclines in a variety of marine mammal pop-ulations in the Bering Sea. One hypothesis isthat killer whales are overconsuming smallerprey, leading to population declines, becausethe populations of their normal larger prey,the great whales, were decimated by industri-al whaling in the Bering Sea about 50 yearsago. An alternative hypothesis suggests thatclimate and oceanographic regime changeshave caused the declines. Proponents of bothhypotheses were given time to state theirposition, and to rebut the other side.

Each day opened with a plenary session,followed by a poster session. Ali MillerRichardson and Jaime Hilliard presentedposters describing their thesis research.Richardson’s poster described a descriptiveepidemiological analysis of a number of dol-phin strandings in Florida, work that she con-ducted with collaborators at the NOAAFisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Centerin Miami. Hilliard’s poster contained theresults of two years of observations of mana-tees at Port Everglades near theOceanographic Center. Since the animals aresubject to cold stress, they are drawn to theport during the winter by the warm water dis-charged from the FPL power plant.

Each day also contained three sets ofconcurrent spoken sessions, separated by alunch break and coffee breaks. M.S. graduatesRebekah (Becky) Walker and MilanManasijevic presented talks that describedtheir thesis research. Walker spoke about heranalysis of mass strandings in Florida, whichsuggests that wind and near-shore watermovements may be implicated in drawingcetaceans near the coastline in search of food.Then, once these winds and currents change,the animals are left too near the shore, where-upon they become subject to tidal move-ments that can leave them stranded on thebeach. Manasijevic’s presentation describedhis work on the cardiovascular histopatholo-gy of some dolphins that were stranded in theFlorida panhandle a few years ago.

At the meeting of the Board ofGovernors of the Society for MarineMammalogy the day after the conference,Keith was congratulated for his efforts in pro-ducing a successful conference.

M.S. students (L to R) Ali Miller Richardson, Jaime Hilliard, Jennifer Scharnitz, Ryan Goldman, and RebekahWalker stand with Edward O. Keith before Hilliard’s poster describing her thesis research.

The following are papers that were presented at the conference:

Hilliard, J., R. Goldman, and E.O. Keith. (2003). Seasonal aggregations of the Floridamanatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Manasijevic, M., R. Ewing, and E.O. Keith (2003). Histopathologic characterization ofcardiovascular lesions in stranded rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis).

Miller Richardson, A., E. Ewing, J. Zaias, G.D. Bossart, D.G. Dunn, and E.O. Keith.(2003). Descriptive epidemiology of stranded dolphins along the Florida coastline,1996–2002.

Walker, R.J., D.K. Odell, A.E. Yankovsky, and E.O. Keith. (2003). Influence of abioticfactors on cetacean mass stranding sites in Florida.

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MASTERCURRENTSINSTITUTE OF MARINE AND COASTAL STUDIES

M.S. degree specialties are marine biology, coastal zone management, and marineenvironmental sciences. Each course carries three credit hours or may be audited.Tuition is $525 per credit hour (50 percent less for audit). Classes meet once a weekfrom 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Oceanographic Center (unless otherwise specified). Thesummer term runs from April 5–June 25, 2004 (unless otherwise specified).Registration ($25 nonrefundable fee) is March 15–April 8. For further information,call Andrew Rogerson, Ph.D., or Melissa Dore at (954) 262-3610 or 800-396-2326, oremail imcs@nsu.nova.edu. More information can be found at the Web sitewww.nova.edu/ocean.

Spring 2004 Courses, April 5–June 25

Marine GeologyOCOR-5604

Introduction to Marine Geology includeslecture topics ranging from plate tectonicsand hydrothermal vents to the geologicalhistory of climate change and the geologyof Florida. In addition, lab projects willexamine microfossils for species identifica-tion. Labs that use light and an introduc-tion to scanning electron microscopy(SEM) for microfossil identification will beincluded. Preparation of a lab teamresearch paper, as well as an individuallibrary research paper from which presenta-tions will be made, is required. Microfossilsused in the lab exercises will be collectedfrom several locations in Broward Countyas well as from Florida and Whitewaterbays. Lab fee: $175. Instructor: PatriciaBlackwelder. Meets: Mondays, 6:30–9:30p.m. in Classroom #1.

