Winter 2001/2002 • Volume XVI, Number 1

MANGROVE NURSERY SPROUTS AT NSU

Mangrove seedlings in pond at NSU’s Oceanographic Center

Nova Southeastern UniversityOceanographic Center

One-year-old mangroves, originally grown at the ARC, with the new seedlings in the background.

For the largest mangrove nurseryaround, look no further than our back yard.NSU recently extended its wetlandsrestoration work. In a flurry of activity,people were seen rummaging through southFlorida forests for the sprouted seeds(propagules) of red mangroves (Rhizophoramangle) to transplant to a pond onthe Oceanographic Center grounds.Propagules are only available during latefall months, so the window was closing asstudents and other workers rushed to col-lect the more than 600,000 needed for thenursery venture. Now they are just begin-ning to sprout, and you can compare themto one-year-old plants previously grown atthe Aquaculture Research Center (ARC).Our plants have been used to restorethousands of acres of wetlands with majorclients including the Florida Departmentof Transportation, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, the Florida Departmentof Environmental Protection, and manylarge and small developers. Internationally,we have supplied plants and/or consultingservices to Ecuador, Venezuela, theDominican Republic, Jamaica, GrandCayman, the Bahamas, France, Kuwait,Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and many others.With little advertising, the ARC haddemands for almost 200,000 last year, andnow we hope to increase sales throughincreased marketing, a new Web page(www.mangrovesdirect.com), and businesshelp from Phil Friedman of the WayneHuizenga Graduate School of Business andEntrepreneurship.

2

from the town of Davie. American eel(Anguilla rostrata) and marine shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei) are the species inculture here. Eels were test-cultured andmarketed (as smoked, Chinese, andItalian specialties) in the previous year,and they show much promise as high-end products. The current stock of150,000 is planned for expansion tomore than twice that number in a seriesof new concrete tanks. The culture ofmarine shrimp in freshwater is the mostexciting new research in aquaculturetoday (see student news—starting onthis page). The leased lots east of theARC are the planned locations of pondsfor culture of the high-value shrimp.

Other aquaculture projects are alsounderway at this time, including

■ The Collier City Aquaculture andHydroponics Complex—This facility,funded by the state of Florida for$250,000 in year one, and with promisesof additional funds for expansion andprocessing, is a first-of-its kind, minority-owned and operated, inner-city project.The facility is the first link of a chainconnecting low-income, inner-city, andurban neighborhoods, and will extendnorthward across the state.

The Aquaculture Research Center complex

Aquaculture Student News

In the forefront of shrimp cultureresearch and responsible for starting a newwave of shrimp production, Ph.D. studentDavid McMahon (M.S. 1998) is operatinga 40-acre shrimp farm (Ocean Boy) inLaBelle, Florida, and a large processingfacility in Clewiston. He is also constructinga large shrimp farm in Clewiston. Based onin-progress dissertation research on thefreshwater culture of marine shrimp,McMahon embarked on this multi-milliondollar project, funded by private investors.The subject of articles and news exposure,McMahon’s first-year success has spawnedmuch interest by the state of Florida andfuture shrimp farmers. Recently joiningMcMahon’s operation is OC alumnusErik DeMicco (M.S. 2000) whose relatedresearch was on the feeding of larvalshrimp.

A master’s student also working atMcMahon’s Ocean Boy Farms, JohnReguzzoni, is conducting research on theunique diets of the new Florida SweetShrimp®. As part of a bio-security programto prevent diseases from entering inlandshrimp culture operations (the potentialdownfall of Central American and easternshrimp culture), Reguzzoni is testing fat andprotein substitutes for the fishmeal used indiet formulations. One fat source he tested

The year 2001 ended, and 2002 began with an explosion of activities in aquaculture.

Big on the list was the beginning of afive-year lease of the Aquaculture ResearchCenter Complex, funded by a grant fromNSU and a private investor for $500,000(year one). The first few months of thisagreement between NSU and the town ofDavie are being spent constructing andupgrading facilities in three areas:

■ The Aquaculture Research Center(ARC)—This is the original facilitycreated from an abandoned water plantand operated by NSU for five years forthe town of Davie. In culture are tilapia,herbs, and vegetables, all of which aresold to local seafood markets, restaurants,or health food stores.

