Faculty Bios
Dr. Jennifer L. Bowen
Dr. Robert Bowen
Dr. Solange Brault
Dr. Robert Chen
Dr. Alan Christian
Dr. Ellen Douglas
Professor John Duff
Dr. Ron Etter
Dr. Allen Gontz
Dr. Robyn Hannigan
Dr. ZhongPing Lee
Dr. Helen Poynton
Dr. William Robinson
Dr. Crystal Schaaf
Dr. Mike Shiaris
Dr. David Terkla
Dr. Juanita Urban-Rich
Dr. Meng Zhou
Jennifer L. Bowen
jennifer.bowen@umb.edu
Fields of study: microbial ecology, microbial diversity, ecosystems ecology, urban ecosystems, aquatic biogeochemistry, salt marsh and estuarine ecology, functional genomics of nitrogen cycling bacteria and archaea.
Dr. Bowen is interested in all aspects of the interaction between humans and the environment. My work runs the gamut from modeling how changing land use on watersheds alters the geochemistry of receiving waters to understanding how climate change and ocean acidification will alter the structure and function of microbial communities. In particular Dr. Bowen has focused on both how human activities are altering the structure and function of microbial communities and in turn how microbial communities can help ameliorate pollution from human sources.
This summer Dr. Bowen will be focusing her research efforts in four areas. 1) assessing the role that urbanization of watersheds plays in microbial diversity of coastal waters, 2) looking at differences between sediment and water column microbial systems in estuarine sediments, 3) assessing which groups of bacteria (nitrifiers or denitrifiers) are primarily responsible for N2O fluxes from salt marshes by simultaneously measuring rates of nitrification/denitrification, and examining genes specific for those processes (this may be a bit too advanced for an REU), and 4) trying to isolate and culture denitriifers from the environment.
Dr. Robert Bowen
EEOS, bob.bowen@umb.edu
Dr. Robert Bowen’s research addresses the evolution of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) practices. ICM is an emerging area of policy analysis which attempts to assess the development of management practices which respond to the environmental pressures of expanding resource exploitation and new, multiple and often competing human uses of coastal areas. Students working with Dr. Bowen may explore: The role of various regulatory mechanisms in the identification and reduction of public health risk from contaminated seafood; The impact of environmental contamination on the management and development of urban ports; and, development of urban ports; and, The influence of coastal environmental factors in the building of regional economic development strategies.
Dr. Solange Brault
Biology, solange.brault@umb.edu
Dr. Solange Brault’s recent research interests revolve around life history biology, marine mammal ecology and conservation, and demographic analyses, both mathematical and statistical, applied to threatened or endangered species, especially with regard to estimating risks of extinction. A current project in her lab centers on the population dynamics of beluga whales, an arctic species under increasing detrimental pressure from climate change and pollutants, and is also a target of directed hunting. Dr. Brault is also directing a project on local-scale patterns of habitat use by the endangered Antillean manatee, and on foraging specialization in bottlenose dolphins. Closer to home, Dr. Brault is conducting demographic research on grey seals, a species that up to recently was locally extinct, but has been re-establishing a local reproductive population off Nantucket.
Dr. Robert Chen
EEOS, bob.chen@umb.edu
Dr. Robert Chen’s research interests include 1) identification of sources and transformations of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the ocean, 2) real-time measurements of physical, chemical and biological parameters in near-shore coastal environments and watersheds with wireless sensor networks, 3) factors controlling water quality in coastal oceans, 4) carbon cycling in coastal ecosystems, and 5) development of effective education and outreach practices to integrate research and education. Undergraduate research opportunities exist for developing new instruments, ocean and watershed field work, chemical analysis with modern instrumentation, and educational research.
Dr. Alan Christian
Biology, alan.christian@umb.edu
Dr. Alan Christian’s research lab is interested in understanding fundamental and applied questions regarding the ecology of freshwater ecosystems with an emphasis on understanding the role of mussels in freshwater ecosystems. Students working in his research lab receive broad training in field and laboratory techniques associated with freshwater ecology. Research projects in his lab range from 1) molecular ecology using DNA sequencing and microsatellite analysis of freshwater organisms (e.g. kinship and paternity analysis in freshwater mussels), 2) species and size selection by freshwater mussel predators, 3) food web and trophic analysis of freshwater mussels and other aquatic organisms, 4) ecological stoichiometry and nutrient recycling in aquatic organisms, and 5) nutrient limitation and primary production in coastal streams (e.g. investigation of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus and their role in limiting primary production).
Dr. Ellen Douglas
EEOS, ellen.douglas@umb.edu
Dr. Ellen Douglas’ research has involved the analysis of regional to global scale hydrologic processes and the impacts of human water use (particularly agricultural irrigation) on the hydrologic cycle. Specific research activities include quantifying non-sustainable water use globally, identifying the role of water scarcity in social conflict in Africa, and investigating the impacts of moisture fluxes from irrigation on land-atmosphere interactions in India. At UMass Boston, she developed a research program that also includes sustainable water use and water management issues at the watershed to regional scale. Specific areas of interest include quantifying the impacts of agricultural irrigation on the global water cycle, estimating the impacts of climate change on coastal systems, and monitoring the effects of river restoration activities. Dr. Douglas has mentored undergraduates on projects ranging from groundwater flow on the property of Nantucket Biological Field Station, Mystic River GIS restoration models, an honors thesis investigation extreme precipitation in New England over the past 50 years, groundwater overuse in southern India, an international project on hydrology of the Spiti River Valley in the Indian Himalayas, and monitoring river restoration in a coastal stream in Massachusetts (Red Brook).