BiostatisticsOCOR-5606

This course is based on the practical appli-cations of descriptive and inferential statis-tics with emphasis on principles and meth-ods of summarizing and analyzing biologicaldata. Measures of central tendency, disper-sion, and variability testing will be dis-cussed, along with basic concepts of prob-ability distributions, hypothesis testing, anddecision making. Topics will also includesimple statistical tests, analysis of variance(ANOVA), linear regression, and correla-tion. The PHS tat software package will beused in class lectures.Please note: It is assumed that those takingthis course have a prior knowledge of basicstatistics. A brief review of introductory sta-tistics will be presented. Those never hav-ing had a statistics course might stronglyconsider taking the more basicIntroductory Biostatistics course to beoffered in the summer term. Otherwise, youwill be expected to be able to catch up onyour own. Lab fee: $25. Instructor: MarkFarber. Meets: Thursdays, 6:30–9:30 p.m.in Classroom #1.

Community Ecology: Patterns andProcessesOCMB-6323/MEVS-5250/CZMT-0688

Using coral reefs as an example, this courseexplores key concepts of community andlandscape ecology both in theory and inpractice. Students will learn how benthicpopulations interact to form communitieson a coral reef, what the effects of predationand competition are, how niche separationworks, and how disturbances affect diversi-ty and species packing, as well as spatialpatterns. Students will be provided compu-tational tools, such as Primer and/orMatlab, to describe or model simple com-munity parameters and processes, thus pro-viding an entry point towards moreadvanced theoretical and computationaltopics. Depending on student interest, thecourse can take a more computational“quantitative” approach or more “content-based” approach. A prior knowledge ofbasic ecological, zoological, and statisticalprinciples is a definite advantage, althoughrapid review will be provided, in particularfor corals, which are used to exemplify eco-logical processes throughout the course.Students will have to produce one researchpaper, do homework, and take a midtermand final exam. Grading will take perform-

ance in all four components into account.Lab fee: $15. Instructor: Bernhard Riegl.Meets: Tuesdays, 6:30–9:30 p.m. inClassroom #1.

Descriptive Physical Oceanography ofthe U.S. Continental ShelfOCMB-9615

This elective course will describe the sea-water structure and dynamics on the U.S.continental shelf based on recent observa-tional studies. The emphasis will be madeon distinct dynamic features typical for cer-tain areas: shelfbreak fronts and tidaldynamics of the northeastern region, theGulf Stream and its impact on shelf circu-lation in the South Atlantic Bight, theLoop Current and the Mississippi Riverplume in the Gulf of Mexico; an upwellingcirculation and the California CurrentSystem off the west coast; and negativebuoyancy forcing and ice formation on theArctic shelf of Alaska Peninsular. Moderntechniques of oceanographic measurementsand data analysis will be also addressed. Prerequisite: introductory physicaloceanography (core) course. Instructor:Alexander Yankovsky. Meets Wednesdays,6:30–9:30 p.m. in Classroom #1.

Correction: M.S. student Jilliam McCarty’s name should have been included as a co-author with

Veljko Dragojlovic of their article, “Demonstration of Allotropic Modifications of Sulfurand Comparison with Io’s Surface.” The paper will be included in a compilation of “38Favorite Demonstrations,” which will be published by NSTA Press in spring 2004.

Alumni NewsGeorge L. Weatherly, Ph.D.,

professor of oceanography at Florida StateUniversity, was hon-ored January 29 atNSU’s sixth annualCelebration ofExcellence dinner.Weatherly, a 1971graduate of NSUOC,was one of the recipi-ents of theDistinguished Alumni Achievementaward. His Ph.D. dissertation was titled,“A study of the bottom boundary layers ofthe Florida Current.” Weatherly has beenwith Florida State University since 1973.

Weatherly holds a master’s degree inapplied physics from Harvard Universityand is a member of the Russian National

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Field Courses

Taxonomy of Marine InvertebratesOCMB-6085

This course will cover the taxonomy andecology of marine invertebrates (emphasizingshallow tropical western Atlantic species)and train students in their identification.Field work and a self-paced laboratory areintegral to the course. Class includes aweeklong field trip to the Keys. Lab fee:$350. Instructor: Charles Messing. TripDates: May 21–28, Lectures 5/7 and5/14/04. Course limited to 15 students.

Deep-water Ecology of the Straits ofFloridaOCMB-6325/ MEVS-5010

This course consists of three successiveintensive sessions plus an exam. The firstweekend (April 17–18, 2004) consists of alecture series that introduces physicochem-

Distance Education CoursesBiostatistics OCOR 5606-DE1Instructor: Patrick Hardigan With a minimum registration of 5 (not for in-house students)

Coastal Ecology CZMT 0687-DE1Instructor: Bernardo Vargas-Angel

Resolving Environmental and Public Disputes CZMT 0675-DE1Instructor: Jeanmarie Pinto

And the open offering ofInternship in Coastal Policy CZMT 0664-DE1Instructor: Steffen Schmidt.

ical, geological, and biological aspects ofthe Florida Current and Straits of Florida, ahistory of investigation of the area and theinstrumentation employed. The secondsession consists of shipboard work thatincludes physicochemical analyses of thewater column (e.g., temperature, salinity,dissolved oxygen), and sampling plankton,midwater and benthic faunas in ~100–600m. Half the class will be aboard ship fromthe evening of April 20 to the morning ofApril 23, and the other half of the classfrom then to the evening of April 25. Inthe third weekend session (May 1–2,2004), students sort and identify collec-tions and analyze organism distributionsrelative to abiotic environmental factors.The laboratory will be available during theweek as well. Students take written andpractical examinations on the fourth week-end (May 8, 2004). Lab fee: $200 Instructor:Charles Messing. Please note: This sectionof the class is limited to 18 students.

Academy of Natural Sciences. He is a formerU.S. National Academy of Sciencesexchange scientist at the Russian Academyof Sciences in Moscow and was a visitingsenior scientist in France. He has beeninvolved in the NATO Science for PeaceProgram and is the recipient of severalresearch grants and author of numerousresearch publications

Weatherly’s research interests include:bottom boundary layer field observationsand modeling; measuring currents on theshelf, slope, and deep ocean; sediment-transport modeling; and Gulf of Mexicocirculation and hydrography. He alsoteaches elementary oceanography, basicphysical oceanography, introduction tophysical oceanography, and turbulence.

The Distinguished Alumni AchievementAward is the highest award that an

individual can receive from NSU’sAlumni Association. To be consideredfor this prestigious award, an alumnus oralumna must have an outstandingrecord of distinction and accomplish-ment in his or her field. They must alsoshow leadership and service to the com-munity and society at large. RichardDodge, dean of the OceanographicCenter, presented Weatherly’s award.Weatherly’s hobbies include playingstring bass, sailing, and reading.

PublicationsKeith, R., and B.L. Gots. 2003.

“Seals: Phocidea, Otaridea, andOdobemidae,” In: Wild Mammals ofNorth America: Biology, Management,and Conservation, Second Edition, Ed.G.A. Feldhamer, B.C. Thompson, andJ.A. Chapman, The Johns HopkinsUniversity Press, Baltimore.

Hood, R.R., Kohler, K.E.,McCreary, J.P., and S. Smith, 2003. “Afour-dimensional validation of a cou-pled physical-biological model of theArabian Sea.” Deep Sea Research II, 50,p. 2917-2945.