■ Wetlands Research Center—once whollylocated in Davie, this crop of marine andfreshwater wetlands lived on aquacultureeffluent from the ARC. With expansioninto other fish and shellfish, the marinewetland plants (primarily mangroves)were relocated and expanded at vacantgrounds of NSU’s Oceanographic Center.

■ Intensive Culture Research Center—Specializing in the intensive culture ofhigh value species, this facility is the pri-mary expansion into lands being leased

■ The OC Shrimp Hatchery—On thebooks for six years at the OC, and withcontributions by many graduate studentsover the years, this project is poised toprovide research and production inFlorida pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeusduorarum) with upcoming funding. Pinkshrimp, the favorite of once-boomingbait and food shrimp industries, is theonly native species with potential forcommercial aquaculture.

■ The DOT Seagrass Culture Project—Funded by a two-year, $94,000 grantfrom the Florida Department ofTransportation, this project addresses theurgent need to understand the ecologyand culture of rare and endangered localseagrasses such as Halophila decipiensand H. johnsonii. First-year results arepromising for restoration and creation ofbeds of these disappearing plants.

3

was chicken fat from Tyson® Foods, whichbegs the question, “Now do your shrimptaste like chicken?” John says, “No, but,they might bite your ear off.”

A long-term researcher at the OC andresponsible for constructing and maintainingseawater operations, M.S. student RichardHubbard recently completed his researchin marine organism larviculture. He hasgiven a number of presentations on thesubject, and in cooperation with and spear-headed by M.S. researcher Ray Wolcott,he has opened the possibility of edible seaurchin culture. Wolcott recently completedhis M.S. research on the breeding andculture of sea urchins (Lytechinus variegatusand Tripneustes ventricosus). These two, andthe current aquaculture students above,are actively presenting their research atscience meetings—more than a dozenpapers in 2002.

Aquaculture graduates are activelyinvolved (and well-paid) in careers inaquaculture. Alumnus Sofia (Russell)Thompson (M.S. 1994) has been manag-ing a shrimp farm in Freeport, Bahamas, forfive years. Her 10-acre farm is small com-pared to many, but it is the largest andlongest existing farm in the Caribbean,capable of producing more than 100,000pounds of shrimp per year. While she stocksthis year’s crop of baby shrimp she is alsoexpecting her own baby, her second.

Ken Cook (M.S. 1994) conductedresearch in shrimp and tilapia culture andhe likewise embarked on a career in aqua-culture. Now co-owner of the landscapefirm Plant Creations, Inc. (Homestead), hespecializes in the culture and landscaping ofwetlands and hammock environments. Hismangrove nursery was the largest in theUnited States (before the OC’s), and theplants are used in projects throughoutMiami-Dade and Monroe Counties. HelenDixon (M.S. 1993) performed her thesisresearch in Belize shrimp culture. She wasrecently introduced as a guest speaker atAquaculture America as the person creditedwith single-handedly curing shrimp diseasein Belize. She is an internationally recog-nized shrimp culture consultant, aiding inoperations throughout Central and SouthAmerica and now as consulting manager toE & E Shrimp Farm in Costa Rica, sheremains in the forefront of environmentallyresponsible and sustainable shrimp culture.

The first aquaculture graduate at NSU,Rami Alon (M.S. 1990), realized his goalof managing an aqua Kibbutzim (coopera-tive farm) in Israel. Falling in love with

aquaculture, Alon abandoned a securecareer in the jewelry business in lieu ofmore rewarding success. NSU aquaculture’sfirst Ph.D. student Brian Hicks (Ph.D.1999) conducted pioneering research intopompano (Trachinotus carolinus) culture.He also supervised M.S. students in pom-pano culture during his tenure at the OC,and he is responsible for setting up much of

Ocean Boy Farms, Inc.

