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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019.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This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019.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.
Sam Purkis, Ph.D., Wins Prestigious Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award
Richard Dodge, Ph.D., dean and professor at NSU’s Oceanographic Center and executive director of NSU’s National Coral Reef Institute; NSU President George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D.; Sam Purkis, Ph.D., associate professor, NSU’s Oceanographic Center, and recipient of the 4th Annual Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award; Ralph V. Rogers, Jr., Ph.D., NSU’s executive vice-president for academic affairs and provost; Gary Margules, Sc.D., NSU’s vice president for research and technology transfer.
Ralph V. Rogers, Jr., Ph.D., NSU’s executive vice-president for academic affairs and provost, recently presented Sam Purkis, Ph.D., M.B.A, associate professor at NSU’s Oceanographic Center, with the 4th Annual Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award. The announcement was made at the External Funding Recognition Reception.
Purkis is an internationally recognized earth scientist with an enviable publication record. In the fields of both geology and conservation biology, Purkis has pioneered the use of satellite and aircraft remote sensing to make quantitative observations of coral reef environments. He has generated a new field of study that uses “morphometrics” (statistical instruments to mathematically capture the size and geometry of objects) to understand the landscape complexities of coral reef environments. Through the concept of comparative sedimentology, observations of present-day environments are used to aid in the interpretation of ancient sedimentary sequences. He has elevated this morphometric approach into a new and novel means of understanding the complexity of oil reservoirs and water aquifers.
Despite receiving his Ph.D. only 10 years ago, Purkis has already produced 69 peer-reviewed journal articles and authored three books. His achievements in the field of remote sensing are buoyed by his successful external funding record, having secured more than $3 million dollars for research at NSU in recent years. In addition to being an active researcher Purkis has extensive teaching experience, student mentorship experience, is an active member of NSU’s faculty community and is involved with many ongoing initiatives.
The purpose of the Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award is to recognize a faculty member who has demonstrated significant achievement in support of NSU’s mission to foster scholarship, intellectual inquiry, and academic excellence. Research and scholarship are two of NSU’s eight core values, and excellence in these areas enhances education, patient care, and public service, and develops superior scholarship.