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Ocean Studies Board

Member Biographies 2017

Larry A. Mayer, Chairis the Director of the School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, Co-Director of the Joint Hydrographic Center, and Professor of Earth Science and Ocean Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. His research interests include sonar imaging, remote characterization of the seafloor, and advanced applications of 3-D visualization to ocean mapping challenges. Dr. Mayer received his Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in marine geophysics in 1979, and graduated magna cum laude with an Honors degree in geology from the University of Rhode Island in 1973. At Scripps his future path was determined when he worked with the Marine Physical Laboratory’s Deep-Tow Geophysical package, but applied this sophisticated acoustic sensor to study the history of climate. Dr. Mayer has participated in more than 90 cruises and has been chief or co-chief scientist of numerous expeditions, including two legs of the Ocean Drilling Program. He has served on, and chaired many international panels and committees and has the requisite large number of publications on a variety of topics in marine geology and geophysics. He is the recipient of the Keen Medal for Marine Geology, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Stockholm, the University of New Hampshire's and the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography's Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Mayer served on the President’s Panel for Ocean Exploration and chaired the 2004 National Research Council’s Committee on National Needs for Coastal Mapping and Charting. In 2013, he chaired the National Academy of Sciences committee on the “Impacts of Deepwater Horizon on the Ecosystem Services of the Gulf of Mexico.”

E. Virginia Armbrust is the Director and a Professor of Oceanography at the University of Washington. Dr. Armbrust earned her B. A. from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Her research focuses on marine phytoplankton, a group of microbes responsible for about 40% of the total amount of photosynthesis that occurs on our planet. These organisms play a critical role in the global carbon cycle and ultimately in the global climate. Her research addresses the response of marine microbial communities to changing environmental conditions, including changes in biodiversity. She combines physiology, genomic and computational approaches with instrument development to understand the distribution, capabilities and interactions among marine microbes. She heads the Center for Environmental Genomics at the University of Washington, which brings together researchers with expertise in oceanography, microbiology, genomics, engineering, and data visualization.She is a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Investigator in Marine Microbiology and Fellow of AAAS and the American Society of Microbiology.

Kevin R. Arrigo is Donald & Donald M. Steel Professor in Earth Sciences, andVictoria and Roger Sant Director of the Earth Systems Program at Stanford University where he has been on the faculty since 2005. He conducts laboratory and field studies, remote sensing, and computer modeling techniques to understand phytoplankton dynamics in regions ranging from the Southern Ocean to the Red Sea. In particular, he is interested in the role these organisms play in regulating the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the ocean, as well as in how they help structure marine ecosystems. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in 1992 and served as a member of the NRC Committee on A Science Plan for the North Pacific Research Board.

Claudia Benitez-Nelson is a College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor in the Marine Science Program and Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus and carbon and how these elements are influenced by both natural and anthropogenic processes. She is a diverse scientist, with expertise ranging from radiochemistry to harmful algal bloom toxins and is highly regarded for her cross-disciplinary research. Over the past two decades, Dr. Benitez-Nelson has authored or co-authored more than 90 papers, including lead author publications in the journals Science and Nature. She has been continuously supported by substantial, multi-year research and education grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, among others. Her many research honors include the Early Career Award in Oceanography from the American Geophysical Union in 1996, Fulbright and Marie Curie Fellowships in 2008, and was named a National Academy of Sciences/Humboldt Foundation Kavli Fellow in 2012. Dr. Benitez-Nelson is also highly regarded as a teacher and mentor, having received the National Faculty of the Year Award from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars in 2005 and the University of South Carolina’s Mungo Teaching Award in 2006. In 2013, Dr. Benitez-Nelson was named the University of South Carolina’s Distinguished Professor of the Year and in 2014 received the Sulzman Award for Excellence in Education and Mentoring from the Biogeosciences Section of the American Geophysical Union. In 2015, Dr. Benitez-Nelson was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. At the University of South Carolina, Dr. Benitez-Nelson served as both the Undergraduate Director and Director of USC’s Marine Science Program, doubling undergraduate enrollment and increasing the number of faculty. She is regularly called upon by national and international scientific and policy agencies for her expertise and currently serves or has served as a member of the Advisory Committee to the Geoscience Directorate of NSF, the EPA Science Advisory Board, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Ocean Studies Board. Dr. Benitez-Nelson earned a B.S. in chemistry and oceanography from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in oceanography from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program in 1999.

