University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science 5 year Report

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

5 YEA R R EPORT

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL OF MARINE & ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE 5 Y EAR R E P O RT

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5 YEAR REPORT CONTENTS 4 9 15 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

ON THE C O V ER

Built for a Brighter Tomorrow Academic Excellence Science In-Flight Gateway to New Discoveries Citizen Science Atmospheric Sciences Marine Biology & Ecology Marine Ecosystems & Society Marine Geosciences Ocean Sciences Dean’s Message

E X PA N D I N G HORIZONS

The ecological importance of understanding predator-prey interactions is underscored by the power and acrobatic prowess of a shark attack on a seal. The water’s surface crystallizes the impact; a sudden vertical rush propels the ocean’s top predator and prey. Neil Hammerschlag, research assistant professor and director of the University of Miami Shark Research & Conservation Program, has spent more than a decade immersed in the study of interactions between great white sharks and seals in South Africa. Hammerschlag’s findings conclude: Nearly 48 percent of surface attacks on seals result in kills; attack frequency is high, averaging 6.68 per day with as many as 43 recorded in a single day. Shark predation success is highest on young seals, under low light conditions and over deep water. Great whites refine their hunting skills with age, allowing them to optimize environmental conditions for a successful attack.

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A passionate quest to cultivate an institution devoted to marine and atmospheric exploration brought about the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. From its humble beginnings more than 70 years ago in a waterfront boathouse on Miami Beach, the founding principles of seven decades ago remain true: To educate the next generation of scientists while exploring the earth, sea and atmosphere for answers to some of the world’s greatest mysteries, with a singular goal of improving human life along the way.

Adapting to changes in technology, science or other industries, has been a critical ability of the leaders and scientists of the Rosentiel School. In the past decade, the school has undergone a monumental transformation — from new programs that align with industry needs and new partnerships that fund and support research — to new buildings designed to house innovative technology and equipment that enhances and enables the work of our scientists and students.

The University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and

Thanks to these developments, faculty and students are working side-by-side confronting some of the most pressing scientific questions of the 21st century,

Atmospheric Science brings together the brightest scientific

which include climate change, rising sea levels, hurricanes and the effects of

minds with cutting-edge resources to explore the world’s great

declines and how certain marine life provide insights into our oceans and

mysteries and improve the quality of human life.

Building upon the solid foundation forged by its founders and guided by

storm surge to Saharan dust, tsunamis and earthquakes, along with fishery human health.

the vision of current leadership, the Rosenstiel School is one of the leading academic research institutions in the world. This enduring legacy relies on the brightest scientific minds and world-class scientists that are changing Above: An aerial view of the UM Rosenstiel School of

how we view and interact with the world around us, all of which are embold-

Marine and Atmospheric Science campus on Virginia Key.

ened by the participation of private, public and philanthropic support.

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Built for a Brighter Tomorrow THE ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL’S MARINE TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCES SEAWATER COMPLEX It is rare that a new building can hold the future of the human race within its walls. And yet, the newest Rosenstiel School campus centerpiece — a dedicated science and engineering complex — is in a position to do just that.

bio-medical research; and the life cycle of some organisms are leading scientists to a new understanding about aging, memory loss and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Opened in 2014, the Rosenstiel School’s Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex is the destination for influential scientists from all over the globe to converge for air-sea interactions — including hurricanes and storm surge — and marine life sciences.

“The Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex will benefit science and the community at large,” said past UM President Donna E. Shalala during her tenure.

“These laboratories will help researchers study coastal structures, weather phenomena, and marine life, all of which have a profound effect on the health and well-being of people and the planet.”

Groundbreaking scientific work happening here will have an impact on the world. Atmospheric, ocean science and marine science will be redefined — and even sometimes entirely reshaped — by scientific and technological advances.

Vital research could alter how deadly hurricanes heading for shore are predicted; allow for a better understanding of the impact of marine life on human health, including

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Below: The Rosenstiel School’s Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex is the destination for groundbreaking scientific research.

Right: The entrance to the Marine Technology Life Sciences Seawater Complex.

The $50 million building, comprised of two buildings connected via an open atrium, has a prime location in Virginia Key’s thriving scientific and research community. Just across the way sits the laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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ROSENSTIEL RANKED AMONG WORLD’S TOP INSTITUTIONS IN GEOSCIENCES FEB 2010 The Rosenstiel School is listed as one of the top ‘heavy hitters’ in the recently released Essential Science Indicators list published by Thomson Reuters.

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL CONTINUES TO LEAD NOAA COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP JUNE 2010 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA selects UM to continue to lead its partnership with the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS). NOAA and Rosenstiel School scientists have worked together through CIMAS since 1977 to improve our understanding of climate, hurricanes, and marine ecosystems along the southeastern U.S. coast.

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL LAUNCHES BROAD KEY RESEARCH STATION AUG 2010 A research and education marine field station is opened on Broad Key – an island off of Key Largo – providing scientists with direct access to Florida’s subtropical marine ecosystem. The 63-acre island features a five-bedroom great house, a caretaker’s cottage, large boathouse and dock, as well as its own water storage, solar generator power system, state-of-the-art satellite communications.

TRANSF O R M ATI O N A L S C IE N C E

We stand at the vanguard of air-sea interface and the study of life sciences, fully prepared to redefine perceptions and deliver momentous breakthroughs.

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ROSENSTIEL LAUNCHES NEW PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S PROGRAM SEPT 2010 The Master of Professional Science program is an innovative graduate degree intended for students who seek advanced training in the fields of marine science and conservation. The program prepares students for professional opportunities in eight environmental fields and positions participants to successfully enter today’s competitive job market.

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Right: Professor Martin Grosell with

The complex was made possible in part due to a $15 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the funds are intended to attract investment and jobs to South Florida and foster the state’s growing life sciences industry. Benefactors of the Rosenstiel School — Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., Marta Weeks-Wulf, Ambrose Monell and the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation — donated transformational gifts.

On one side of the complex is a first-of-its-kind research lab that is the groundbreaking test-bed known as SUSTAIN, which stands for SUrge-STructure-Atmosphere INteraction. Designed by the world’s leading aquarium architects, with technology never before accessible — a customized 38,000-gallon seawater wave tank is housed in the SUSTAIN laboratory. Two-meters tall, six-meters wide and 23-meters long, this hurricane simulator has the ability to imitate Category 5 hurricane force winds in a 3-D environ-

Ph.D. student Rachael Heuer in the life sciences laboratory

Below: The first-of-its-kind research test-bed SUSTAIN (SUrge-STructure-Atmosphere INteraction)

ment. Scientists observe and quantify storm factors that cannot be accurately analyzed in the field. This includes how sea spray and salt water — whipped up by violent, swirling hurricane winds — affects storms when churned into the atmosphere.

Research will lead to better forecasting of storms and help create stronger structures — including buildings and homes — that can withstand severe coastal cyclones.

Knowledge such as this is critical, as about 60 percent of people worldwide inhabit coastal regions. In the U.S. alone, this number is expected to jump to 75 percent by 2025.

The other side of the complex is home to the Marine Life Sciences Center – and provides a controlled environment with facilities for seawater research of marine-related ecosystems and living marine animals, including fish, corals and sea hares.

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Few facilities exist where biomedical research is being conducted on such a wide scope of aquatic organisms that provide a range of naturally occurring disease processes that are useful to understanding human health. The National Resource for Aplysia — within the complex — is the only place in the world that cultures and raises Aplysia californica.

The simple neurological system of Aplysia offers an ideal model for research on diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS.

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ROSENSTIEL SELECTED TO LEAD OIL SPILL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM SEPT 2011 The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative funded a three-year research consortium led by UM Rosenstiel Professor Tamay Özgökmen to support research to investigate the fate of petroleum in the environment, the impacts of an oil spill, and the development of new tools and technology for responding to future spills and improving mitigation and restoration.

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL BREAKS GROUND ON NEW RESEARCH COMPLEX JUNE 2012 The Rosenstiel School broke ground on a dynamic new research facility – the Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex – designed to house a variety of laboratories that will help oceanographers, meteorologists, marine physicists and engineers study weather phenomena, as well as marine life that can impact human health. (Learn more, P. 4-7.)

Above: Professor Lynne Fieber holds an Aplysia, a model organism for human health research.

Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUXis-CQGIA to see more about the wind-wave-storm surge simulator

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NEW MASTER’S DEGREE IN EXPLORATION SCIENCE OFFERED MAY 2013 The Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and the Rosenstiel School have teamed up to launch a new master’s degree in Exploration Science. Offered as part of the innovative Master of Professional Science (MPS) program, the new track gives students the tools to satisfy their interest in expedition-driven scientific field-based inquiry.

IMMERSION LEARNING

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ACHIEV EM ENTS AN D A C C OL A D E S

TH E ROSEN STIEL AWA RD

ALU M NI R EC O GNI T ION

A N N U A L AWA RD H ONO RS SCI ENTI STS

Eric J. Barron, a Rosenstiel School alumnus and the 14th

The legacy of the Rosenstiel Award dates back

on climate and climate change in the high alti-

president of Florida State University, was named Penn

to 1971 when an endowment was created from

tudes, especially involving the cryosphere.

State’s 18th President. Barron earned his master’s degree

the Rosenstiel Foundation, under the patronage of the American Association for the Advancement

2012 James Sanchirico Professor, Environmen-

and Ph.D., both in oceanography, from the Rosenstiel School. Barron is a highly recognized scientist and has

of Science (AAAS). In 1980, the Rosenstiel School

received a number of national awards as a scholar,

became solely responsible for the selection and

researcher and distinguished lecturer, including NASA Group Achievement

designation of the award to honor scientists and

Award and NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal.

researchers at the early to mid-stage of their careers that have made significant and growing

UM Rosenstiel School alumna, Linda Duguay, has been elected president

impacts in their field in the past decade.

of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography

The award rotates among the five departments

(ASLO), the largest international organization devoted to the aquatic

on an annual basis and recognizes outstanding

sciences. She has been elected for the 2016-2018 term.

contributions to marine and atmospheric science.