Kennan, S.C., and P.P. Niiler,2003. Estimating sea level slope on theequator. J. Phys. Oceanogr., v33, n12,p. 2627-2642.

Kennan, S.C., and P.P. Niiler,2003. The effects of wind forcing andpycnocline stresses on zonal currentsin the western equatorial Pacific. J.Phys. Oceanog., v33, n12, p. 2643-2656.

Soloviev, A.V., R.J. Walker, R.H.Weisberg, and M.E. Luther, 2003:Coastal observatory investigates ener-getic current oscillation on the south-east Florida shelf. EOS, Transactions,AGU 84, No. 42, 11 October 2003, p.441-450.

Soloviev, A.V., M.E. Luther, andR.H. Weisberg, 2003: Energetic baro-clinic super-tidal oscillations on theshelf off southeast Florida. GeophysicalRes. Letters, 30, no. 9.

Soloviev, A. and R. Lukas, 2003:Observation of wave enhanced turbu-lence in the near surface layer of theocean during TOGA COARE, Deep-Sea Research Part I, 50, p. 371-395.

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Anniversaries RecognizedSeveral faculty and staff members

were honored at the annual NSUEmployee Anniversary Luncheon heldon December 11 at the Signature Grand.Celebrating their 25th—Richard Dodge,Ph.D., and Patricia Blackwelder,Ph.D.; his 20th—Kevin Kohler; his10th—Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D.; and their5th—Vejlko Dragojlovic, Ph.D.; CarolFretwell; Captain Lance Robinson;David Gilliam, Ph.D.; and AndrewRogerson, Ph.D. Congratulations all!

L-R Dick Dodge, Pat Blackwelder, Kevin Kohler, Andrew Rogerson, and Carol Fretwell (Missing: LanceRobinson, David Gilliam, Mahmood Shivji, and Vejlko Dragojlovic)at anniversary luncheon.

Elizabeth Glynn Fahy surrounded by her committee members (L-R Dodge, Gilliam, and Spieler).

DefensesTHESIS

Elizabeth Glynn Fahy, “Growth andsurvivorship of Meandrina meandrites andMontastrea cavernosa transplants to anartificial reef environment, and the effec-tiveness of plugging core hole sites in trans-plant donor colonies.” Committee members:Richard E. Dodge, Richard E. Spieler, andDavid S. Gilliam. November 26

Debra Abercrombie, “Efficient PCR-based identification of shark products inglobal trade: applications for the manage-ment and conservation of commerciallyimportant mackerel sharks (FamilyLamnidae), thresher sharks (FamilyAlopiidae) and hammerhead sharks(Family Sphyrnidae).” Committee mem-bers: Mahmood Shivji, Andrew Rogerson,and Richard Spieler. December 4.

Stacy M. Wolfe, “Age, Growth andAnnual Cycles of Lipogenesis andReproduction of Acanthurus bahianus inSoutheastern Florida.” Committee mem-bers: Richard Spieler, Andrew Rogerson,Robin Sherman, and Jay Burnett(NMFS/Woods Hole). December 8.

Melissa Green, “Prevalence andDistribution of Staphylococcus aureus andOther Potential Health Risk Indicators atSouth Florida Beaches.” CommitteeMembers: Nwandiuto Esiobu (FloridaAtlantic University Microbiology),Andrew Rogerson, and Don McCorquodale.January 28.

Janne Nielsen, “Molecular Approaches toSpecies Identification and Delineation inElasmobranchs.” Committee members:Mahmood Shivji, Richard Spieler, andCharles Messing. February 20.

Sara Matthews, “Comparison of theBenthic Communities on Three Types ofArtificial Reef Modules Deployed.”Committee members: Charles Messing, S.Blair (Miami-Dade Department ofEnvironmental Resource ManagementRestoration and Enhancement Section),and Richard Dodge. February 26.

