University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) Brochure

Adore the

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Every great scient begins with a prop dive into your sub UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) is a nationally and internationally recognized institution for graduate education and research in marine sciences, fisheries, and ocean technology.

There is a strong demand for marine scientists to address the urgent issues facing the marine environment—ocean acidification, climate change “eutrophication,” changes in fish stocks, sustainability of the fishing industry, energy development, and coastal conservation.

The development of new technologies to assess and address these issues is an integral component of our education and research.

102

Number of scientists, students, and staff working at SMAST

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tific discovery pensity to deep bject matter.

Leaders in the field SMAST is the lead marine science program in the University of Massachusetts system and brings in more than $4-$6 million of annual research funding from government, industry, and nongovernmental agencies. More than 102 faculty, students, and staff engage in education, research, and policy activity related to the marine environment.

About UMass Dartmouth UMass Dartmouth is a top-tier national research university.

More than one third of the University’s research funding comes from SMAST research activities.

SMAST is based at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, which is a Carnegie doctoral research university (R2).

There are more than 1,600 graduate students and 6,800 undergraduates at UMass Dartmouth. SMAST has strong relationships with faculty in the ABET-accredited College of Engineering and the College of Arts & Sciences.

About SMAST • In addition to our graduate program offerings, SMAST emphasizes interaction with industry and government and non-government agencies on compelling regional marine-related issues and technological development.

• Since opening on Clark’s Cove in historic New Bedford in 1997, SMAST scientists have helped sustain the fishing industry, helping New Bedford to retain its position as the highest-valued fishing port in the nation.

• SMAST faculty are renowned for helping to chart the blue economy by monitoring and restoring coastal ecosystems and conducting innovative basic research in ocean sciences.

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faculty Researching climate change’s impact on oceans demands that you get in over your head. That’s where we thrive.

SMAST faculty are world-renowned leaders of marine science research coupled with the development of innovative technologies. Our faculty collaborate with government and non-government organizations around the globe to develop innovative technology, perform cutting-edge research, and address complex issues that affect marine ecosystems.

Being a student and research assistant in the Coastal Systems Program means always learning new skills, some I expected: chemical assays, designing experiments and developing a research proposal, taking classes.”

Students engage in curiosity-driven and societally relevant research. Learning is interdisciplinary and involves observation, modeling, experimentation, and theory. Our faculty and students partner with agencies at the local, national, and international levels.

Micheline Labrie ‘21, PhD Research assistant for the Coastal Systems Program

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Number of faculty members

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Alanna Mnich

Estuarine and Ocean Sciences faculty Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences faculty pursue state-of-the-art basic and applied marine science research centered on the development of innovative technologies.

Mark Altabet Commonwealth Professor and Chair of the Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences Focuses on ocean biogeochemistry, particularly nutrient cycling, and interactions with climate change as well as the development of novel technologies for their study.

Jim Bisagni Professor Emeritus Specializes in remote sensing of sea surface temperature and ocean pigments; remote sensing of dynamic ocean topography and surface waves; and air-sea interaction.

Wendell Brown Professor Specializes in coastal physical oceanography, moored ocean observations, real-time circulation modeling, and data/information management system development.

Avijit Gangopadhyay Professor Focuses on ocean circulation, operational modeling, and climate studies.

Brian Howes Chancellor Professor Specializes in estuarine and embayment nutrient cycling and modeling as well as saltwater and freshwater wetland, lake, embayment management and restoration.

Pia Moisander, PhD Associate Professor Research interests include marine microbial ecology, marine nitrogen cycle, marine biofouling, and cyanobacterial blooms.

Daniel MacDonald Professor of Civil Engineering and SMAST Affiliate Professor Specializes in estuarine oceanography, hydrodynamics, stratified turbulence, and environmental engineering.

Cindy Pilskaln Professor Focuses on geochemical particle fluxes in the ocean and large lake systems with emphasis on their quantitative relationship to climate forcing over short- and long-time scales.

Miles Sundermeyer Professor Specializes in dispersion and transport processes, numerical modeling of mixing and stirring, and numerical modeling of physical and biological interactions.

Amit Tandon Professor of Mechanical Engineering and SMAST Affiliate Professor Specializes in small-scale turbulence in the upper ocean boundary layers as well as theory, simulations, and observational analysis of sub-mesoscale features in the ocean.

Steven E. Lohrenz Professor Research areas include the study of biological distributions and productivity, as well as cycling of carbon and nutrients in coastal and ocean waters.

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Fisheries Oceanography faculty Department of Fisheries Oceanography faculty conduct cutting-edge research in interdisciplinary sciences related to interactions between marine organisms, the marine environment, and fisheries.

Pingguo He Professor and Chair of the Fisheries Oceanography Department Specializes in fish behavior and fishing gear as well as sustainable utilization of fisheries resource of the northeastern U.S. and beyond.

Steve Cadrin Professor Specializes in general fisheries science that is relevant to resource management, population modeling of fishery resources, and spatial population structure and movement.

Changsheng Chen Montgomery Charter Professor Research interests include modeling and observational explorations of multi-scale global-regional-estuarine ocean circulation, and oceanic fronts.

Geoffrey Cowles Associate Professor Specializes in the application of numerical methods to problems in fluid and ecosystem dynamics, including both scheme development and applications.

Gavin Fay Assistant Professor Concentrates on the development of interdisciplinary modeling approaches, ecosystem assessment methods; and testing the performance of decision support tools for living marine resource management.

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Daniel Georgianna Chancellor Professor Emeritus Research areas include marine resource economics, comparative economic systems, and economic history.

Robert Griffin, PhD Research Assistant Professor Specializes in environmental economics, resource economics, ecosystem services, and marine policy.

Brian Rothschild Professor Emeritus, Former Dean of SMAST Research areas include population dynamics, fishery management, and ocean ecosystems.

Kevin Stokesbury Professor Concentrates on marine biology/ecology focusing on fisheries, including scallop population dynamics and life history studies.

Jefferson Turner Chancellor Professor Concentrates on plankton and water-quality ecological surveys of Buzzards Bay; plankton communities of Boston Harbor and adjacent waters; and interactions between copepod feeding and reproductive success.

Jean VanderGheynst, PhD Interim Dean, School for Marine Science & Technology UMass Dartmouth

Master’s degree

PhDs

MS in Marine Science and Technology

PhD in Marine Science and Technology

• Thesis or non-thesis option

• Requires 4 core, 3-credit courses (biological, chemical, physical, and marine policy)

• Thesis option requires 30 credit hours (minimum) • Non-thesis option requires 33 credit hours

• Additional elective courses may be selected in a concentration area of your choice

• Full-time students normally complete degree requirements in 4 semesters

• Concentrations include 24 credit hours of courses (minimum), including elective and seminar courses

• Part-time students are encouraged to take 2 courses per semester

•1 8 credit hours toward thesis research required after completing a rigorous comprehensive exam

Professional Science MS in Coastal and Ocean Administration, Science and Technology (COAST-PSM) • 2-year program • Non-thesis degree that focuses on marine science with additional coursework in management, policy, or law • Flexible course work and course structure, including online courses • 3 core courses (9 credits) required • Internship required during final summer of program • Paid stipends are available • Post-graduate employment in marine-related fields may be arranged

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• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the PhD degree program is required

Dual-Degree PhD Program with University of São Paulo Institute of Oceanography • Requires 4 (12 credits total) core courses in a concentration area beyond the core, seminars, and dissertation research • Concentrations include 24 credit hours (minimum), including elective and seminar courses • 18 credit hours (minimum) must be applied toward thesis research after completing a rigorous comprehensive exam • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the PhD degree program is required • Students are referred to the degree requirements of their home institution

Number of MS and PhD students

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facilities SMAST East

Ocean glider

SMAST East opened fall of 2017. The 64,000sq.-ft. structure includes wet, dry, and computational labs; high-tech classrooms and office spaces; and a seawater research lab.

