1. New Research Projects 2008-09
The following projects are funded in 2008-09 and were selected in a rigorous peer-review process based on the quality of science, the importance of the work relative to critical coastal and marine issues, and the potential impacts for the people, economy and environment of FL.
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The possible effects of commercial trap fishing on a lethal viral disease in spiny lobsters. Behringer and Butler (University of Florida, UF)
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Species diversification in Florida shellfish aquaculture: nursery and grow-out of the sunray venus clam. Scarpa (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, HBOI), Sturmer, Creswell and Adams (UF)
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Development of an immortalized sponge cell line for sustainable supply of marine bio-products. Pomponi (HBOI), Wijffels (Wageningen University, Netherlands) and Sennett (HBOI)
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Development of a sustainable biological production method for the potent cytotoxic agent leiodermatolid. McCarthy and Wright (HBOI)
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Coral-associated probiotic bacteria: exploring mechanisms for potential applications in bio-control of coral diseases. Teplitski (UF), Ritchie (Mote Marine Laboratory) and Horenstein (UF)
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Carboxylated neuro-protective agents from cone snails. Mari and Wu (Florida Atlantic University).
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High resolution coastal inundation mapping to enhance hurricane resiliency in Florida. Sheng, Davis and Sheremet (UF)
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A spatial hazard index of semi-permanent rip currents in northwest Florida. Houser and Meyer-Arendt (University of West Florida).
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Development of innovative load-transfer mechanism to reduce hurricane-induced failures in new and existing residential construction. Chowdhury, Simiu and Mirmiran (Florida International University, FIU). Gulf of Mexico Regional Project.
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Full-scale simulation of hurricane effects on residential building envelopes to reduce hurricane-induced losses. Chowdhury, Simiu and Mirmiran (FIU).
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Predicting impacts of coastal habitat degradation on an economically important fish. Adams (Mote Marine Laboratory).
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Projected reorganization of seagrass communities in response to altered freshwater flow in Florida Bay. Herbert, Fourqurean (FIU) and Madden (South Florida Water Management District)
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Planning for sustainable coastal communities and waterways. Spranger and Swett (UF)
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State and local policy development for coastal access, coastal economic and ecosystem health and coastal hazard mitigation and adaption. Ankerson, Ruppert and Hamann (UF)
2. Knauss Fellowship
Florida Sea Grant received a total of seven applications for the Knauss Fellowship this year. All of the candidates had strong credentials and a diverse range of experiences beyond their formal academic training related to coastal and marine issues. After a careful review process, two applicants emerged as clearly having the qualifications to be strongly competitive at the national level and their packages were forwarded earlier this month to National Sea Grant. Congratulations to Jennifer Dupont (University of South Florida) and Melanie King (University of Florida) for their selection as the Florida Sea Grant candidates for the national competition.
3. Aylesworth and Old Salt Scholarships
Brian Badgley (University of South Florida) is the 2008 recipient of the Aylesworth and Old Salt Scholarships from the Aylesworth Foundation for the Advancement of Marine Science. Brian’s PhD research deals with the ecology of Enterococcus bacteria in and around Tampa Bay. His goal is to develop a better understanding of how these bacteria can be effectively used as an indicator of water quality.
Ralph and Kitty Aylesworth, long-time members of the Florida fishing industry, established the Aylesworth Foundation for the Advancement of Marine Sciences in 1984. They created the foundation to make a long-term investment in the industry which has been so good to them and their family. The Aylesworths believed that scientific knowledge in marine related areas coupled with decisions based on environmental and conservation factors will prove to be the only way to develop, utilize and manage our renewable marine resources on a long-term basis.
The Old Salt Fishing Club of Madeira Beach, Florida was formed in 1975 as one result of a partnership between fishermen and the scientific community studying the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico. Club members are dedicated to sport fishing with the goals of recreation, science and conservation. Club members voted in 1992 to fund a scholarship with the proceeds of their annual Old Salt Loop Billfish Tournament and from other donations. Fifteen students at USF have received scholarships since 1993.
4. Skoch Scholarship
The 2008 Skoch Sea Grant Scholarship winner is Zaki Moustafa of A.W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, whose science project is a 4-year study of a fringing coral reef in the Red Sea. This scholarship is presented each year to a Florida high school senior who plans to major in a coastal-related field of study at a Florida university or college. Awards based on competition in the State Science and Engineering Fair. Funding for the scholarship is provided by the Skoch family as a memorial to Chuck Skoch who died in an automobile accident in 1995.
5. New Research Associate Director
In February Dr. Charles Sidman joined Florida Sea Grant as our new Associate Director for Research. Charles has been affiliated with Florida Sea Grant for 14 years. He has a PhD in Geography and a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning, both from UF. Since 1999 he has been a Coastal Planning Specialist within Florida Sea Grant's Boating and Waterway Management Program (BWMP). Dr. Sidman’s contributions to the BWMP helped it earn a Year 2000 Sustainable Florida Leadership Award. In 2003, the BWMP earned the first Superior Outreach Programming Award for the most outstanding Sea Grant program in the US and the Caribbean region. His primary responsibilities at FSG now include (1) coordinating the biennial research proposal process, which includes the advertising and organizing of the review process and the monitoring of funded research; (2) preparing the annual plan of work and reporting accomplishments; (3) assisting in the strategic planning process for the program; and (4) assisting in the coordination of program reviews.
6. Strategic Planning
This month we begin the process of developing a strategic plan for Florida Sea Grant for the period from 2009 to 2013. Guiding principles for development of the plan include: (a) a high degree of stakeholder engagement in the process; (b) planning in an integrative manner where research, extension and communication goals are explicitly identified within each major thematic area of the plan; (c) strategic planning for program management and over-arching National Sea Grant goals of ‘informed citizens’ and ‘effective decision making;’ (d) coincident with the strategic planning process, a FSG Advisory Council will be formed and the members will play an active role in creation and final review of the strategic plan; (e) the strategic planning process will include an off-site retreat (early September) with a diverse group of participants including all of the FSG extension faculty and agents, the FSG leadership team, key stakeholders, key agency personnel, selected local and regional elected officials and representatives from all of the participating FL universities and institutes.
A first step in the process will be a large-scale survey of people in FL whose lives and/or economies are intimately linked with the ocean or coast, to identify the key issues that will form focus areas in the new plan. Research, extension and education priorities will be formulated to address those issues in a manner that is synergetic with ongoing work being conducted by other entities in FL and in the broader geographic region.
Your active participation in this strategic planning process will be extremely helpful to producing a highly effective plan and a program that has significant impacts in the upcoming years. More detailed information will be provided in the near future, as it is available.
7. We Want Your Ideas!
If you are reading this newsletter, that indicates you have an interest in Florida Sea Grant and most likely you have some great ideas about what we might do to enhance the value of the program in regard to supporting research, extension and education programs that will most effectively contribute to sustaining FL coastal ecosystems and economies. Please share those ideas with me by phone (352-392-5870) or email (khavens@ufl.edu).
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