Horizons Fall 2013

33 HORIZONS For scuba divers, a journey to the bottom of the sea combines relaxing with witnessing nature’s beauty. But a group of divers—many of them graduates of NSU’s Shepard Broad Law Center—uses the time underwater to assist academic researchers from the Oceano- graphic Center (OC). DiveBar’s 102 members found the ideal outlet to invest time and money for philan- thropic activities by partnering with NSU’s OC. This year, DiveBar members participated in two dives to assist the center in offshore nursery maintenance. They also sponsored a coral nursery tank for researchers to study and grow coral at NSU’s state-of-the-art Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosys- tems Research. “How could DiveBar not get involved with NSU’s research in saving coral reefs?” said Jennifer Rosinski, (J.D., 2012), vice president of communications for DiveBar, a two-year- old nonprofit association for South Florida legal professionals. “The loss of coral reefs is devastating not only to the sport of diving, but to the entire marine environment. NSU’s program gives me the chance to do something about it.” DiveBar teamed up with the OC in early 2013 to assist with the Staghorn Coral Nursery Project, headed by David S. Gilliam, Ph.D., professor, and Liz Larson, a Ph.D. candidate. Under the supervision of researchers, the volunteers help maintain underwater coral nurseries offshore near Broward County. During the dives, the volunteers assist researchers in cleaning away algae and organisms near the coral, record coral condi- tions, and take clippings from selected coral to grow new coral offshore. Before the first dive, more than 50 volun- teers spent an evening in intensive training learning about coral and what their under- water duties would be. The session was led by Larson at the OC’s campus near Port Everglades in Hollywood, Florida. Anita Paoli, (J.D., 1990), who serves on NSU’s Ambassadors Board and is a member of DiveBar, called the training session inspir- ing. “The training was so advanced it was like a master class in coral. We are lawyers, not scientists, and it was enlightening to learn about the coral,” said Paoli, whose law firm is based in Hollywood, Florida. “We have a new appreciation about the coral reef environment and the dangers to it and what can be done to remediate it. That we could then participate in doing something to improve this environment is amazing. The Oceanographic Center is spectacular, and the entire program and [the OC’s] plan to gener- ate live coral are so impressive,” said Paoli. The researchers routinely take monthly dive trips to check on the coral. The two dives that DiveBar participated in were each devoted to a different aspect of the program— coral maintenance and outplanting. The dives included up to 25 volunteers, 3 to 4 NSU students, and at least 1 professor. As part of its commitment, DiveBar agreed to finance the entire boat charter, even if not enough TO ASSIST OCEANOGRAPHIC CENTER RESEARCH BY OLINE H. COGDILL