Professor Wendell Brown and his research team deploy ocean glider “Blue” each year during the height of hurricane season. The underwater vehicle assists scientists in collecting valuable ocean data by running programmed routes south of New England.

SMAST West SMAST West, the original 35,000-sq.-ft. building located on the pier of New Bedford, includes a seawater research lab, a 90,000-gallon acousticoptic test tank designed for development and measurement of underwater measurement concepts, as well as world-class research laboratories.

Advanced video technology Professor Kevin Stokesbury and his graduate students have developed a live video camera to capture real-time visual information, allowing researchers to approximate the abundance, density, size distribution, and the impacts of commercial fishing. The goal is to help regulators manage fisheries.

The faculty of experts at SMAST along with their practical experience and connections to researchers outside academia have benefited me in my research endeavors. I’ve been lucky to have funding support to have my research and education program work together closely.”

Robert Wildermuth ‘21, PhD Post doc at the University of California Santa Cruz

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Expanded Seawater Lab

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Image courtesy of Ellenzweig

94%

Percentage of graduates in professional positions after graduation

SMAST alums work for leading organizations around the globe.

•F ederal University of Ceará—Brazil •G lobal Foundation for Ocean Exploration •M aine Department of Marine Resources •M assachusetts Department of Environmental Protection •M assachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries •N ational Center for Atmospheric Research •R utgers University •U S Virgin Islands Center for Marine and Environmental Studies

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68

Number of research grants awarded in 2019

academic experience SMAST’s students are engaged in scholarly research, community activities, and educational outreach.

As part of your academic experience, you will •C onduct scholarly marine research with faculty •C ollaborate with agencies at the local, national, and international levels •E ngage in cooperative research with government and non-government organizations •P ublish in scholarly journals •P resent at conferences, seminars, and workshops

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AFFORDABILITY Earn your marine science degree without plunging in financially.

Explore our affordable options.

Several SMAST students have received best presentation, poster, and paper awards at national and international conferences and meetings (including the American Fisheries Society, American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation, and Ocean Sciences Meeting).

If you are interested in becoming a student at SMAST please visit the website for more information and to complete the application process. We encourage you to contact the faculty member(s) who could potentially serve as your advisor based on your program interest(s) and faculty may be able to help you seek funding to pay for your graduate studies.

Megan Winton, PhD candidate and runner-up for the Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship, worked with the state Division of Marine Fisheries to address the surge of great white sharks on Cape Cod.

My experience at SMAST has given me the ability to branch out into new fields with confidence.

I don’t feel hemmed into one tiny niche, because I’ve seen how dramatically each area of science influences the next. It’s a great feeling that my knowledge and skills can translate to different career paths.”

Dahlia Medeiros ’12, MS, Environmental Engineer, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Owen Nichols, PhD candidate, was awarded the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s John Annala Fishery Leadership Award for his track record as a marine scientist who fosters collaboration and understanding between the fishing and scientific communities.

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Maine Ve r m o n t

Minutes to ferry to Martha’s Vinyard

10

Portland

New Hampshire

Concord

Portsmouth

Massachusetts

Springfield Providence

New Yo r k

Boston

SMAST

Connecticut

Minutes from UMassD campus

New Haven Rhode Island

NYC

25

Minutes from Fall River

30

Minutes from Horseneck Beach

40

Minutes from Providence, RI

Our location SMAST is located on the water in New Bedford, MA. The Port of New Bedford is a deep-water commercial port, and is approximately 9 nautical miles from Cape Cod, 83 miles south of Boston, and 166 miles north of New York. We’re just minutes from UMass Dartmouth’s 710acre main campus with affordable housing options on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts. We are strategically situated in a location that provides convenient access to many attractions.

Apply For complete details about our programs, the application

Minutes from Newport, RI

umassd.edu/graduate/apply/

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747 508.910.6550 • umassd.edu/smast

202011107-COE-NLTR-MA

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process and requirements, or to apply online, please visit