CAPSTONE

Matthew Brosious, “A review of the dis-tribution, seasonal occurrence and demog-raphy of selected species of large coastalsharks from the U.S. east coast and Gulf ofMexico.” Committee members: MahmoodShivji and Andrew Rogerson. December 1

John O’Sullivan, “The identification ofdrinking water as a national and strategicresource, within a coastal zone manage-ment framework, in Broward County,

Florida” Committee members: AndrewRogerson and Don McCorquodale.December 11

Constantine A. Chigounis, “AnExamination of tetrodotoxin origin in cul-tured and wild puffer fishes.” Committeemembers: Don McCorquodale and RichardSpieler. December 19

Heather Ann Halter, “Where have allthe Acropora gone? A review of the demiseof Acropora palmate and Acropora cervicornisthroughout the Caribbean.” Committeemembers: Bernardo Vargas-Ángel andBernhard Riegl. January 16

Michelle Cho, “Sustainable Developmentof Coral Reefs and Related Resources inSoutheast Asia.” Committee members:Bernhard Riegl and Steffen Schmidt.January 30

Angela Gauthier, “Climate Change Sincethe Cretaceous Period: Past, Present, andFuture Implications.” Committee members:Patricia Blackwelder and AndrewRogerson. February 9.

9

Friday Seminar Series

Last November, the center started hosting a Friday afternoonlecture series. Below are all those that have participated so far.

Andrew Rogerson, Ph.D., professor, NSUOceanographic Center. “Tales of a wanderingeukaryotic microbiologist.” November 7

Peter Swart, Ph.D., professor, marine geologyand geophysics, Rosentiel School of Marineand Atmospheric Science, University ofMiami. “The isotopic composition of respiredcarbon dioxide in Scleractinian corals:Implications for cycling of organic carbon incorals.” November 14

Steffen Schmidt, Ph.D., professor of politicalscience and coastal policy, Iowa StateUniversity and NSU Oceanographic Center.“Excellent Science: How the AmazingAccomplishments of the Coast and GeodedicSurvey Changed Science and AmericaForever and Laid the Groundwork for theCreation of NOAA.” November 21

W. Randy Brooks, Ph.D., Florida AtlanticUniversity, “Cooperative living in marineanimals from clownfish, to crabs, to corals.”December 5

Rob Van Woesik, Ph.D., Florida Institute ofTechnology, Melbourne, Florida, “Coralbleaching: shedding some light on all the fussover hot water.” January 23

Neil Hammerschlag, M.S. student,NSUOC, “Shark ecology of the MozambiqueChannel: An expedition in search of theIndian Ocean’s apex predators.” January 30

Kathleen Sullivan-Sealey, Ph.D.,University of Miami. “Phase shifts andchange detection in nearshore marineenvironments: Case studies on land coverchange in the central Bahamas.” February 6.

Ricard Garla, Ph.D. UNESP/Rio Clara, SaoPaulo, Brazil. “Ecology and Conservation ofthe Caribbean reef shark, Carcharhinusperezi, at Fernando de Noronha archipelago,Brazil.” February 13.

Fred Singer, Ph.D., Science andEnvironmental Policy Project, Arlington,Virginia. “How likely is a human-causedclimate catastrophe?” February 20

Jane Guentzel, Ph.D., assistant professor ofmarine chemistry, Coastal Carolina University,South Carolina. “Mercury cycling andaccumulation in wetlands.” February 27

Ph.D. Degree OfferedThe Oceanographic Center offers the Ph.D. degree in

oceanography. The program requires a minimum of 66 creditsbeyond the baccalaureate, 42 of which may be applied from themaster’s program. The remaining credits are made up of at least 24dissertation research credits and 6 credits from upper-level course-work, usually taught in the tutorial mode. Tuition is $3,582 perquarter.

02-121/04 DBB

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The Queen Mary enters Port Everglades. The Queen’s escort, the U.S.S. Carney