Lucayan Aquaculture, Ltd., the Freeport, Bahamas, farm managed by NSUOC alumnus Sofia (Russell) Thompson.

the present aquaculture facility. An activeconsultant in marine fish culture, he is alsoa teacher in Stuart, Florida. On the facultyat Palm Beach Community College andcompleting her research in the cultureand ecology of freshwater crayfish(Procambarus allani), Peggy Van Armanrecently passed her preliminary exams andis finishing her dissertation.

4

OC students, Paul Arena, FleurHarttung, Rob Baron, and LanceJordan attended the 54th Meeting ofthe Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute,Providenciales, Turks and Caicos,November 12–17, 2001.

Two posters were presented: “TheNearshore Hardbottom fishes of BrowardCo., Florida, USA,” by Rob M. Baron, PaulT. Arena, Fleur M. Harttung, Danny P.Fahy, Brian Buskirk, Cheryl Miller, LanceK. B. Jordan, and Richard E. Spieler; and“Spatial Variability of Coral Reef FishAssemblages Offshore Broward Co.,Florida,” by Fleur M. Harttung, Paul T.Arena, Lance K. B. Jordan, Brian D.Ettinger, and Richard E. Spieler. LanceJordon presented a talk titled, “SpatialVariability of Coral Reef Fish AssemblagesOffshore Broward Co., Florida.”

Carol Fretwell, coordinator of admin-istrative operations for NCRI, recentlyreturned from a trip to the state capital forthe Annual Oceans Day observance,cohosted by the Florida Institute ofOceanology (of which OC is one of itsnewest members), the Ocean Alliance, andMote Marine Laboratories. The day-longevent featured table-top displays on thesecond and third floors of the CapitolRotunda from many ocean research facili-ties in Florida, with the banners of the indi-vidual institutions draped over the railings

People on the Move

Carol Fretwell in front of NSU exhibit

(On left) Alexander Soloviev, Julian McCreary, Dennis Moore. (On right)NSU graduate, Roland De Szoeke with his student and her husband.

Zuojun Yu (with her son), Mark Wimbush, Pern Niiler, and Andrew Moore.

(L-R) Rob Baron, Paul Arena, Fleur Harttung, and Lance Jordon

5

Meeting together in Los Angeles on the way to the AGU meeting in Honolulu are, left to right: (seated) NCRIresearch scientist and OC adjunct professor, Bernhard Riegl; Eileen Riegl; Robert Ginsburg, professor,University of Miami RSMAS; (standing) Richard E. Dodge, NCRI executive director and OC dean;Gregory S. McIntosh, NCRI director of Caribbean and Latin American region; and Gregor Hodgson, ReefCheck Global Survey Program coordinator and visiting professor, UCLA.

(including NSU’s), and a large suspendedbanner showing an outline of Florida, indi-cating more than a dozen research facilitiesthat are FIO members. Outside, in theEllipse, large, truck-sized displays such asthe mobile aquarium from Mote, shared thearea with NASA walk-in exhibits, also inTallahassee for “NASA Day.”

Sean Kennan, Ph.D. traveled toHawaii February 8–March 4 to collaboratewith Pierre Flament, Ph.D., and to attendthe 2002 AGU Ocean Sciences Meetingwhere he presented a talk titled, “VerticalStructure of the NECC in the EasternTropical Pacific.” Then from March 25–26Kennan attended the EPIC Workshop inSeattle, Washington.

Edward O. Keith, Ph.D., and severalof his graduate students, includingChristine Hudak, Amy Paine, JenniferScharnitz, and Rebekah Walker, attendedthe XIV Biennial Conference on theBiology of Marine Mammals, heldNovember 28–December 3, 2001 inVancouver, Canada. Keith presented aposter titled “A Regional ManateeRecovery Plan for the Alvarado LagoonSystem, Veracruz, Mexico,” which wascoauthored by his collaborators fromMexico, Alejandro Ortega-Argueta fromthe Institute of Ecology and EnriquePortilla-Ochoa from the Institute ofBiological Research, University of Veracruz.Hudak presented the results of her master’sthesis in a talk titled “Habitat Utilization ofBottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inBiscayne Bay, Florida,” that was coauthoredby Joseph Contillo and Steven Swartz,both with the National Marine FisheriesService, Southeast Fisheries ScienceCenter, in Miami.