The disciplines of the recipients span marine ge-

The American Society of Microbiology honored

ology and geophysics, meteorology and physical

Douglas G. Capone for his outstanding accomplishments

oceanography, marine and atmospheric chemistry,

as a marine microbiologist. Capone received the Dupont

marine biology and fisheries, and applied marine

Industrial Biosciences Award in Applied and Environmental

physics and marine affairs.

Microbiology for distinguished achievement in research and

Past Rosenstiel Award recipients include:

development in applied (non-clinical) and environmental

tal Science and Policy at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis), Sanchirico is credited with understanding the economics and ecology of spatial-dynamic processes inherent in renewable resources management, particularly as a guide to the design of marine protected areas.

2011 Peter Mumby A British marine ecologist and professor at Australia’s University of Queensland. Mumby is widely acknowledged for his goal to understand the benefits and limitations of conservation strategies for coral reefs.

2010 Jose L. Jimenez Associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of

2015 Tim J. Wright A professor of satellite geod-

Colorado, Jimenez’s work applies groundbreak-

esy in the School of Earth and Environment at the

ing measurement techniques to atmospheric

University of Leeds, U.K., Wright’s recognition is

science, addressing critical questions regarding

Chelle L. Gentemann, senior principal scientist at Remote Sensing

for research on how the Earth’s crust deforms in

aerosols in the environment and their role in

Systems (RSS) and a Rosenstiel School alumna, is the recipient of this year’s

response to tectonic forces.

climate change and air quality.

Falkenberg Award. The award, jointly sponsored between the American

2014 Emily Shuckburg Leading the Open Oceans

Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Earth Science Information Partnership

Research Group at the British Antarctic Survey,

(ESIP), is given to a scientist under the age of 45 who has contributed to

Shuckburg is acknowledged for her work as a

the quality of life, economic opportunities and stewardship of the planet

climate scientist focused on understanding the role

through the use of Earth science information.

of the polar oceans in the global climate system.

microbiology. Capone received his Ph.D. in Oceanography from the Rosenstiel School in 1978.

2013 Cecilia Bitz An associate professor in the Atmospheric Sciences Department at University Right: Dean Roni Avissar and Blanka Rosenstiel

of Washington, Blitz is recognized for her work

presented the 2015 Rosenstiel School award to Tim J. Wright.

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Academic Excellence PREPARING STUDENTS TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON SOCIETY By the time students cross the graduation stage to accept their degree from the Rosenstiel School on commencement day, they are equipped with hands-on classroom knowledge coupled with specialized skills and know-how that allow for countless career choices in their respective fields of interest.

• Ocean Sciences (OCE) • Marine Biology and Ecosystems (MBE) • Atmospheric Sciences (ATM) • Marine Geosciences (MGS) • Marine Ecosystems and Society (MES)

To further enhance the student experience and ensure access to all of the unique opportunities that exist, the Rosenstiel School has reorganized into five departments to better deliver on our mission to train the next generation of Earth scientists.

Across all departments, discipline tracks or degrees, programs blend classroom instruction comprised of the latest scientific breakthroughs and discoveries with applied learning experiences, including participation in research performed by more than 80 faculty scientists. The Rosenstiel School excels in research grantsmanship; nearly $70 million is awarded annually from federal, state and private foundations.

Below: Professor Claire Paris working with student in the Physical-Biological Interactions Lab.

Curriculum programs fully utilize all resources to further drive the Rosenstiel School as one of the leading global academic marine and atmospheric research institutions.

Features of the Rosenstiel School include: An ideal location in South Florida, permitting year-round access to the surrounding marine environments; an impressive fleet of research vessels including HOP, a one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform (learn more on P. 15), a stateof-the-art computational science facility, internationally renowned faculty, the latest technology and infrastructure (including the Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex, learn more on P. 4-7), and close proximity to two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration laboratories.

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UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES The University of Miami has offered undergraduate studies in marine and atmospheric science as part of the curriculum since 1977. The Rosenstiel School offers three undergraduate degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Marine Science or Meteorology, and Bachelor of Arts in Marine Affairs.

Students are introduced to the general complexities of the ocean and atmosphere through lectures, laboratories and field trips. Undergraduate students are encouraged to work with the faculty in their laboratories, and are able to earn course credit by conducting independent research under the supervision of leading scientists in their field.

The Marine Affairs program is designed for students who aim to prepare themselves for graduate studies and careers in ocean-related areas of business, policy, management, law and communication. Graduates are schooled to work in a variety of fields, including environmental and marine law, conservation, shipping and port industries, aquaculture, education and scientific journalism.

The Marine Science program is a rigorous double major designed for students anticipating graduate programs or careers in teaching and research, as well as for technical careers in government and private industries with a focus on the oceans. In addition to Marine Science courses, all students take courses in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Math and Physics, as well as a full second major in one of nine science fields.

The Atmospheric Science program offers a Meteorology major, which follows the standards established by the American Meteorological Society that emphasize a math and physics background. Classes are small with strong faculty involvement. Students may also double major or minor with Broadcast Journalism, or double major in Marine Science, Mathematics or Physics. Areas of expertise of the faculty include tropical meteorology, hurricanes, climate and other aspects of atmosphere/ocean connection.

UNDE RG RA D U AT E SPO TLI GHT The goal of programs at the Rosenstiel School is to provide the education, skills and experience needed to empower students to dive into the research and work they are passionate about.

Each year, students continue to amaze with what they are able to accomplish. Here are just a few of our students, who are already achieving great things during their time at the Rosenstiel School.

Benefiting from All South Florida Offers

When Mike Connelly was exploring educational opportunities he knew he wanted three things: Access to coral reefs, a subtropical climate and a plethora of unique research opportunities.

He found everything he was looking for at the Rosenstiel School. Connelly has a triple major in Marine Science, Biology 10

and Chemistry, and he benefits fully from the Rosenstiel School’s active research labs and the beautiful waters of South Florida.

Working in Professor Michael Schmale’s lab, Connelly is examining cell morphology in neurofibroma cancer cells derived from a South Florida damselfish.

He is also active in diving and aquarium clubs.

Bringing Science out of the Lab and into the Court Room

Some scientists make their impact in the lab, while others intersect their knowledge and passions with other industries. Helen Stockman, who is completing her B.A. plans to do just that.

Combining her love of marine life with law, Stockman plans to attend law school and pursue a career in marine law – aiding in the protection of underwater ecosystems through sustainability efforts and governmental oversight.

Above: Undergraduate student in marine science aboard a research vessel.

Majoring in Marine Affairs with minors in Ecosystems and Policy and Business Law, during her time at the Rosenstiel School, Stockman took courses overseas in Stockholm, worked as a marine science assistant and interned with the Miami-Dade County’s Office of Sustainability.

She also won a SURGE grant to accompany scientist Amelia Moore to Nassau and assist in her ethnography research on sustainable building practices in the Bahamas – an experience that will be the basis for Stockman’s senior thesis on Bahamian maritime law.

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MARINE TECHNOLOGY LIFE SCIENCE SEAWATER COMPLEX COMPLETED MAY 2014 The Rosenstiel School’s newest centerpiece opens its doors, providing access to the latest tools and technology for scientists to further unravel the mysteries of the planet. The complex houses the SUSTAIN Laboratory, capable of generating Category 5 hurricane force winds allowing researchers to study in a 3-D environment. The center will be used for the spawning and rearing of marine organisms. (Read more, P. 4-7) ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL REALIGNS PROGRAMS

Above: Professor Shuyi Chen and students analyze data to better forecast tropical cyclones.

Taking Advantage of Multiple Educational Programs

Samantha Kramer was drawn to the Rosenstiel School for its meteorology program, which is recognized as one of the best in the country. Kramer is double majoring in meteorology and mathematics, and minoring in physics — giving her a solid undergraduate foundation that will serve her well as she embarks on graduate studies and pursues her research interests.

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She is already assisting with research focused on aerosol and African dust transport events.

In addition to academics, Kramer says that school spirit and student life have provided her with a well-rounded undergraduate experience. “Coming to the University of Miami has been the best decision of my life,” says Samantha Kramer. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

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JUNE 2014 Delivering on the Rosenstiel School mission to train the next generation of Earth scientists while conducting cutting-edge research and ensuring maximum field opportunities, the Rosenstiel School is now organized in five departments: Ocean Sciences, Marine Geosciences, Marine Biology and Ecology, Atmospheric Sciences, and Marine Ecosystems and Society. New graduate programs are aligned with these new departments as well as increased offerings for undergraduate and professional education.

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL COLLABORATES WITH THE BAHAMAS AGRICULTURE AND MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE JULY 2014 The Rosenstiel School and The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute, Ltd. (BAMSI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize the collaboration between the two institutions in education, research and training.

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GRADUATE STUDIES

• Marine Geosciences

As one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative academic research institutions, the Rosenstiel School offers one of the largest, most comprehensive marine and atmospheric graduate programs in the nation. It’s here that students achieve advanced degrees that prepare them for a range of careers that make an impact on society. Combining challenging academics and in-depth scientific investigation, these programs provide everything that students require coupled with the opportunity to work alongside faculty while exploring the most pressing environmental and human concerns of the 21st century.

• Meteorology and Physical Oceanography

The Rosenstiel School is a proving ground for intellectual and academic maturation.

Graduate programs include:

• Ocean Engineering • Ocean Sciences The Rosenstiel School graduate programs also offer unparalleled professional opportunities, with many of the students earning competitive fellowships, grants and awards from prestigious global organizations and institutions.

Additionally, with more than 15 areas of study to select from, the Master of Professional Science offers advanced training in science plus the chance to develop highly valued professional skills that prepare students for science careers in business, government or nongovernmental organizations. (Read more, P. 14).

• Atmospheric Sciences • Marine Ecosystems and Society • Marine Biology and Ecology

Right: Assistant Professor Ali Pourmand and Ph.D. candidate Arash Sharifi examine a core sample.

GR AD U AT E S P OT LI GHT The goal of the Rosenstiel School’s graduate programs is to provide students with a stellar academic environment, while also allowing them to attain the skills needed to move forward in their careers as experienced scientists and researchers.

Upon commencement, graduate students confidently move forward in their area of expertise after already achieving great things during their time at the Rosenstiel School.

Grad Completes 10 Years of Study and Research at UM

After ten years of study, three fellowships and research on coral described as a “labor of love,” Quinn Devlin, graduated from the Rosenstiel School.

Devlin’s interest in coral reefs was sparked while working as a work-study student. After earning 12

her undergraduate degree, she was accepted into the Rosenstiel School’s graduate program and earned her Ph.D. She was awarded a one-year Royal Caribbean Fellowship and then won a three-year National Science Foundation Fellowship to pursue her dissertation research.

Devlin’s research includes using

biogeochemical tools to study the influence of nutrients on coral health and growth.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Recipient Earns Doctorate

Erica Staaterman received her Ph.D. in Applied Marine Physics from the Rosenstiel School in May 2015. Passionate about the study of acoustic habitats, acoustic communication, and acoustic navigation, Staaterman investigated whether fish larvae use coral reef soundscapes to orient towards reefs at the end of their pelagic phase. Her research,

which included a 14-month time series of two reef soundscapes, was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series. She researched spatial and temporal analysis of reef soundscapes from the Florida Keys, as well as behavioral playback experiments with larval fish and biophysical modeling.

She is Vice President and Director of Beneath the Waves Film Festival, a unique science communication platform aimed at educating the public about the pressing issues facing our oceans.

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Rosenstiel School Alumna Erica Towle

While at UM Erica Towle conducted her research in the South Florida Coral Reef and Climate Change Laboratory. After completing her B.S. in Marine Science and Biology in 2010, Towle began her Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Fisheries at the UM Rosenstiel School, which she completed in 2015. Towle’s research investigates whether corals with greater energy reserves are more resilient to temperature and ocean acidification. Her recent study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, was the

first to document that the endangered Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis can buffer the effects of increased CO2 by increasing feeding rates. “Staghorn corals were once the dominant reef builders along the Florida Reef Tract. In the face of global climate change, it is imperative that we understand what factors contribute to this species’ resilience to stress before it’s too late,” said Towle.

MARINE SCIENTIST WINS TOP UM SCHOLARLY RESEARCH AWARD APRIL 2015 Martin Grosell, Maytag chair and professor of ichthyology was one of the recipients of the University of Miami’s 2015 Provost’s Award for Scholarly Activity. This award was designed to recognize demonstrated excellence in research by either a single unique achievement or several years of scholarly productivity. Grosell research focuses on comparative physiology and aquatic toxicology to understand how fish and invertebrates cope with environmental challenges, including climate change and contamination.

Top left: A diver overlooks a coral restoration site.

Top right: Scientists preparing to deploy mooring buoys to collect ocean data.

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ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL RECEIVES $3 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR HELICOPTER RESEARCH PLATFORM OCT 2014 The Rosenstiel School adds a one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform (HOP) to its fleet of specialized research vessels. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and scientific instrumentation, it is available to the entire scientific community. HOP allows scientists to obtain vital information on environmental processes that affect our climate and impact human health, and will uniquely fill an important gap in airborne research observations.

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RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES EXTENDED WEATHER FORECASTS TO U.S. NAVY JULY 2015 Rosenstiel School Professor Benjamin Kirtman partnered with Charles River Analytics to support an extended-range weather prediction service. By incorporating multiple forecast models from different meteorology and climatology modeling centers to produce a single unified and improved forecast for a specific time period and location, the Climatological Observations for Maritime Prediction and Analysis Support Service effort, known as COMPASS, will produce a unified forecast up to twelve months in advance using the North American MultiModel Ensemble.

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MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL SCIENCE The Rosenstiel School offers a Master of Professional Science (MPS) Program intended for students who want to generate innovative solutions to marine, coastal, and climate related issues. There are 17 tracks that include Weather Forecasting, Computational Meteorology and Oceanography, Broadcast Meteorology, Coastal Sustainability, Marine Conservation, Marine Mammal Science, Natural Hazards and Catastrophes, Climate and Society and more.

A P P LY I N G KNOWLEDGE

With its deep, broad scope of knowledge paired with practical skills, this specialty graduate program prepares students for employment in new and emerging industries that intersect disciplines, including science, communication, business, law, media, NGO/private sector and other non-traditional fields.

This accelerated graduate degree program is one of the most comprehensive marine and atmospheric professional science master programs in the country, and the largest in the State of Florida. Full-time students can complete the program in as little as 12 months, and 90 percent of MPS students complete the program in 15 months or less. An MPS degree provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle emerging environmental issues and improve the management of vital natural resources.

The multidisciplinary curriculum exposes students to science theory, field and lab training, legal and regulatory training, communication and media training as well as project management skills.

The program is directed by Rosenstiel School faculty and scientists and includes an external advisory board of accomplished scholars, scientists, corporate and government agency leaders, all of which provide guidance and leadership to MPS graduates.

Visit http://mps.miami.edu to view a video of MPS students in action.

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Right: An MPS student holds a juvenile sea turtle.

G RA D U AT E S P OT LIG H T MPS Graduate Ana Ortiz

Awarded a 2013 Rosenstiel School Alumni Fellowship, Ana Ortiz graduated with a master’s of professional science in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography from the Rosenstiel School. With severe weather as a lifelong passion, Ortiz interned with the National Weather Service conducting weather balloon research. Her aim was a career in applied weather forecasting. Today Ortiz is a weather forecaster at UBIMET, a leading private weather service provider. She is also a member of the American Meteorological Society.

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Science In-Flight HELICOPTER OBSERVATION PLATFORM SUPPORTS CRITICAL CLIMATE AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH The one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform (HOP) – based on a commercial Airbus Helicopters – is designed to include advanced technology that enables the entire scientific community to study key physical, chemical and biological processes near the Earth’s surface that impact our climate and human health.

says Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School and chief pilot. Avissar and Professor Kenny Broad, director of the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and chair of the Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society at the Rosenstiel School, will serve as pilots during scientific expeditions.

The research platform’s technology is creating opportunities for faculty, students and the scientific community to take on new, specialized research projects that have never been attempted before. Able to fly for nearly four hours without refueling at an air speed of 65 knots, it is ideal for in-situ observations. HOP is capable of altitudes from a few feet above the Earth’s surface to the mid-troposphere. Easily transported to anywhere in the world, including oceanographic research ships at sea, it is ideal to access remote areas and conduct airborne sea-surface measurements.

“No other aircraft offers the flexibility of a helicopter, in terms of payload, maneuverability and safety. HOP will uniquely fill an important gap in research airborne observations,” says Avissar. HOP will be used to study seasonal events, including Saharan dust storms, which send dust thousands of miles across the Atlantic carrying microbes and fine airborne particles that affect air quality. The dust particles also impact marine ecosystems, the climate and hurricane formation.

“HOP will support the research missions of the Rosenstiel School scientists and a host of other research institutions around the world by improving our understanding of the Earth’s environment – in particular the air and sea interface, and the atmospheric boundary layer above it, where much of the action for the climate system is taking place,”

HOP is made possible by the Batchelor Foundation, which provided nearly half of its acquisition cost through a challenge grant. The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation and an anonymous donor contributed a significant portion of the matching funds.

Above and below: The one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform provides an unprecedented opportunity to study key environmental processes that impact climate and human health.

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Gateway to New Discoveries DONORS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE For decades, our scientists have unlocked the mysteries of the Earth through exploration and discovery, to further knowledge and enhance the human experience. The Rosenstiel School is committed to providing the innovative resources, technology and infrastructure to enable the scientific community – faculty and graduate students – to pursue their most pressing research questions.

Scientific research requires dedicated resources and in-depth study to explore and compile comprehensive data that quantifies processes and models to ensure the conclusions are meaningful and accurate.

We proudly thank our generous donors for making Momentum 2: The Breakthrough Campaign for the University of Miami an unparalleled success. Of the University’s $1.6 billion overall goal, the Rosenstiel School set an ambitious goal of $70,000,000. Thanks to 1,487 visionary donors, we exceeded our goal — raising a total of $84,117,893. Our heartiest thanks to everyone who came together to help scientific research and teaching reach new heights at the Rosenstiel School.

The Rosenstiel School is able to pursue our mission in great part through grants and fellowships given to our faculty and students by leading national science organizations. Gifts from donors have helped create these unique research facilities.

BROAD KEY Surrounded by coral reefs teeming with fish, marine life and unspoiled mangroves, the Rosenstiel School’s Broad Key marine research station offers the perfect environment to explore the dynamic marine and terrestrial ecosystems year-round in the Florida Keys.

via a 45-minute boat ride and is complete with a boathouse, dock and main house that can accommodate 20 people. Research at Broad Key ranges from atmospheric science to marine exploration.

DIVE POOL Diving is essential to the study of oceanography and marine biology. The Rosenstiel School will be breaking ground to build a new deep-water diver training pool and teaching facility, thanks to generous donations from the Miller Family Foundation, Steve Saiontz, Richard Fain and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Construction of the state-of-theart 18 foot depth dive pool, dive locker facility and classrooms is scheduled for fall 2015.