Rita R. Colwell (NAS) serves as the Chief Science Advisor of Gentag, Inc. Dr. Colwell is the Founder, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of CosmosID, Inc. She serves as Scientific Advisor of Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt. Ltd. She serves as the Senior Advisor and Chairman Emeritus of Canon U. S. Life Sciences, Inc. She is the Distinguished University Professor both at the University of Maryland at College Park and at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her interests are focused on global infectious diseases, water, and health, and she is currently developing an international network to address emerging infectious diseases and water issues, including safe drinking water for both the developed and developing worlds. She serves as a Trustee of J. Craig Venter Institute, Inc. She serves as a Member of Scientific Advisory Board of Avesthagen Limited. She served as the Member of Science Advisory Board at Climos, Inc. Dr. Colwell served as the 11th Director of the National Science Foundation from 1998 to 2004. In her capacity as NSF Director, she served as Co-chair of the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. One of her major interests include K-12 science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education and the increased participation of women and minorities in science and engineering. Dr. Colwell has held many advisory positions in the U.S. Government, nonprofit science policy organizations, and private foundations, as well as in the international scientific research community. She is a nationally-respected scientist and educator, and has authored or co-authored 16 books and more than 700 scientific publications. She produced the award-winning film, Invisible Seas, and has served on editorial boards of numerous scientific journals. Dr. Colwell has previously served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Microbiology and also as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Washington Academy of Sciences, the American Society for Microbiology, the Sigma Xi National Science Honorary Society, and the International Union of Microbiological Societies. Dr. Colwell is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, the Royal Society of Canada, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. Dr. Colwell holds a B.S. in Bacteriology and an M.S. in Genetics from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Washington.

Sarah W. Cooksey is currently the Director of Conservation for the Delaware Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where she defines and oversees the implementation of the strategic priorities and strategies for the Chapter’s conservation work, providing leadership and oversight of land, water oceans and climate initiatives. Ms. Cooksey is past Administrator of the Delaware Coastal Programs where she was responsible for both the coastal zone management program and the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. She coordinated with federal, state and local governments on coastal resource issues such as tidal and freshwater wetlands, energy policy, non-point source pollution, coastal hazards, essential fish habitat, ocean planning, biodiversity, sustainable development, and dredging issues. She is past President of the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation, a 501(3) (c) formed to assist state governments with pressing coastal management issues and past Chair of Management Board of MARCO – the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of the Ocean – a five state initiative to focus on offshore issues related to renewable energy, water quality, habitat protection and climate change adaptation. Prior to her work in The Nature Conservancy and the State of Delaware she spent several years in EPA's Office of Water in Washington DC working with states on water issues. Sarah has a Master of Science degree in Biology and enjoys spending time at the beach with her husband and two sons, bird watching and gardening.

James A. Estes (NAS) is a professor of ecology and marine biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is an internationally known expert on marine mammals and a specialist in the critical role of apex predators in the marine environment. He has conducted field research in Alaska, California, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Russia and has published more than 150 scientific articles, several books and monographs, and has served on the editorial boards for a variety of professional societies. He is a Pew Fellow in marine conservation, a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He received the Western Society of Naturalists’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and the American Society of Mammalogists’ C. Hart Merriam Award in 2012. Dr. Estes received his Ph.D. in biology/statistics from the University of Arizona. He served on the Committee on the Alaska Groundfish Fishery and Steller Sea Lions and is currently a member of the Committee on Cumulative Effects of Human Activities on Marine Mammal Populations.

David Halpern is a Senior Research Scientist at the NASA/California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He analyzes satellite and in-situ observations to improve understanding of coupled ocean-atmosphere interaction and climate phenomena, such as El Nino and La Nina, intertropical convergence zone, monsoon, and wind-driven ocean upwelling.He developed techniques to record in-situ observations of near-surface meteorological and upper-ocean circulation variables in both shallow and deep-sea environments. He is experienced in ocean circulation and ocean-atmosphere interaction research (more than 300 publications with 50 single- or first-author peer-review papers); managing national and international programs; teaching graduate and undergraduate courses (Caltech, UCLA, UW); participating in numerous committees (20 as chair or co-chair, 9 as member of executive board, and 45 as member); and enjoying many at-sea adventures as chief scientist.Dr. Halpern had the privilege to serve in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and NASA's Earth Science Division. At OSTP, he co-founded the National Science and Technology Council Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and Task Group on Global Earth Observations. One of his major interests is enhanced integrated global ocean and atmosphere observations and large-scale process-oriented experiments to improve the accuracy of predictions of the global integrated Earth system. Dr. Halpern was co-chair of the Group on Earth Observations Science and Technology Committee and currently serves as co-chair of the GEO Data Sharing Working Group. He served two terms on the NRC TOGA Panel. He was editor of Geophysical Research Letters and is editor of Eos. Currently, he represents the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites, serves on the JCOMM Task Team for Satellites, is chair of the COSPAR Task Group on GEO, and represents the United States in the United Nations Bureau for the World Ocean Assessment. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society, California Academy of Sciences, and International Academy of Astronautics. Dr. Halpern received a B.Sc. honors degree in Geology and Physics from McGill University and a Ph.D. in physical oceanography from MIT.