Grants

Edward O. Keith, Ph.D., received a grant from the Florida Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission (FWCC), to develop a “Boater Manatee AwarenessSystem” that is designed to reduce manatee-vessel collisions, a major mortality factorfor the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). This grant was funded as partof a Manatee Avoidance Technology Program newly funded by the FWCC and totalfunds awarded totaled $6,911. These funds will, in part, support the work of AmyPaine, one of Keith’s graduate students.

NSUOC was once again awarded the Broward County Sea Turtle MonitoringProject. The contract, with the Broward County Department of Planning andEnvironmental Protection, is for three years at approximately $124,375 per year. Theseason runs from March 1 to September 30. The permit holds 25 people, includingLou Fisher (DPEP); Curtis Burney, Ph.D. (PI of the contract); project manager,Stefanie Ouellette; assistant manager, Jeremy Barnes; and 21 workers. This year,there are 14 experienced workers returning and 7 new workers. Beginning in August,Broward County will start a county-wide beach renourishment, which will directlyaffect the project. The responsibility for the protection of sea turtle nests will be evenmore important than ever.

6

The 2002 AGU Ocean SciencesMeeting held in Honolulu, Hawaii,February 11–15, had a cadre of NSU faculty,graduates, and ex-NSU faculty attending.The meeting brought together two formerdirectors of the Oceanographic Center,Dennis Moore and Julian P. McCreary,Jr., (currently on sabbatical); ex-facultymembers Pern Niiler, Mark Wimbush,and Andrew Moore; and NSU graduatesRoland De Szoeke, Weiqing Han,Zuojun Yu, and Yasushi Fukamachi.Also present were OC dean, RichardDodge and faculty members AlexanderSoloviev and Sean Kennan.

The 2002 Ocean Sciences Meetingwas cosponsored by the American Societyof Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)and the American Geophysical Union(AGU).

NSU Well Represented at AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting in Hawaii

In front of some of the posters presented by OC and NCRI personnel at the 2002 Ocean Sciences Meeting inHonolulu. Discussing the posters with an interested passerby are (from left to right): Brian Walker, NCRIbiological and geographical information specialist and OC student; Ryan Moyer, NCRI student researchassistant and OC student; unknown passerby; Richard E. Dodge, NCRI executive director and OC dean; andBernhard Riegl, NCRI research scientist and OC adjunct faculty. Also in attendance but not shown in this photowas Gregory McIntosh (NCRI director of the Caribbean and Latin American region).

Publications

J. L. McCarty and V. Dragojlovic,Demonstrating of Allotropic Modifi-cations of Sulfur; Re-creating Io’sVolcanic Surface, JCST, 2001, 31,265–267.

Y. L. Chow, D. Gao, and V. Dragojlovic,Multigram Scale Cobalt CatalyzedPhotochemical Methoxy-carbonylationof Alkenes, J. Mol. Cat. A: Chemical,2001, 171:1–2, 43–51.

V. Dragojlovic, A Method to DrawCyclohexane Ring and its Substituents,J. of Chem. Educ., 2001, 78, 923.

High School InternParticipation

During the summer of 2001,Edward O. Keith, Ph.D., had ChrisShelly, a high school intern, partici-pating in his research. Shelly helpedwith the assembly of the hydrophonesystem Keith purchased to augmenthis ongoing bottlenose dolphin(Tursiops truncatus) surveys in PortEverglades. Chris also researched andorganized a new display for the lobbyof the Forman Building comparing thebottlenose dolphin and the commondolphin (Delphinus delphis). See backcover for picture of Shelly with thedisplay he developed.

OtherAndrew Rogerson, Ph.D., has beenasked to join the Advisory Boardof the International Journal,Protistology. He is also currently anassociate editor of the Journal ofEukaryotic Microbiology and on theeditorial board of the European Journalof Protistology.

Veljko Dragojlovic, Ph.D., receivedthe president’s faculty scholarshipaward for 2001–2002 for the projectRuthenium Tetroxide Oxidation ofIodoalkanes.