Above: A student examines a sea urchin during a class snorkeling trip.

OU R SU PPORTERS

The continued success of the Rosenstiel School would not be possible without the sustained support of our many generous donors. Their encouragement, involvement and philanthropy play a critical role in the school’s ongoing accomplishments. A few special donors who have been instrumental in recent school enhancements and project developments include: Alina Soto Anonymous The Batchelor Foundation Tim Choate Disney Worldwide Services Richard Fain Glassell Family Foundation Sheryl Gold Guy Harvey Ocean Fund

P.T. Jones Miller Family Foundation Carlos Pellas Robertson Foundation Royal Caribbean International Ocean Fund Steve Saiontz George B. Storer Foundation G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation Marta Weeks-Wulf

The 63-acre island off the coast of Key Largo is accessible 16

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F UND IN G BRIE F S NSF Fellowships

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds scientific research through fellowship awards to Rosenstiel School students. This support not only helps them hone their skills, but also plays a central role in the advancement of their careers and science. Recent fellowship awards include: Matt Archer – A Ph.D. candidate in the Meteorology & Physical Oceanography program, Archer’s focus is the application of high frequency radar to study ocean dynamics in the Straits of Florida; specifically the mesoscale and submesoscale variability of the Florida Current. Archer is an award recipient for his work to deploy an acoustic wave and current profiler to measure ocean currents and surface waves.

Pete Finocchio – Recipient of a National Defense Science and Engineering (NDSEG) fellowship for his work studying the predictability of tropical cyclone structure and intensity.

Finocchio is a UM undergrad and a third-year Rosenstiel School graduate student. In pursing his Ph.D., his research on the sensitivity of hurricanes and typhoons to nearby conditions such as wind shear and dry air was also awarded a NSF scholarship. Prior to his graduate research, he worked as a research scientist on the GOES-R Satellite program at Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER).

Andrew Margolin – Recipient of a highly competitive NSF fellowship for his proposal to study the broad scale impacts of hydrocarbon seeps on carbon dynamics of the deep Gulf of

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Mexico. He is pursuing his Ph.D. in Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry in the Department of Ocean Sciences (OCE).

Eleanor Middlemas – A first-year graduate student and Ph.D. candidate in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography, Middlemas was awarded a prestigious three-year graduate fellowship from the NSF to conduct studies related to large-scale climate dynamics.

Ryan Kramer – In his second year of graduate studies, Kramer was awarded a three-year fellowship from the Rosenstiel School. Kramer is pursuing a Ph.D. in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography as a member of the climatemodeling group. $2.6 Million Grant to the National Resource for Aplysia

The National Resource for Aplysia at the Rosenstiel School received $2.6 million in 2014 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) allotted over the next five years. The center is the only facility in the world that raises Aplysia californica, commonly known as sea hares or sea slugs, which are used to study the mechanisms of memory and learning, providing insight into diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Two NSF Grants Totaling $5.9 Million Awarded to Study Agulhas Current

The National Science Foundation is funding a $3.4-million study led by Rosenstiel School Professor Lisa Beal to build a multi-decadal time series of Agulhas Current volume transport and large-scale ocean circulation. In collaboration with scientists from the National Oceanography Centre and the University of

Cape Town, the Agulhas Current Time-series (ACT) project will be conducted in two phases.

Professor Beal received additional grant monies — amounting to $2.5-million — from NSF to lead a second five-year study. This one-of-akind research endeavor off the coast of South Africa will monitor physical characteristics of the Agulhas Current, such as velocity, temperature, and salinity, to better understand its role in global climate variability and how the oceans are changing due to climate change.

CSTARS Awarded $16.5 Million by Office of Naval Research

The Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS) at the Rosenstiel School was awarded a three-year contract in 2013 by the Office of Naval Research to continue collecting, processing and disseminating data from global Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite systems. The goal of the project is to provide SAR imagery collected in nearreal time to aid in U.S. Navy operations around the world.

Rosenstiel School Researchers Part of $16 Million Global Climate Study Grant

Rosenstiel School scientists are part of a collaborative team that received $16 million in NSF grants in 2013 to deploy a new observation system in the sub-polar region of the North Atlantic. The system will measure the ocean’s overturning circulation, a key component of the global climate system. William Johns, professor of ocean sciences at the Rosenstiel School, is a principal investigator.

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Rosenstiel School Awarded $29 Million

by Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)

Led by Rosenstiel School Professor Tamay Özgökmen, the CARTHE research consortium received over $20 million in 2014 to continue research to predict the fate of oil released into the environment to help inform and guide risk management and response efforts in situations like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The second research consortium, RECOVER, led by UM Rosenstiel School Professor Martin Grosell received a $9 million research award to conduct further studies on the impacts and toxic effects of crude oil on ecologically and commercially valuable fish that reside in the Gulf of Mexico.

The RECOVER team (Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in fish for Validation of Ecological Risk) will conduct physiological and behavioral studies at different life stages for two important Gulf of Mexico fishes, the coastal redfish and the pelagic mahi-mahi.

NOAA Awards $125 Million to CIMAS

In 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the Rosenstiel School, $125 Million over the next five years to increase scientific understanding of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. The Rosenstiel School is one of ten participating research consortium universities.

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Citizen Science Hands-on research that engages citizens side-by-side with scientists is the premise of Citizen Science at the Rosenstiel School. Inspiring the local community to become part of the solution provides countless opportunities for citizens to get involved in scientific inquiry as it happens. The goal is to inform, educate and connect with the community at large in order to further an appreciation for Earth’s natural resources, marine species and weather phenomena.

These Citizen Science programs include:

RESCUE-A-REEF INITIATIVE Citizen scientists have a hands-on chance to be a marine biologist for a day and dive into coral research actually planting coral nursery fragments on wild reefs with leading research scientists working on creating a sustainable source of staghorn coral colonies.

SHARK TAGGING RESEARCH A critically important way to measure the migration of these ocean predators, shark biologist Neil Hammerschlag and the research team at the UM Shark Research & Conservation Program immerse citizen scientists in data collection and active fieldwork drawing blood, clipping fins for DNA and more.

SCIENCE IN THE SKY This aviation experience brings Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to the forefront as citizen scientists soar with leading Rosenstiel School scientists on specialized airborne observations designed to collect atmospheric data on everything from hurricanes to climate. The experience involves the Rosenstiel School helicopter (HOP) missions and links back to classrooms with remote realtime expeditions. This program is in collaboration with the National Geographic Society.

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BROADER IMPACTS – OUTREACH AT THE UM ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL The UM Rosenstiel School offers our faculty and researchers a variety of opportunities to engage the broader public of all ages in the cutting-edge scientific research being conducted on campus.

Lectures and Speaking Engagements

Throughout the year, the UM Rosenstiel School hosts on- and off-campus lecture series to educate the community on the latest ocean and atmospheric science research. They include: • Sea Secrets is an annual lecture series on the UM Rosenstiel School campus that presents the latest ocean and atmospheric science research to a non-scientific audience.

• Off-campus Science Cafés provide an informal setting for UM Rosenstiel School scientists to discuss their research within the community.

• UM Rosenstiel School scientists are frequently invited to speak off-campus at local science museums, environmental forums, as well as other regional informal education institutions, civic organizations and community conferences.

Education and Community Outreach

• The Rosenstiel School has partnered with the American Association of University Women and Miami-Dade county public schools to host Exploring Marine Science Day, an annual oncampus event that brings over 50 middle school girls to campus for lectures and tours by faculty.

• In collaboration with two of Miami’s local NOAA labs, National Marine Fisheries Service/ Southeast Fisheries Science Center and the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, the UM Rosenstiel School hosts a three-day open house for student groups and the public. The open house is an interactive experience to enhance STEM educational opportunities and where scientists are present to describe their research projects and answer questions.

• In partnership with the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science and Miami-Dade county public schools, the Rosenstiel School annually hosts a summer program as part of the Integrated Marine Program and College Training (IMPACT) where more than 100 low-income, first-generation college-bound students are paid stipends as they study oceanography, biology, ecology, meteorology, geology, and resource management in a hands-on, interactive environment for six weeks.

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CEN TERS A N D SPECI ALTY LABS Specialized centers and labs foster relationships and combine resources to advance the knowledge of marine and atmospheric science.

These include: • The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) brings together the resources of partner universities with those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These institutions tackle research projects, share information and encourage public outreach programs, including student internships.

CIMAS’ OceanScope program teams up with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to equip ships with gear for collecting oceanographic and atmospheric data.

• The Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment (CARTHE) studies the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and its impact on the Gulf’s ecosystems and is funded by the Gulf of

Left: Elementary

Mexico Research Initiative.

school students field trip.

• The Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing (CSTARS) has expanded access to real-time, high-resolution satellite imagery. Covering all of Florida, the eastern U.S., all of the Caribbean

• In partnership with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, the school annually hosts the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) Florida Regional Competition, a “Jeopardy”-like competition to test students’ knowledge of math and science.

• In partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, the school co-hosts Environmental Immersion Day. Fairchild awards scholarships for students to participate in these education days where they visit the Rosenstiel School and other environmental sites for a day of comprehensive, hands-on learning.

Basin and a significant portion of South America and the eastern Pacific, CSTARS has assisted with Hurricane Katrina assessment, earthquake efforts in Haiti, and in the monitoring of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

• Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in fish for Validation of

• The Key Biscayne Historical and Heritage Society partners with the UM Rosenstiel School to provide a series of engaging and informative lectures to the Miami’s Key Biscayne community on the significant history of Key Biscayne and its natural surroundings.