Patrick Heimbach is an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin with tenure in the Department of Geological Sciences, and with joint appointments in the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES), the Jackson School for Geosciences (JSG), and the Institute for Geophysics (UTIG). At ICES he is the fellow of the W. A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr., endowed chair III in Simulation-Based Engineering and Sciences. Previously, he worked for 16 years in the physical oceanography group at MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), most recently as Senior Research Scientist and Visiting Associate Professor. He earned his Ph.D. in 1998 from the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology and the University of Hamburg, Germany, working with Prof. Klaus Hasselmann on global ocean surface wave remote sensing and modeling.

Susan E. Humphris is a Senior Scientist in the Department of Geology and Geophysics and Director of the Earth-Ocean Exploration Institute at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dr. Humphris earned a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography in 1977 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. She taught undergraduates and served as Dean at the Sea Education Association for 13 years before returning to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Her research focuses on volcanic and tectonic controls on the distribution and characteristics of hydrothermal activity at mid-ocean ridges, the geochemistry of rock-water interactions, and the role of the associated hydrothermal fluxes in global geochemical mass balances. From 1996 to 1998, Dr. Humphris was Chair of the Science Committee for the International Ocean Drilling Program. She served on three NRC committees to review the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program; the Earth Scope Science Objectives and Implementation Planning; and Exploration of the Seas.

Bonnie J. McCay (NAS), ret.is Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor Emerita, Department of Human Ecology, School of Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers University. Her research and teaching have focused on challenges and policies for managing common pool resources such as fish and shellfish, with particular attention to intersections of ecology, community, and social institutions of science, law and property. She has done field research in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Canada, in the Middle Atlantic region of the U.S., and in Baja California, Mexico. Her books include The Question of the Commons, Oyster Wars and the Public Trust, and Enclosing the Commons. She currently serves on numerous editorial boards and on the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. She received her Ph.D. in environmental anthropology from Columbia

University. Dr. McCay has served on numerous study committees for the Ocean Studies Board.

She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and fellow of the AAAS and the American Fisheries Society.

S. Bradley Moran is Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and Professor of Oceanography at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Prior to his appointment as Dean, he served as Acting Director of the Obama Administration’s National Ocean Council, Assistant Director for Ocean Sciences in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Program Director in the Chemical Oceanography Program at the National Science Foundation. He focused on implementing federal ocean science policy and facilitating interagency efforts and partnerships on a broad range of ocean policy, resource, economic, and national security matters. In his previous academic position as Professor of Oceanography in the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, he served as Co-Director of the Rhode Island NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and as Assistant Vice President for Research at the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Moran’s principal research interests include the application of uranium-series and artificial radionuclides as tracers of marine geochemical processes, and fostering economic development partnerships in energy and environmental research, technology, policy, and education. In 2007, he envisioned and implemented the nation’s first Masters of Business Administration-Masters of Oceanography dual degree, the “Blue MBA”. He is currently an editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans and Editorial Board member of the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering and the Journal of Marine Research.Dr. Moran is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, a member of the Board of Directors of the Alaska Ocean Observing System, and a member of the Board of Directors of the North Pacific Research Board. Dr. Moran earned a B.Sc. in chemistry from Concordia University, a Ph.D. in oceanography from Dalhousie University, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dr. Moran is on the Board of the North Pacific Research Board and the Board of the Alaska Sea Life Center.

Steven A. Murawski is Peter R. Betzer Endowed Chair of Biological Oceanography at the University of South Florida. He was previously the Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor for NOAA Fisheries Service. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Dr. Murawski is a fisheries biologist and marine ecologist involved in understanding the impacts of human activities on the sustainability of ocean ecosystems. He has developed approaches for understanding the impacts of fishing on marine fish complexes exploited in mixed-species aggregations. His current areas of interest include understanding the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem in terms of multiple, simultaneous stressors through the application of integrated ecosystem assessments. Such assessments can help inform investments to rebuild the Gulf of Mexico from effects of the BP oil spill, loss of juvenile nursery areas, nutrient enrichment, overfishing and other factors. Dr. Murawski is Director of The Center for Integrated Modeling and Analysis of Gulf Ecosystem (C-Image) at USF.