NSU Currents Spring 2014 Newsletter - Volume XXIV, Issue 1

4 Joana Figueiredo, Ph.D., Joins OC Faculty This January, Joana Figueiredo , Ph.D., joined the OC faculty as an assistant professor. Her research aims to increase understanding of the environmental factors that are hampering the recovery rates of coral populations and to study how recovery rates can be bolstered by management actions. Her research areas of interest include larval ecology; dispersal and connectivity patterns of corals; climate change impact on coral persistence; and marine invertebrates’ biology, ecology, and conservation. “My research offers a solid understanding of species dispersal patterns, and how they might change with global warming,” said Figueiredo. “It is essential to estimate rates of recovery following natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and to assist the design of effective reserve networks that intend to effectively maintain biodiversity, bolster productivity, and minimize risks associated with climate change.” Figueiredo is scheduled to teach graduate courses in larval ecology and aquaculture in the next academic year. Joana Figueiredo, Ph.D., assistant professor Peer Mentorship Program Hosts a Look at Graduate School in the Marine Sciences On Saturday, February 22, the Peer Mentorship Program hosted 10 NSU undergraduate students for a preview of life as a graduate OC student. M.S. students presented their research projects in various fields and gave a tour of the Oceanographic Center. This event was developed by the Peer Mentorship Program’s Outreach Committee, which consists of OC students. M.S. student Sonia Ahrabi- Nejad spoke to students about her research in the OC Fisheries Laboratory. M.S. student Jonathan Lanzas spoke to current undergraduate students about the M.S. in Biological Sciences program at the OC. Alex Marks, Title V fellow and M.S. student, gave undergraduate students a tour through the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research. A New Generation Learns Fishing Safety Last fall, students in grades 7 and 8 and faculty members from the NewRiver Middle School joined DavidKerstetter , Ph.D., assistant professor; Ph.D. candidate Dan Fahy ; and M.S. students Max Appelman , Matt Dancho , Sohail Khamesi , Jesse Secord , and TravisMoore to get firsthand experience on safe fishing practices. Students learned how to properly rig and bait a fishing rod, how to cast and reel, and how to maintain safety while fishing around others. More importantly, students were informed of the benefits of practicing catch and release for preserving fish populations and the balance of a natural environment. New River Middle School is a magnet school for marine science in Broward County and is a part of the Oceanographic Center’s continuous outreach to the community. The OC extends a special thank you to John U. Lloyd Beach State Park for assisting in this outreach program. New River Middle School students learn to use safe fishing practices.