Ecological Risk (RECOVER) examines the detrimental effects of oil on two ecologically and economically important species of fish in the Gulf of Mexico: Mahi-mahi and Red drum.

• The Rosenstiel School hosts an annual underwater photography contest open to amateur photographers. Since its inception in 2005, the contest has drawn several thousand entrants from across the globe.

News Media & Publications

The UM Rosenstiel School frequently hosts members of the news media on campus throughout the year and broadly disseminates research results through traditional and new media channels.

Right: Exploration Science shark tagging trip.

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Atmospheric Sciences STUDY CONFIRMS WATER VAPOR AS GLOBAL CLIMATE AMPLIFIER Scientists from the Rosenstiel School took part in a study that confirms that rising levels of water vapor in the upper troposphere will impact weather climates over the next few decades, and that increases in water vapor are a result of human activities.

The study, which was published in the online journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was co-authored by Brian Soden, professor of atmospheric sciences at the Rosenstiel School.

Using a set of climate model experiments and a 30-year moistening trend, researchers showed that rising water vapor in the upper troposphere cannot be explained by natural forces, but can be explained by increased greenhouse gases. The upper troposphere

is approximately three to seven miles above the Earth’s surface. Greenhouse gases raise temperatures by trapping the Earth’s radiant heat inside the atmosphere, which in turn increases the accumulation of water vapor and moisture traps the heat further.

PROFESSOR STUDIES CHEMISTRY OF TROPICAL ATMOSPHERE IN GUAM Rosenstiel School Professor Elliot Atlas traveled to Guam with more than 40 other scientists to help lead a firstof-its-kind field experiment studying how the remote waters of the western tropical Pacific Ocean shape climate and air chemistry around the world.

For two months, Atlas took to the sky with research teams for the National Science Foundation-funded CONTRAST (Convective Transport of Active Species in the Tropics) experiment to explore the formation and destruction of ozone in different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere and the region’s impact on the global climate.

See the Department of Atmospheric Sciences in action:https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3w-eE7Gz-8U Left: A climate model by Professor Benjamin Kirtman

of the Gulf Stream circulation.

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(ATM) Ozone is critical to absorb harmful UV rays from the sun, facilitate natural processes that cleanse the air and can be linked to global climate change.

With the warmest ocean waters on Earth, the western tropical Pacific fuels a type of chimney, whose output has global reach. The region feeds heat and moisture into huge clusters of thunderstorms that loft gases and particles into the stratosphere, where they spread out over the entire planet and influence the climate.

ATM PROFESSOR IS LEAD AUTHOR ON CLIMATE CHANGE PANEL Benjamin Kirtman, professor of Atmospheric Sciences and associate dean of research at the Rosenstiel School was lead author for Working Group I, of the 5th Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicting a global one

RO SENSTI EL SCHO O L PRO FESSO R NAMED FELLO W O F AMERI CAN METEO RO LO GI CAL SO CI ETY

Amy Clement was elected a 2015 Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the nation’s leading professional society for scientists in atmospheric and related sciences. Clement, who is a Rosenstiel School associate dean and atmospheric sciences faculty member since 2001, leads a climate modeling research group at the Rosenstiel School, which aims to better understand various aspects of Earth’s climate, from Saharan dust and clouds to El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Her research focus is on fundamental aspects of the climate system, including understanding why the climate changed in the past, and predicting how it will change in the future.

“Amy is a very accomplished scientist and educator and a great leader at the Rosenstiel School and in the scientific community. She is well deserving of this award,” said Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School.

CH A IR: D AV ID N OLAN

Professor David Nolan leads the Department of Atmospheric Sciences in advancing the knowledge and understanding of the physical, chemical and dynamical processes that affect weather and climate, and their interactions with the oceans and continents. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard University, Nolan has been on the faculty at the Rosenstiel School for 13 years, striving to achieve excellence in research and education that will better inform the public and influence policy on how to prepare for severe weather. Nolan’s research focuses on hurricanes, tropical meteorology and severe storms, numerical modeling, vortex dynamics and turbulence. He is also the author of more than forty papers and chapters on weather phenomena.

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a Rosenstiel School Alumni Fellowship recipient and Ph.D. candidate, is in close collaboration with Chair Dave Nolan and scientists at the National Hurricane Center to develop a system to improve this aspect of hurricane intensity forecasting.

to three-foot rise in sea levels over the next century. Kirtman is a climate modeler who uses complex Earth system models to investigate the predictability of the climate system on time scales from days-to-decades and to study the influence of tropical variability and other factors. Discussions regarding climate change, rising sea levels and the rate of change has long been contentious. Scientists are still trying to determine if ocean swelling could one day put coastal cities – such as Miami – underwater, and when.

Despite the latest report, Kirtman says more studies should be done to confirm the higher projections made by some for sea rise triggered by melting polar ice in Antarctica.

The collaboration has led to the Prediction of Intensity Model Error, called the PRIME model, which predicts the expected accuracy of each of four different forecast models on a case-by-case basis. It is anticipated that the model will be operationally tested during the 2015 hurricane season. Bhatia is the first author published in the academic journal Weather and Forecasting that provides the foundation for these forecasts.

In 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Joint Hurricane Testbed awarded Nolan and Bhatia funding for their research work. Associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences Sharan Majumdar, is also working in conjunction with the hurricane center to assess the extent to which observations made by the NOAA G-IV aircraft — which circumnavigates hurricanes that approach land — will improve computer model forecasts.

IMPROVED HURRICANE FORECASTING THROUGH COLLABORATIONS Forecasting maximum wind speeds in hurricanes is critical for preparedness, yet is the least accurate aspect of hurricane forecasts. Kieran Bhatia,

PRESTIGIOUS PETER V. HOBBS PRIZE AWARDED Zhujun Li, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the Meteorology and Physical Oceanography program at the Rosenstiel School, was the recipient of the Peter

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V. Hobbs Prize in 2014 at the American Meteorological Society Cloud Physics Conference. Li’s presentation titled, “On simulated trade-wind cumulus convection and cold pools,” focused on the mechanisms by which the outflow of cool air from precipitating clouds encourages new convection.

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP NEW INSTRUMENT TO MONITOR ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY Funded through a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant, researchers at the Rosenstiel School developed a new sensor to detect ambient levels of mercury in the atmosphere. Rosenstiel School Professor Anthony Hynes and colleagues tested the new mobile instrument. Highly sensitive, the laser-based instrument provides scientists with a method to more accurately measure global human exposure to mercury. The measurement approach is called sequential two-photon laser induced fluorescence (2P-LIF) and uses two different laser beams to excite mercury atoms and monitor blue shifted atomic fluorescence.

The study, titled “Deployment of a sequential two-photon laser-induced fluorescence sensor for the detection of gaseous elemental mercury at ambient levels: fast, specific, ultrasensitive detection with parts-per-quadrillion sensitivity,” was published in the journal Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.

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Top right: UM Rosenstiel School postdoctoral researcher Maria Navarro monitoring in-flight data during the CONTRAST experiment.

Below: A satellite image of Hurricane Gonzalo as it approached the U.S. East Coast in October 2014.

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Marine Biology & Ecology EFFECTS OF DEEPWATER OIL SPILL EXPLORED Five researchers from the Rosenstiel School, including Maytag Professor of Ichthyology Martin Grosell and Professor of Marine Ecosystems and Society Daniel Benetti, collaborated on the first study to analyze the effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill on fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Following the exposure to crude oil, the study found that several fish embryos developed serious defects in heart development. A conclusion of the research team: “Losses of early life stages were therefore likely for Gulf populations of tunas, amberjack, swordfish, billfish, and other large predators that spawned in oiled surface habitats.”

Published in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), the research assessed the impacts of polycyclic aromatic hydro-

carbons (PAHs), a toxic agent released from crude oil, from Deepwater Horizon oil samples on embryos of bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna and amberjack.

CRUISE SHIPS TRACK OCEANIC CONDITIONS FOR SCIENCE Celebrity Cruises has decked out one of its ships — Celebrity Equinox — with neither a pool nor new vacation amenity. Instead, the newest addition is field research equipment that helps scientists at the Rosenstiel School collect oceanographic and atmospheric data.

While the ships are sailing around the world, scientists can remotely record ocean temperature, salinity, chlorophyll concentration and meteorological properties such as wind speed, barometric pressure and humidity.

This helps them to monitor, understand and forecast climate change, affects on marine life and factors that impact important ecosystems, such as coral reefs. Celebrity is the latest cruise line to join the Rosentiel School’s OceanScope Program. Two of Royal Caribbean International’s ships — Allure of the Sea and Explorer of the Seas — also contribute.

Left: Professor Michael Schmale uses marine animal models to study human diseases.

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(MBE)

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER WHERE BABY TURTLES ROAM DURING THE “LOST YEARS” A collaborative study that included scientist Jiangang Luo from the Rosenstiel School, tracked 17 loggerhead turtles in the Atlantic Ocean and provided the first look at early behavior and movement of young sea turtles in the wild, referred to as the “lost years.”

Using solar-powered satellite tags, scientists remotely tracked the movement — as the turtles roamed between 124 and 2,672 miles. The study was designed to learn more about their movement, habitat preferences and what happens during those “lost years” before they return to near shore habitats.

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS CARIBBEAN GORGONIAN CORALS ARE RESISTANT TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

In the first study of its kind to analyze the effects of climate scenarios on important Caribbean reef coral, an international team, including Rosenstiel School scientists, tested the effects of elevated CO2 concentrations on the growth and calcification rates of the sea rod, Eunicea fusca, a type of gorgonian or soft coral found throughout the Bahamas, Bermuda, South Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. The study on tropical shallow-water soft corals, found that the species were able to calcify and grow under elevated carbon dioxide concentrations. These results suggest that Caribbean gorgonian corals may be more resilient to the ocean acidification levels projected by the end of the 21st century than previously thought. “Reponses of the tropical gorgonian coral Eunicea fusca, to ocean acidification conditions,” was published in the online first version of the journal Coral Reefs.