Gary S. Kleppel, Ph.D., of SUNYAlbany, and formerly an NSUOCfaculty member, gave a seminar titled,“Functional integrity and urbanizationof estuarine ecosystems in thesoutheastern United States,” onFebruary 25.

(See more pictures on previous pages)

7

Ocean Measurement Center (SFOMC),(of which NSUOC forms the NorthCampus) by Garth Jensen, executivedirector, SFOMC, U.S. Navy CarderockDivision, followed by a welcome to NSUby Dean Richard Dodge. Content speakersfollowed and included, Professor AndrewRogerson, NSUOC—ballast water issues;Dean Richard Dodge, executive director,NCRI—coral reef issues, regional andnational; Grace Johns, senior associate,Hazen and Sawyer, Inc., and BrowardCounty—Reef economics of South Florida;Professor Richard Spieler, NSUOC—

A site visit by commissioners of theUnited States Commission on OceanPolicy was held at the OceanographicCenter on February 21, 2002.

Congress created the commission in2000. President George W. Bush appointed16 people, among a slate of 24 individualsnominated by Congress and four by him-self, to serve as members of the U.S.Commission on Ocean Policy. This com-mission is undertaking an 18-month inves-tigation of ocean-related issues and willmake far-reaching recommendations to thepresident and Congress for a comprehen-sive national ocean policy which willinclude the Great Lakes. The last similarreview of the nation’s ocean laws and poli-cies was conducted in the late 1960s undersimilar legislation. Commonly known asthe Stratton Commission, after its chair-man Julius Stratton, that commission’s1969 report led to the creation of theNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) and the passageof major legislation governing fisheries andcoastal management.

Over the next 18 months, the currentcommission will assess a wide range of chal-lenging issues, including stewardship offisheries and marine life; responsible use ofoffshore oil, gas and nonliving resources;coastal storms and other natural hazards;ocean and coastal pollution; marine trans-portation; the role of oceans in climatechange; oceanographic science and tech-nologies; and international leadership andcooperation in marine affairs.

The National Academy of Sciences’Ocean Studies Board will help establish ascience advisory panel to assist in ensuringthe scientific reports presented to the com-mission are based on the best availableinformation. During the course of its one-and-a-half year study, the commission isrequired to hold six regional meetingsaround the country. The commission willpresent its findings and recommendationsin a final report to Congress and thepresident in the spring of 2003. (For moreinformation on the U.S. Commission onOcean Policy, go to their Web site atwww.oceancommission.gov).

For the visit to NSUOC, the U.S.Coast Guard Cutter Gannet ferried thegroup (Commissioners Ted Beattie, PaulKelley, Marc Hershman, Ann D’Amato,and Jim Coleman) from Port Everglades tothe Fort Lauderdale Coast Guard stationlocated next to the NSUOC. The groupthen was transported to the center wherethey were treated to coffee and donuts andgiven an overview of the South Florida

coral reef restoration issues; Jim Bohnsack,research fishery biologist, National MarineFisheries Service, Southeast FisheriesScience Center, NOAA, and NancyThompson, director, Southeast FisheriesScience Center, National MarineFisheries Service, NOAA—marine protectedarea issues.

From NSUOC, the group was thentransported to FAU’s SeaTech facility inDania Beach for lunch and to listen to sev-eral more speakers. From there they weretransported to the Diplomat Hotel for theday’s final presentations.

U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Visits NSUOC

Members of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy

Commissioners meeting other guests over coffee.

8

MASTERCURRENTSINSTITUTE OF MARINE AND COASTAL STUDIES

M.S. degree specialties are marine biology, coastal zone management, and marineenvironmental science. Each course carries three credit hours or may be audited.Tuition is $475 per credit hour (50 percent less for audit). Classes meet once a weekfrom 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Oceanographic Center (unless otherwise specified.)The spring term runs from April 8–June 28 (unless otherwise specified). Registration($25 nonrefundable fee) begins two weeks prior to the start of classes. For furtherinformation, call Andrew Rogerson or Melissa Dore at (954) 262-3610 or 800-396-2326, or email imcs@nova.edu. More information can be found at the Web sitewww.nova.edu/ocean/.

