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DAY 6 – MAY 2
MEET THE SCIENTISTS
There are ten scientists aboard Nancy Foster from NOAA’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (CCFHR) in Beaufort, North Carolina. In addition, we have colleagues joining us from other branches of NOAA and from North Carolina State University.
Dr. Jud Kenworthy, an Ecologist at CCFHR, is the Chief Scientist for this cruise and the lead scientist for the hurricane and manatee disturbance portion of the seagrass effort. Jud has made a lifelong career studying the biology and ecology of seagrasses worldwide. His research also focuses on recovery dynamics and restoration of disturbed seagrass beds.
Dr. John Burke is a Research Fisheries Biologist and is the lead scientist for the fish-habitat survey project. John’s research focuses on fish behavior and the relationship between habitat quality and fisheries productivity.
Amy Uhrin is an Ecologist at CCFHR and the lead scientist for the seagrass blowout project. Amy is a diver on the fish team, conducting habitat surveys. In addition, she has been responsible for preparing and submitting web page content for the cruise.
Paula Whitfield is the Chief Diver on this cruise. She is responsible for making sure that we all dive within NOAA safe diving limits and she also serves as a fish counter. You may recognize Paula’s name from her work with the invasive lionfish off the coast of North Carolina.
Brian Degan is a Research Technician at CCHFR. He assists the Chief Scientist in scheduling the Plan of the Day, is responsible for selecting our random fish sampling stations, and participates in the fish census work as a fish counter.
Jenny Vander Pluym is a Research Technician with CCFHR and supports the fish sampling effort by conducting habitat cover surveys. Jenny has also devoted time to filling SCUBA tanks so that we have a constant supply of tanks to use each day.
John Hackney is a Research Fisheries Biologist at CCFHR. John is a habitat surveyor on the fish team and has also helped tremendously with filling tanks.
Brooke Landry is a Research Technician at CCFHR. During the cruise, Brooke is responsible for maintaining our GIS database and participates in the seagrass sampling effort.
Erika Hansen is a Research Technician at CCFHR. During the cruise, Erika is responsible for maintaining a log of all sampling activities that occur throughout the duration of the cruise. In addition, Erika takes part in the seagrass sampling effort.
Giuseppe Di Carlo is a post-doctoral researcher at CCFHR. A major component of Giuseppe’s research at CCFHR revolves around the seagrass project here at Isla Vieques, particularly how seagrass below-ground material responds to disturbance.
Sean Meehan and Kevin Kirsch are from NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (ORR), Assessment and Restoration Division, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sean focuses on community outreach while Kevin deals with oil spill injury assessment and also plays a role in ORR’s Vieques project. Check out the following link for more information on ORR’s Vieques Project. http://www.response.restoration.noaa.gov On the cruise, both Sean and Kevin support the fish sampling effort by conducting fish and habitat surveys, respectively.
Dr. Todd Kellison is a Research Fisheries Biologist at NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami. Todd’s research focuses on many aspects of coral reef fish ecology.
Dr. Chris Taylor is a post-doctoral researcher at North Carolina State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technologies. Chris is in charge of the fish hydroacoustic surveys during the cruise.
Warren Mitchell is the 2006 North Carolina Sea Grant Marine Fisheries Fellow, based at North Carolina State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technologies. During the cruise, Warren has assisted Chris with the fish hydroacoustic surveys.