SFOS Newsletter
Spring 2008
GREETINGS FROM THE DEAN
by Denis Wiesenburg, Dean,
UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
The 2007-08 academic year at the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences turned out to be one of the most exciting since the formation of SFOS twenty years ago.
Since the inception of SFOS, our fisheries faculty in Juneau have waited for a new building and we are now anticipating the completion of the new 30,000 square foot Lena Point fisheries facility in Juneau. Scheduled to be completed in September, we will finally have the first-class teaching and research space needed for our most productive academic program.
Our other major construction project, the 242-foot Alaska Region Research Vessel is also moving along, although at a slightly slower pace.
Click on the image to download the entire Spring 2008 newsletter as a PDF (2.22 MB PDF).
The National Science Foundation has received over $45 million of the $123 million needed to construct this ice-capable vessel, however, President Bush did not include the rest of the funding in the 2009 fiscal year federal budget. NSF is firmly committed to the ARRV and our design and construction management team, headed by Seward Marine Center Director Dan Oliver, are moving forward toward a final design review in October.
In academic news, the UAF Faculty Senate approved our new bachelor of arts in fisheries this month. The B.A. degree will provide a broader education for fisheries students than we currently offer, allowing them to pursue careers in fisheries business, fisheries policy or fisheries economics. Additional funding for the new degree is coming from the Rasmuson Foundation and from the Alaska Legislature.
We are delighted that many of our friends in the fishing community around the state supported this new funding for SFOS by writing or speaking directly to their local legislators. Their actions on our behalf were heartwarming and successful as $1.0 million was added to the university base budget to support our new program.
Our faculty is also expanding. Four new faculty joined our ranks this year, three more have accepted our offer to join us in August and we have or will make offers to seven additional faculty before the spring semester is over. With these new faculty additions and the finals of the 2008 National Ocean Sciences Bowl upon us, I expect the next year to be even more exciting for our outstanding faculty, staff, and students. Stay tuned.
NEWS STORIES
National Ocean Sciences Bowl
High school competition headed to Seward April 25
Later this month, up to 125 marine science experts will converge in Seward, Alaska, to share their knowledge of the world’s oceans. These experts aren’t professors or graduate students. They are teenagers, and they could challenge any oceanographer in a trivia game about ocean science. Read more....
PCCRC awards $500,000 to scientists
The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center at UAF has funded more than $500,000 for the study of Alaska’s marine ecosystems. The eight projects funded by the center this year include studies of Alaska’s fish species, educational support for fisheries students, an investigation into how scientists tag sea lions and an analysis of the marine food chain in the Bering Sea. Read more....
SFOS initiates development effort
by Teresa Thompson, SFOS Development Officer
Development is a crucial element of any successful school, college or university. SFOS is growing, and as we continue to grow, we continue to face new resource challenges. We can find additional resources to move forward by strengthening the relationships we have with university supporters and fostering new connections through increased communication, donor recognition and a coordinated development plan. Read more...
FEATURES
FEATURED PHOTO: Fisheries student Jodi Pirtle took this photo when she surfaced from a dive near the boat she was using for her research. A student on board is preparing the Alaska Department of Fish & Game dive boat for its return to the harbor after a day of research near Sitka. Photo by Jodi Pirtle, Ph.D. Fisheries.
Featured Faculty: Dr. Alexandra de Oliveira, UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center
Alexandra de Oliveira has “fish fever”—she loves fish and the science of fish. A scientist at the Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak, Oliveira’s work focuses on fisheries chemistry and seafood science. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Oliveira now calls Kodiak home. When I asked her why she liked living in Kodiak, she said, “because I love fish-- and this is the place to be if you love fish!” Read more about Dr. Oliveira....
Featured Student: Jeremy Kasper, Ph.D. Physical Oceanography
Jeremy Kasper loves the outdoors. Originally from Wellesley, Massachusetts, Jeremy received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Reed College. He joined SFOS in 2001 when he started a Ph.D. program in physical oceanography with Tom Weingartner as his advisor. He plans on graduating this fall. Read more about Jeremy....
Featured Alumnus: Steven Worley, M.S. Oceanography, 1977
Steven Worley received his master’s degree in oceanography at UAF in 1977. His advisor was former faculty member Tom Royer, and he studied alongside current UAF professors Tom Weingartner and Mark Johnson. Read more about Steven....
SPOTLIGHT on the Fishery Industrial Technology Center
The Fishery Industrial Technology Center is a research and education facility located in Kodiak, Alaska. As the third largest port in the United States in terms of value of seafood landings (about $100 million annually), Kodiak Island is at the heart of Alaska’s fishing industry. Read more....
