NSU Newsroom
SharkBytes
Horizons
This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019.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This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019.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.
Oceanographic Center’s National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) Hosts US Coral Reef Task Force Representatives
Touring the Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystem Science (from left) Richard Dodge, Ph.D., OC dean and NCRI executive director; Honorable Togiola Tulafono, governor of American Samoa; Eileen Sobeck, deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior; Andy Winer, NOAA director of external affairs, Herschel T. Vinyard, Jr., secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and John Christensen, director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program.
The US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) held its annual jurisdictional meeting in Ft. Lauderdale from Oct. 17 to 21. The NSU Oceanographic Center’s (OC) National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) was involved in both the planning and participation of this important meeting, and the NCRI hosted members of the Task Force and meeting attendees for a reception at the OC on Oct. 20, which featured a tour of the new Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystem Science for select members of the USCRTF. Included in the tour was the Honorable Togiola Tulafono, Governor of American Samoa; Herschel T. Vinyard, Jr., secretary of Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and USCRTF co-chairs of the USCRTF Andy Winer, director of external affairs, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and Eileen Sobeck, deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior; and John Christensen, director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program.
NCRI also had a large role in the USCRTF meeting, which included presentations by OC Dean and NCRI Executive Director Richard Dodge, Ph.D.; OC Professor and NCRI Associate Director, Bernhard Riegl, Ph.D.; NCRI Assistant Professor, Dave Gilliam, Ph.D.; NCRI Research Scientist, Brian Walker, Ph.D.; and OC Assistant Director of Development and NCRI Administrative Coordinator, Wendy Wood-Derrer. Gilliam also led a field trip for participants to the NCRI offshore coral nursery in Broward County.
Representing the state of Florida on the Task Force was OC alumnus Joanna Walczak (M.S.’08), who currently serves as assistant manager for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program.
The USCRTF was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems.