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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center Dedicated Unique Sculpture That Highlights Coral Reefs
Courtney Mattison
FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – On Thursday, September 19th Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center hosted a unique event – the unveiling and dedication of a distinctive aquatic-themed ceramic sculpture.
The sculpture unites art and biology and is intended to inspire increased “marine stewardship.” The artwork was created to illustrate the transition from a healthy and vibrant reef ecosystem into a degraded one that is suffering from coral bleaching due to environmental stress. This is, unfortunately, an all-too familiar site on Atlantic and Caribbean reefs. The sculpture depicts this change as viewers move around the piece. The goal is to bring heightened awareness to this issue that will, in turn, lead to renewed efforts to save these valuable natural resources.
“We work with coral reefs all the time, but seeing this amazing artwork in our facility brings an interesting perspective,” said NSU Oceanographic Center Dean, Richard Dodge, Ph.D. “It’s really a beautiful work of art that drives home a very important message.”
Courtney Mattison is an artist and an ocean advocate whose artwork is created to inspire policy makers and the public to work to conserve our changing seas. Along with her work displayed at NSU, she has a piece at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.
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About NSU’s Oceanographic Center: The Oceanographic Center (NSUOC), situated at Port Everglades in Hollywood, Florida, carries out innovative, basic and applied research and provides high-quality graduate and undergraduate education in a broad range of marine science and related disciplines. The Center also serves as a community resource for information, research and education on oceanographic and environmental issues. Areas of academic study and research include: coral reel studies, modeling of large scale ocean circulation, coastal dynamics, ocean atmosphere coupling, benthic ecology, marine biodiversity, calcification of invertebrates, marine fisheries, marine microbiology, molecular ecology and evolution, and wetlands ecology. For more information, please visit http://www.nova.edu/ocean
About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels. NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it’s one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu.
For more information contact:
Joe Donzelli | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-2159 (office)
jdonzelli@nova.edu