COASTAL ORNITHOLOGY

(CZMT–0640, MEVS–5050, OCMB–6400)

Examines the evolution, taxonomy, structureand function, behavior, natural history, andecology of the members of the class Aves,with special focus on coastal and marinespecies. The course will include lecture andlaboratory sessions, as well as a number offield trips. Thursdays, 6:30–9:30 p.m. $50Lab Fee. Instructor: Ed Keith

INTRODUCTION TO MARINEGEOLOGY

(OCOR–5604)

Includes lecture topics ranging from platetectonics and hydrothermal vents to thegeological history of climate change andthe geology of Florida. In addition, fieldprojects will collect microfossils for speciesidentification. Labs which use light andan introduction to scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM) for microfossil identifi-cation will be included. Preparation of ateam research paper, as well as a libraryresearch paper in which individual reportsand presentations will be made, is required.Field collections will be from several loca-tions in Broward County, as well as fromFlorida and Whitewater Bays. There will bea mandatory field trip. $125 Lab Fee.Mondays 6:30–9:30 p.m./Fridays 10:00a.m.–1:00 p.m. Instructor: Pat Blackwelder

BIOSTATISTICS(OCOR–5606)This is a basic course on the practicalapplications of descriptive and inferentialstatistics with emphasis on principles andmethods of summarizing and analyzingbiological data. Measures of central ten-dency, dispersion, and variability testingwill be discussed along with basic conceptsof probability distributions, hypothesistesting, and decision making. Topics willalso include simple statistical tests; analysisof variance (ANOVA—single classification,nested, and two-way); linear regression;and correlation. Tuesdays 6:30–9:30 p.m.$50 Lab Fee. Instructor: Mark Farber.

Field Course

BELIZE BARRIER REEF ECOLOGY

(OCMB–8100)

Held at South Water Caye, Belize. This course will be an intensive hands-on learningexperience at the magnificent barrier reef system of Belize. We will spend a majorityof our time actually diving on the reef and in the waters of the lagoon and back reef.Students will experience first hand the great natural biodiversity of the pristine reefsystem of Belize. Students will undertake individual projects related to their thesistopic (if known). Housing and accommodations on the island are rustic, but adequate.Special diets cannot be accommodated.

Prerequisites: Invertebrate zoology, marine ecology, or equivalent. Students willneed passports and will be required to pass a swim test prior to departure.Preparation: The class will meet three times before departing for Belize to providewritten material and background on the course. Attendance is mandatory. $1,300Lab Fee. Instructor: James Thomas

BIOLOGY OF SHARKS

(OCMB–6225)

Sharks have long held the fascination of humans, with resulting exploitation by themedia to capitalize on this interest. Regrettably, a severe lack of understanding of thebiology and natural history of sharks has resulted in numerous misconceptions aboutthese fish and traditionally little attention to management and preservation of sharksas integral components of marine ecosystems. With increasing commercial and recre-ational fishing of sharks and the realization that these fish may need to be managedusing different strategies than used for teleost fish, there is tremendous interest world-wide in researching and understanding the biology of sharks. This course will coverfundamental aspects of the biology of sharks, including systematics, evolution, repro-duction, behavior, genetics, migration, conservation, fisheries management, and fieldresearch techniques. Wednesdays. $1,285 Lab Fee. Instructor: Mahmood Shivji.

9

Distance Education

BIOSTATISTICS

(OCOR–5606)We are frequently reminded of the fact that we are living in the information age.Appropriately, then, this course is about information—how it is obtained, how it isanalyzed, and how it is interpreted. Selection of topics in the course was guided by threeconsiderations: (1) What are the most useful statistical methods?; (2) Which statisticalmethods are the most widely used in journals in the biological, environmental, and healthsciences?; and (3) Which statistical methods are fundamental to further study?

This course requires few mathematical prerequisites. Only reasonable proficiency inalgebra is required for an understanding of the concepts and methods underlying thecalculations. The emphasis continues to be on an intuitive understanding of principlesrather than an understanding based on mathematical sophistication. Because the courseis designed for people preparing for or already pursuing a career in the biological,environmental, and health sciences, the examples and exercises reflect the problems andactivities that these people are likely to encounter in the performance of their duties.Instructor: Patrick Hardigan.