D EPA RTM EN T CH A IR: CHRI S LANGDO N

Professor Chris Langdon leads the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology where there are currently 17 regular and emeritus faculty and 56 graduate students. MBE conducts research in a diverse range of fields including physiology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, ecology, behavior, population dynamics, connectivity, toxicology and conservation science. As a professor at the Rosenstiel School since 2004, Langdon is co-founder of the South Florida Coral Reef and Climate Change Lab. His background comprises chemistry and the biology of oceans. Langdon’s research includes understanding how coral reefs will be impacted by global warming and ocean acidification. At Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 Center in Tucson, AZ, he pioneered the use of moesocosms to study the impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs. Langdon received his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island in 1988.

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MBE DEPARTMENT CHAIR SERVES ON SESYNC OCEAN WORK GROUP Professor and MBE department Chair Chris Langdon is serving on the SeSync Ocean Acidification Human Risk Working group, which is assessing the societal risk from ocean acidification.

The assessment will focus risks to the shellfish industry and many economic interests tied to coral reefs, including recreational and commercial fisheries, real estate, diving and hospitality. The objective of the assessment is to identify when and where the most serious intersections of the physical hazard, biological sensitivity and risk to human society will occur. This information will then be used to highlight at risk regions, important knowledge gaps and opportunities to adapt through targeted local actions.

ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL SCIENTISTS MOBILIZED TO SAVE CORALS FROM DEEP DREDGE IN MIAMI’S PORT As plans to deep dredge the channel entrance to the PortMiami were underway, scientists from the Rosenstiel School quickly rushed to the aid of thousands of corals and the countless marine species that would be harmed during the seafloor digging process.

Andrew Baker, a coral biologist and professor at the Rosenstiel School, was granted a 12-day window to collect the corals. Together with a team of scientific divers, he rescued as many corals as possible and brought them to the Rosenstiel School’s Experimental Hatchery and Aquaculture facility on

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Virginia Key. Coral reefs are among the most bio-diverse ecosystems on the planet and critical indicators of the health of the oceans. In South Florida alone, reefs provide as much as $6 billion to the local economy.

UNDERGRADUATE CLASSES PRODUCE MANUSCRIPT FOR PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL Under the guidance of professors Margie Oleksiak, and Douglas Crawford, upper-level undergraduate students integrated fieldwork with genomics and bioinformatics into their course load. Using the newest sequencing technology, students collected enough data to submit a manuscript to a peerreviewed journal. Research focused on studying the reef-building coral species Acropora cervicornis, which is threatened in the United States due to significant losses throughout the Caribbean. While coral nurseries are used to help mitigate these losses, students explored the genetic variations of the species and its ability to adapt due to global climate change.

GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE HONORS ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL STUDENT Joaquin Nunez received an Honorable Mention from the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship Selection Committee. Nunez transferred to the Marine Science/Biology program at the Rosenstiel School in fall 2013, after earning an Associate’s degree

in biology from Miami Dade College.

During his first semester, Nunez joined the team in the Laboratory of Marine Genomics, where he studied how genomes in the mummichog fish respond to changes in temperature.

His work has implications for climate change and the global distribution of fish populations. The U.S. Congress established the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program in 1986.

GRADUATE PH.D.’S RESEARCH ON MARINE SNAILS MAY SHED LIGHT ON AGING Rosenstiel School Ph.D. graduate Andrew Kempsell performed aging research on the nervous system of the Aplysia marine snail to better understand aging defects in humans.

Kempsell studied the reflex movements of the snail, such as the flinching of a tail when it is touched, which can be traced back to single nerve cells in the nervous system. A similar reflex in humans would involve tens of thousands of nerve cells. Due to the ability to isolate the aging defects to single nerve cells in the snails, it can be easier to target and test changes. Kempsell found that the nerve cells that detect touch age faster than the nerve cells that move the tail in reaction to touch.

He hypothesized that the aged nerve cell might be deficient in a chemical that nerve cells use for communication, cyclic AMP. When cyclic AMP was given to the aged nerve cell, the tail flinch reflex could be recovered.

NEW COMB JELLY SPECIES RE-DISCOVERED

A new species of creeping flatworm-like animal, Coeloplana waltoni, has been named in honor of the founder of the Rosenstiel School, F. G. Walton Smith. Dr. Smith recognized this animal as belonging to the comb jelly phylum Ctenophora in 1945. Frederick M. Bayer, a Rosenstiel School professor at the time, began to describe this new species. His halffinished description lay dormant until his death in 2007. Dr. Stephen Cairns, a Rosenstiel School alumnus and a Smithsonian curator of invertebrates, discovered the manuscript and asked Rosenstiel School Professor Peter Glynn if the species could still be found. With the help of undergraduate marine science students Brian Coffman, Joshua Levy, Samuel May, Ryan McMinds, and Joyce Yager — the tiny, translucent jellyfish-like animals were found living with octocorals – sea whips and sea fans – in the waters off Dania Beach. After 70 years, this nearly forgotten comb jelly will become scientifically recognized in the journal Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, “Coeloplana waltoni, a New Species of Minute Benthic Ctenophore (Ctenophora: Platyctenida) from South Florida.” Specimens have been cataloged in the Rosenstiel School’s Invertebrate Museum collections for further study.

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Marine Ecosystems & Society FISHING CAUSES STRESS FOR SHARKS A study by Rosenstiel School scientists from the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, including lead author and Ph.D. graduate Austin Gallagher, found that catch-and-release fishing could cause stress to sharks, which ultimately can be linked to mortality. Rosenstiel School scientists experimentally simulated catch-andrelease fishing on five shark species: hammerhead, blacktip, bull, lemon and tiger sharks in South Florida and Bahamian waters. They proceeded to take blood samples to examine stress, conducted reflex tests and used satellite tags to look at shark species’ post-release survival rates. Fighting on a fishing line significantly affected the blood lactate levels of sharks, similar to what happens to humans during intense or exhaustive physi-

cal exercise, which has been linked to mortality in many species of fish.

Hammerhead sharks were found to be the most sensitive.

FUNDING HELPS ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR EXPLORE HOW CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS COASTAL COMMUNITIES With funding from the National S cience Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Rosenstiel School Professor Sarah Meltzoff traveled to fishing villages from Galapagos to Patagonia to explore the lives of those living in coastal regions and how they affect the surrounding ecosystems. The last radical El Niño event in 1997-98 fostered immense boom-and-bust cycles in fisheries that people had to navigate in terms of business and fisheries management.

Left: A hammerhead shark equipped with a satellite tracking tag to study the animal’s behavior and migration patterns.

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(MES)

Meltzoff interviewed fisherman and their leaders, as well as the urban industrial fleet managers and workers in processing plants, to understand the competing interests and decision-making strategies of each group. Based on her observations in the current system of communication and compliance, Meltzoff advocates for incorporating fishermen into the management process, with biologists and fishermen, to co-design new visual in-the-water management tools that will benefit ecosystems and fish populations, as well as local people living off of them.

$12 MI LLI O N WATER I NFRASTRUCTURE AWARD

MES Professors David Letson and Kenny Broad are among the recipients of a $12-million award from the National Science Foundation to address challenges that threaten urban water systems in the United States and around the world.

As part of the newly established Urban Water Innovation Network (UWIN), Letson and Broad will help design innovative technological solutions, such as green infrastructure, sustainable urban drainage networks, and floodplains that can enhance the sustainability of water systems across urban water systems. The UWIN project includes a consortium of 14 U.S. academic institutions led by Colorado State University.

D EPA RTM EN T CH A IR: KENNY BRO AD

Professor and Chair of the Rosenstiel School’s Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society Kenny Broad is also director of the Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. He holds a joint appointment at Columbia University where he serves as CoDirector of the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions. Broad received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University in 1999.

Through global initiatives, he has directed major interdisciplinary efforts to study diverse aspects of human and environmental interaction, including climate impacts and human perception, the use and misuse of scientific information, decision making under uncertainty, and ecosystem-based management. Broad has participated in extreme scientific and filmmaking expeditions on every continent — from studying cocaine distribution patterns to venomous snakes to the deepest caves on the planet — to gather information and samples that shed light on little known environmental and cultural subjects. He regularly collaborates with ecologists, climatologists and hydrologists, among others.

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SCIENTISTS STUDY PREDATOR-PREY BEHAVIOR BETWEEN SHARKS AND TURTLES A study led by Assistant Research Professor Neil Hammerschlag used long-term satellite tagging data from large tiger sharks and adult female loggerhead sea turtles to examine predator-prey interactions between the animals off the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean when their home ranges overlapped. The study revealed that tiger sharks undergo seasonal movements to take advantage of turtles nesting off the Carolinas during the summer but also found that when shark-turtle overlap in the study region was high, turtles did not alter surfacing behavior to risk avoidance.

FISHERY EXPERT AND ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR NAMED CHAIR OF SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Associate Professor David J. Die has been appointed as the new chair of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Scientific Committee of Research and Statistics. Die is the first U.S. academic and only the third American to hold this position since the Commission was founded in 1969.

The commission is responsible for the study and management of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. For nearly 30 years, Die has provided assessment and management of tropical fisheries worldwide and his research has been

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instrumental in the development of major management changes in several key fisheries.

Top: Juvenile mahi-mahi in

GRADUATE PROGRAM AIMS TO PRESERVE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE Increased human demand and unprecedented exploitation of natural marine resources have led to the depletion and collapse of many marine ecosystems. To help preserve and manage these finite resources wisely, the Rosenstiel School is training scientists to utilize interdisciplinary approaches to manage fisheries and aquaculture. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Graduate Program’s visionary approach combines fisheries and aquaculture sciences to develop the tools for improved management strategies to maintain healthy fishery stocks while producing wholesome seafood to meet the exponential demands of an ever-growing human global population in the decades to come. The Graduate Program offers Master of Professional Science, Masters of Science and Ph.D. degrees through the Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society or inter-departmental within the Rosenstiel School or the Abess Center.

interacts with a school of

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the UM Aquaculture lab.

Bottom: A research diver permit.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED TO ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR BAKUN

Andrew Bakun, professor of marine ecosystems and society at the Rosenstiel School, is a recipient of the Prince Albert I Medal. He is a leading global expert in the field of marine science and has worked as a professional oceanographer for more than 50 years. The Prince Albert I Medal is awarded annually to a single scientist who has been selected for extraordinary work in the field of ocean research.

The Oceanographic Institute of the Foundation of Albert I, Prince of Monaco, supports the implementation of sustainable management of the oceans, to reconcile the preservation of biodiversity and environmentally sound marine ecosystems.

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Marine Geosciences (MGS) SCIENTISTS UNCOVER MYSTERY OF ACTIVE VOLCANO IN HAWAII A new study led by Rosenstiel School Associate Professor Guoqing Lin and Professor Falk Amelung uncovered a previously unknown magma chamber deep below the most active volcano in the world – Kilauea in Hawaii.

This is the first geophysical observation verifying that large magma chambers exist in deeper parts of the volcano system. Scientists analyzed the seismic waves that travel through the volcano to understand the internal structure of the volcanic system.

Using data, researchers developed a three-dimensional velocity model of magma anomaly to determine the size, depth and composition of the lava chamber, which is several kilometers in diameter and located between 5 and 6.8 miles below the surface.

PROFESSOR NAMED CHAIR OF INTERNATIONAL OCEAN DISCOVERY PROGRAM Marine Geosciences Professor Keir Becker has been selected to serve as the first Chair of the new International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Forum. The IODP Forum is the primary international venue for exchanging ideas and views on the scientific progress of the IODP – which is in its newest phase of exploration and discovery using the technique of scientific ocean drilling. Becker is a veteran of 20 scientific ocean drilling expeditions since 1979, four as a chief scientist, and has nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications related to scientific ocean drilling.

ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE MAY HAVE ROCKED THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION A new study led by Ph.D. candidate Arash Sharifi and MGS Professor Ali Pourmand found that during the first half of the last interglacial period known as the Holocene epoch, which began about 12,000 years ago and continues today, the Middle East most likely experienced wetter conditions in comparison with the last 6,000 years, when the conditions were drier and dustier. The research reveals that some of the earliest civilizations in the Middle East and the Fertile Crescent may have been shaped and affected by abrupt climate change.

INAUGURAL SEDIMENTOLOGY AWARD GOES TO UM PROFESSOR

The International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) selected Professor Gregor Eberli from the Rosenstiel School as the first recipient of the Johannes Walther Award. The award is presented to a midcareer scientist and commemorates the 60th anniversary of the IAS and the 50th anniversary of its journal Sedimentology, the global leader in the field. Eberli has spearheaded the development of new approaches to understanding carbonate sediments and rocks and has advanced new concepts for the anatomy and evolution of carbonate platforms both in the Bahamas and in Italy.

Below: Ph.D. candidate Arash Sharifi and MGS Professor Ali Pourmand study a core sample.

D EPA RTM EN T CH A IR: PETER K. SWART

Professor and Chair of the Rosenstiel School’s Department of Marine Geosciences Peter K. Swart is a pioneer in marine geochemistry. Swart is best known for his work on isotopes in geochemistry, carbonate diagenesis – the physical and chemical changes occurring during the conversion of sediment to sedimentary rock – and hydrology. The Lewis G. Weeks Professor of Marine Geology, Swart pioneered the use of geochemistry in other areas such as extra terrestrial materials, hydrology, and carbonates. His 1982 Science paper was the first to reveal the presence of highly enriched C-13 phases in meteorites, offering clues to the origin of the solar system. As chair, Swart strives for high-quality undergraduate and graduate education in the classroom, field and laboratory to increase our understanding of the planet.

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SATELLITE DATA SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON ACTIVE GALAPAGOS VOLCANOES The Rosenstiel School is part of a long-term satellite-based monitoring program of the Galápagos volcanoes.

Satellite data taken two hours before the eruption of the most active volcano in South America’s famed Galápagos archipelago has revealed the pattern of eruptive fissures on the island chain’s volcanoes. The imagery, found

by Rosenstiel School and U.S. Geological Survey scientists, not only sheds light on how Galapagos volcanoes grow – which has been a subject of debate since Darwin’s time – but may also help in forecasting the locations of future eruptions, adding to the vast scientific knowledge acquired by study of this iconic island chain.

SATELLITE IMAGES COULD HELP FORECAST VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS A new study by scientists at the Rosenstiel School using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data on active volcanoes in Indonesia provides clues that could help forecast future volcanic eruptions. Analyzing more than 800 InSAR images from the Japanese Space Exploration Agency’s ALOS satellite, the team surveyed 79 volcanoes in Indonesia’s west Sunda arc between 2006 and 2009 to investigate deformation prior to the eruption of active volcanoes. They found that several volcanoes “inflated” prior to eruption. This change is the first

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unambiguous evidence of ground deformation leading up to volcanic eruptions. The team will now study other parts of Indonesia and the Philippines for more clues that could help in volcanic forecasting.

NEW STUDY OFFERS NEW CLUES TO MAJOR CLIMATIC EVENT A study by scientists at the Rosenstiel School suggest that the large changes in the carbon isotopic composition of carbonates, which occurred prior to the major climatic event more than 500 million years ago known as ‘Snowball Earth,’ are unrelated to worldwide glacial events. “Our study suggests that the geochemical record documented in rocks prior to the Marinoan glaciation or ‘Snowball Earth’ are unrelated to the glaciation itself,” said Rosenstiel School Professor and MGS Chair Peter Swart, a co-author of the study. “Instead the changes in the carbon isotopic ratio are related to alteration by freshwater as sea level fell.” Previously, scientists theorized that large changes in the cycling of carbon between the organic and inorganic reservoirs occurred in the atmosphere and oceans, setting the stage for the global glacial event. The findings of the study were published in the journal Geology.

Above: Marine foraminifera, used in paleoclimate studies, enlarged under a microscope.

Right: Minas de Azufre sulfur mines lie on the degassing Sierra Negra volcano on the Galápagos Islands.

NEW TECHNOLOGY HELPS SCIENTISTS PERFORM CUTTING-EDGE ISOTOPE TECHNIQUE

The Stable Isotope and Comparative Sedimentology Laboratories at the Rosenstiel School recently became one of the few laboratories in the world with two new stable isotope mass spectrometers, which enable scientists to use the latest isotope technique to unravel geological processes.

The purchase of the equipment — valued at more than $800,000 — was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation and matching funds from the Rosenstiel School. Stable isotopes are used by biogeochemists to help establish climate patterns from hundreds of thousands of years ago, using small organisms found in sediment cores. But traditional techniques cannot distinguish between various factors, such as temperature and salinity of the water in which the minerals and organisms lived.

The mass spectrometers enable scientists to differentiate between these factors and provide more information through a new technique known as the ‘clumped isotope’ technique.

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Ocean Sciences (OCE) DESTINATION ANTARCTICA FOR ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR, SCIENTISTS AND STUDENTS Ocean Sciences Chair Dennis Hansell and three Ph.D. students – Sarah Bercovici, Meredith Jennings and Andrew Margolin – traveled to the Ross Sea, Antarctica to study the export of algal carbon to the deep ocean during the austral summer of 2013. The National Science Foundation funded-project – spearheaded by Hansell – is called TRACERS, an acronym for TRacing the fate of Algal Carbon Export in the Ross Sea. With support from the United States Antarctic Program, the TRACERS team spent nearly two months in the Ross Sea and Southern Ocean, where they sampled biogeochemical parameters (such as oxygen,

nutrients and carbon) to move the scientific community towards closing the carbon budget of the Ross Sea, a long held goal.

STUDY OF DEEPWATER HORIZON SPILL PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO TRACKING POLLUTANTS Researchers from the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbons in the Environment studied the ocean circulation patterns at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, revealing the significant role small-scale ocean currents play in the spread of pollutants. “Our results conclusively show that ocean flows at small scales, below 10 kilometers, contain significant energy fluctuations to control the initial spread of pollutant

clouds,” said Rosenstiel School Professor and CARTHE Director Tamay Özgökmen. “Now that we have quantified this missing piece of the puzzle, we can improve our real-time predictive capabilities in the event of a future oil spill,” he added. The results provide new data about the significant dispersion patterns currently unaccounted for in ocean circulation models.

CLAIRE PARIS-LIMOUZY ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR IS A COMPETITIVE FREEDIVER Professor Claire Paris-Limouzy develops instruments to listen to, and observe, life forms on the reefs and in the open ocean. An important component to her approach is how she interacts with her research subjects underwater.

Paris-Limouzy uses her talent as a certified freediver to minimize any human

disturbance to her research subjects.

She has led numerous groundbreaking studies, including one that showed that reef fish larvae could smell the presence of coral reefs from as far as several kilometers offshore, and use this odor to find their way home. She also found that fish larvae communicate by emitting sounds. She developed scientific instruments and sophisticated computer models to predict how fish larvae, as well other planktonic organisms and pollutants, are transported with the ocean currents. These tools were instrumental to help track the behavior of oil during the Deepwater Horizon spill. Paris-Limouzy broke the USA Women’s National Freediving record in the freediving discipline of Dynamic No Fins during the 2015 California Cup competition.

Below: The Hansell Lab at the Pegasus Airfield, Antartica for TRACERS research cruise.

From left: Professor Dennis Hansell, Sarah Bercovici, Meredith Jennings and Andrew Margolin.

D EPA RTM EN T CH A IR: DENNI S HANSELL

Professor Dennis Hansell leads the Department of Ocean Sciences in researching the fundamental mechanisms of the physical, chemical and biological processes of the world’s oceans. The study of ocean sciences comprises all these disciplines to understand the ocean as a major Earth system. Hansell’s research is focused on carbon and nitrogen cycles and the distribution and movement of dissolved organic matter in the ocean. This work consists of time-series studies, surveys, and process research in various ocean basins. As part of his professional mission, Hansell offers his services to local, national and international communities.

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RESEARCHERS TRACK HURRICANE EDOUARD INTENSIFICATION

BY AIRCRAFT As tropical storm Edouard was forming in the eastern Atlantic west of the Cape Verde Islands, a team of hurricane scientists from the Rosenstiel School and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Research Division took to the skies to deploy a series of highly specialized instruments. The intent: collect critical information on ocean and atmospheric conditions along the storm’s predicted track. Rosenstiel School Professor Nick Shay and researchers Benjamin Jaimes and Jodi Brewster were working closely

with engineers at Lockheed Martin — the manufacturer of the expendable ocean probes — to prepare the instruments to collect valuable data to help forecast where and when a newly developed tropical storm would intensify into a full-blown hurricane. Edouard was a mere day-old tropical storm when the research team departed St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands aboard NOAA’s P3 hurricane hunter aircraft. A total of 27 specialized ocean sensors were deployed ahead of the predicted storm track to measure currents, temperature and salinity, which provided Edouard the fuel necessary to intensify.

GRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Rosenstiel School Ph.D. Candidate is a GoMRI Scholar

Nathan Laxague’s work and research interests predominantly lie in the physics of air-sea interaction. The fourth-year Rosenstiel School Ph.D. student and research assistant in the Applied Marine Physics program, works with the director of the SUSTAIN Lab, Professor Brian Haus.

As a Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative scholar, Laxague is particularly interested in shortscale ocean waves and their impact on air-sea fluxes. In his research assistant role, his responsibilities include operation of the SUSTAIN facilities for the purpose of experiments.

Understanding Physics of Sea-Ice and the Thermodynamics of the Cryosphere

A Ph.D. student in Applied Marine Physics, Macarena Ortiz studies with Ocean Science Professor and CSTARS Director Hans Graber. Ortiz’s research area lies in polar regions. She is interested in understanding the physics of sea-ice and the thermodynamics of the cryosphere, through the use of remote sensing and in-situ measurements. Her goal is to be able to detect, classify and analyze various types of sea-ice in the northern sea routes and to understand the physics of the ice edge in the marginal ice zone. The use of synthetic aperture radar and other types of satellite sensors, such as optics, will aid in understanding sea ice remotely, while also using in-situ measurements such as surface buoys, to validate ground data. Ortiz is currently working on using neural networks to classify different types of sea-ice in the Beaufort Sea.

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SCIENTISTS SUGGEST NEW APPROACH TO HURRICANE FORECASTING A study by Rosenstiel School scientists offer a new method to aid in storm intensity prediction of hurricanes to help improve tropical storm forecasting. According to Brian Haus, Rosenstiel School professor of ocean sciences, director of the SUSTAIN (SUrge STructure Atmosphere INteraction) Lab and co-author of the study, the general assumption has been that the large density difference between the ocean and atmosphere makes that interface too stable to affect storm intensity.

“This study shows that a type of instability may help explain rapid intensification of some tropical storms,” says Brian Haus. The researchers used a technique called “shadow imaging,” where a guided laser is sent through the two fluids – air and water – to measure the physical properties of the ocean’s surface during extreme winds, equivalent to a category 3 hurricane. Haus and colleagues will conduct further studies on hurricane intensity prediction in the new SUSTAIN research facility.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL NAMES ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL PROFESSOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rosenstiel School Professor Lynn “Nick” Shay has been named editor-in-chief of Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, an international journal for research related to the dynamical and physical processes of atmosphere, oceans and climate. Shay has been an active member of the journal’s editorial board and has also served on the editorial boards of a number of other journals, including the American Meteorological Society Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanographic Technology.

Right: Adam Houk, Senior Research Associate II, prepares to retrieve a sub-surface mooring attached to an acoustic wave and current profiler.

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Dean’s Message

Left: UM Rosenstiel School Dean Roni Avissar

EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS I joined the Rosenstiel School over six years ago to lead it through one of the biggest transformations in its history and to ensure it is poised for success as an institution of higher education in the 21st century.

Major changes are underway to transform the landscape of our school. Our greatest and most visual accomplishment is the completion on the Marine Technology and Life Sciences Seawater Complex. The Complex provides our world-class scientists and students with a state-of-the-art research and education center to study the critical issues impacting our planet and human health.

The complex includes the one-of-akind Alfred C. Glassell Jr. SUrgeSTructure-Atmosphere-INteraction (SUSTAIN) capable of simulating Category 5 hurricane storm conditions in a laboratory setting. The Marine Life Sciences building, also located within the complex, provides a dedicated space for the study of marine animals, the critical connections between oceans and human health and the impacts of evolving climate on marine organisms and ecosystems.

We have also restructured our academic operation into five departments

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to better deliver on our mission to provide excellent education and support the faculty and their research.

We have reorganized our graduate programs, and increased our offering in undergraduate and professional education to ensure we attract the best students and prepare them to become the next generation of environmental problem solvers.

An exciting and innovative addition to our research and education infrastructure is a one-of-a-kind Helicopter Observation Platform (HOP), a flying scientific laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art technology and scientific instrumentation. The HOP provides our scientists with a unique platform to obtain vital information on environmental processes that affect our climate and impact human health.

discoveries while training the next generation of scientists and creating the knowledge that we communicate to our students and the community is key to our forward vision.

We recently recruited five professors as part of our strategic plan to recruit 16 new professors within the next five years. This faculty renewal will help us develop and implement new technologies for teaching in the classroom and on line and bring new research ideas in new directions that are relevant for the 21st century. Continuing to invest in the administrative staff that makes our campus run smoothly and efficiently and the facilities needed to make ground-breaking

It is an exciting time to be a part of the momentous transformation of the Rosenstiel School. I invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we continue to build a better U together and transform lives through education, research, and service to the community.

Roni Avissar Dean, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Below: UM Rosenstiel School students give the U on the campus dock.

This is just the start. We continue to make investments in our campus infrastructure, people and research capabilities. A state-of-the-art scientific scuba-diver training center is just one of the latest projects underway to transform our campus. Less visible but not less important, all classrooms, research labs and other campus facilities, including our auditorium and commons, are being modernized and upgraded.

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A D VAN CIN G SCIEN CE WITH IN A H U B

Sponsored Research A Sponsored Programs team facilitates the process of proposal awarding

Marine Operations

and management for the Rosenstiel School. Operating as a satellite of the

The Marine Operations Department is responsible for the operation,

Office of Research Administration activities include the proposal signature

maintenance and support of the research vessel F.G. Walton Smith, an

process, routing submission and administration and budgetary approvals.

advanced research catamaran designed for tropical oceanography. This

Center for Computational Science

vessel is operated as part of the University National Laboratory System

Answering big data challenges, the supercomputer at the Center for

(UNOLS). The Marine Department also houses a Shipboard Technical

Computational Science allows scientists and graduate students to

Support Group, which provides marine technical support for UM and

perform complex calculations. Multi-scale Interdisciplinary approaches

other UNOLS vessel operators.

construct complex computer models that require a multitude of proces-

Dive Operations

sors operating simultaneously.

The Dive Office and Scientific Diving Program supports our academic

Facilities Administration

education and research. More than 125 active divers log upwards of

Providing a safe working environment for research and students is a

3,000 scientific dives and 1,000 additional science training/proficiency

primary facet of the Facilities Administration. The department supports

dives annually. Locales span reef systems from the Florida Keys and the

the school’s operation through a well-trained work force, as well as

Dry Tortugas to French Polynesia, Panama and Australia.

maintenance and reliability of utilities, systems and buildings.

Business Office

Machine Shop

The Business Office provides services for current and potential students,

The Scientific Machine Shop’s function is to improve the quality of

as well as faculty and staff. It is overseen by its Executive Director and

research at the school and the Virginia Key oceanographic community.

is comprised of an Associate Director of Finance, as well as financial

The shop facilitates development of new instrumentation and technology,

analysts and sponsored program specialists.

and is involved in research programs through to the field-testing of new

The Advancement and Communications Office

equipment.

The Office of Advancement is responsible for initiating and maintain-

Library

ing relationships with foundations, corporations, individual donors and

In addition to new books, e-books, journals, subject guides and other re-

alumni. Communications gathers and publicizes the news and events

sources, the Rosenstiel School Library offers students access to software

about the school and creates informative multi-channel communication

installed on library laptops, including: ArcGIS 10.1, MATLAB, and SAS.

materials for print, web and broadcast.

Security

ACCESS TO SCIENCE

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The Campus Safety Department on the Virginia Key campus provides a safe and secure environment 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. The department is comprised of a team of professional campus safety officers.

Office of Human Resources and Faculty Affairs The Office of Human Resources and Faculty Affairs is focused on the management of people within the organization. The role of human resource management is to plan, develop, and administer policies and programs designed to make efficient use of an organizations human resource.

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4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149-1031

rsmas.miami.edu Twitter: @UMiamiRSMAS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ RosenstielSchool/

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SCIENCE HAPPENING

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