Study Abroad

The NSU Oceanographic Center is offering an exciting new, jointly taught, M.S.degree in marine biology. The University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM),field station of the University of London, has agreed to collaborate with the OC and willteach aspects of temperate marine biology. This will complement the sub-tropical focus ofcourses in Florida.

Students will spend the first seven months at the UMBSM (located on an island inScotland, close to the mainland and 40 miles from the city of Glasgow). There, betweenSeptember and March, students will take five elective courses and complete their capstoneprojects under the supervision of University of London faculty. The M.S. degree is a capstonedegree encompassing five core courses, eight elective courses, and a six-credit capstonepaper. Students will complete their degree at the OC in Florida, spending about 12months taking the remaining core classes and electives. Although this is a sharedNSU/University of London degree, the M.S. will be conferred by Nova SoutheasternUniversity. Thus all administrative issues will be handled by the NSU OceanographicCenter. Proposed start date is either September 2002 (conditional on enough interest) orSeptember 2003. Full details from Andrew Rogerson, director of OC graduate programs(arogerso@nova.edu).

Other Graduate News—Student Development Fund

The Graduate Program continues to hold a fund to assist students to travel to conferencesto present papers or posters. Since this fund is relatively modest and has been subjectto heavy use throughout 2001, the following guidelines are offered to help students applyfor money.

Students are welcome to apply to the graduate faculty committee (comprising professorsRogerson, Messing, and Shivji) for funds to help facilitate travel to conferences. For anoral presentation, students can apply for up to $300—for a poster presentation themaximum amount is $100.

Students should submit their request to the director of the graduate program(Rogerson). They need to show evidence that travel/accommodation/ conference fees areequal to, or in excess of, the amount requested. They must also submit a copy of theabstract for consideration by the faculty committee. Only quality presentations will besupported since the development money pool is limited.

Awards will only be granted to an individual student once per year and no more thanthree awards will be granted to a professor’s laboratory per year.

Graduate Certificate inCoastal Studies

Beginning in the Spring of 2002,the Institute of Coastal Studies of theNSUOC will offer a distance learninggraduate certificate in coastal studies.The certificate requires the successfulcompletion of four distance courses.This certificate program is not open tostudents enrolled in M.S. or Ph.D.graduate programs. Full details canbe obtained from the OC distanceeducation coordinator, Jane Dougan(douganj@nova.edu).

Defenses THESIS

Dawn M. Miller, “Does Beach CrawlWidth Correlate with Carapace Sizein Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Carettacaretta)?” February 25. Committeemembers: Curtis Burney, Edward O.Keith, Lou Fisher (DPEP BiologicalResources Division)

Catherine A. Mattison, “TheInfluence of Physical and Anthro-pogenic Factors on the Distribution ofLoggerhead Sea Turtle (Carettacaretta) Nests in Broward County,Florida (1990–1999).” January 28.Committee members: Curt Burney,Edward O. Keith, and Lou Fisher(DPEP)

CAPSTONE REVIEW

Melinda Parrot, “Invasions ofMarine and Estuarine Environmentsby Nonindigenous Species—a GlobalProblem and its Management.”January 11. Committee members:Stacy Myers and Bart Baca.

02-343/02 DBB

Published quarterly byNova Southeastern University3301 College AvenueFort Lauderdale, Florida 33314-7796

Editor: Kathy Maxson

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATIONNova Southeastern University admits students of any race, color, sex, age, nondisqualifying disability, religion or creed, or national or ethnicorigin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school, and does notdiscriminate in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees.

RecycledPaper

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITYOceanographic Center8000 North Ocean DriveDania Beach, Florida 33004-3078

Currents, Winter 2001/2002

Julian McCreary presenting birthday cake to Yasushi Fukamachi at AGUmeeting in Hawaii.

High school intern Chris Shelly and his new dolphin display located in the lobby ofthe Forman Building.