Professor John Duff
EEOS, john.duff@umb.edu
Professor John Duff’s research interests are in ocean and coastal law and policy; environmental policy and management; international law of the sea; land and ocean use. Broadly speaking, his research interests revolve around matters related to ocean and coastal policy; marine resource management; ocean zoning; land use; and the laws and policies related to public and/or common property interests. Recent research efforts have included examinations of some of the following questions: What are the relative legal authorities of towns, states and federal government in the ocean? How can environmental laws be fashioned to work at an ecosystem level? Will stretches of US ocean space be ""for sale"" in the future? How will legal and regulatory systems respond to technological developments and evolving uses of the ocean? How can property lines be drawn in dynamic coastal areas? Will the United States ever join the Law of the Sea Convention? How do insurance markets influence land use and coastal hazard mitigation efforts? Can state and federal authorities fashion effective relationships to manage and protect the coasts? How can countries manage trans-boundary marine resources?
Dr. Ron Etter
Biology, ron.etter@umb.edu
Dr. Ron Etter’s research laboratory explores fundamental questions about the evolutionary origins, radiation and geographic spread of deep-sea organisms. The deep sea is a vast and complex ecosystem that supports a surprisingly rich and highly endemic fauna, yet virtually nothing is known about how evolution unfolds in this remote environment. Dr. Etter uses molecular genetic techniques to quantify geographic and bathymetric patterns of genetic variation, and to test hypotheses about gene flow, dispersal, population differentiation, speciation and the nature and scale of isolating mechanisms. Dr. Etter also uses geographically referenced phylogenetic analyses to test hypotheses about how the deep ocean was colonized. For example, his lab is exploring whether the deep-sea molluscan fauna evolved from numerous independent colonizations from coastal progenitors, or from an in situ radiation. Students will be involved in exploring basic evolutionary questions at different geographic, bathymetric and taxonomic scales.
Dr. Allen Gontz
EEOS, allen.gontz@umb.edu
Dr. Allen Gontz’s research interest is in coastal geological evolution. Landscapes change over time based on the driving forces applied to the landscape and the nature of the resisting forces of the lithology and structure of the landscape. The actions of these changes lead to the development of characteristic sedimentological and stratigraphic signatures in the shallow subsurface that can be deciphered and dated. High-resolution shallow-earth geophysical methods can be employed to read the record of change in the subsurface. Research in his lab focuses on the investigation of changes to the landscape within the Quaternary that are primarily the result of changing sea-level and anthropogenic impacts.
Dr. Robyn Hannigan
EEOS, robyn.hannigan@umb.edu
Dr. Robyn Hannigan’s research centers on studying past and future “Strangelove Ocean” phenomena, specifically changes in biomineralization during times of ocean acidification and low productivity. Research projects include 1) the formation of structure biominerals such as fish otoliths (ear stones) under high CO2 conditions, 2) reconstructing of environmental life histories using the chemistry of biominerals (whale baleen, terrapin shells, fish otoliths), 3) reconstructing ocean pH and ocean dissolved CO2 in ancient marine sediments using biomineral proxies (Permo-Triassic boundary, paleoclimate of the Boston Harbor), and 4) developing undergraduate research activities to broaden diversity in discipline and participation. Undergraduate research opportunities exist for students to reconstruct the paleoclimate of the Boston Harbor using fossilized biominerals including fish ear stones and teeth, reconstruction of the Permo-Triassic ocean chemistry using biomineral proxies preserved in rocks. Students will gain experience with fundamental analytical skills including mass spectrometry as well as depth of understanding of past, current and future coastal ocean chemistry.
Dr. Zhong Ping Lee
EEOS, ZhongPing.Lee@umb.edu
Dr. ZhongPing Lee is interested in 1) how the light field changes in a natural environment (radiative transfer), 2) development of effective tools that use the light information to retrieve important environmental properties (remote sensing), and 3) application of remotely sensed products to study the ocean/Earth system. We also conduct various field measurements to study physical and bio-geochemical processes in the oceans, as well as using these “sea truths” to validate satellite products.
Dr. Helen Poynton
EEOS, helen.poynton@umb.edu
Dr. Helen Poynton’s research focuses on applying genomics to better understand sub-lethal effects of environmental pollutants and uncover molecular biomarkers that can be used to detect environmental pollutants and understand their bioavailability. Her focus areas include: 1) Developing molecular biomarkers as detection tools for emerging contaminants including nanoparticles and use them to understand the bioavailability of nanoparticles in environmental matrices and 2) Using genomics to understand the molecular pathways affected by environmental pollutants including metals, nanoparticles and pesticides and relate them to whole organism or population level effects.
Dr. William Robinson
EEOS, william.robinson@umb.edu
Dr. William Robinson’s research addresses functional mechanisms in aquatic toxicology, particularly those processes involved in metal uptake, depuration, sequestration and internal transport. This work focuses on two groups of marine organisms - bivalve molluscs (mussels and clams) and tunicates (ascidians). My students, collaborating researchers and I are investigating several mechanisms (physiological, biochemical and molecular) that bivalve molluscs and tunicates utilize in response to specific metals. Ongoing and past studies have addressed metal bioavailability, detoxification and the circulatory transport of metal ion complexes in both bivalves and tunicates. We have also conducted research aimed at advancing monitoring techniques, using the biomarker approach and the marine mussel transplant approach, in Boston Harbor and regional embayments.
Dr. Mike Shiaris
Biology, michael.shiaris@umb.edu
Dr. Mike Shiaris’ research laboratory is working in three general areas of environmental microbiology/microbial ecology. One area is bacterial indicators of pollution and their survival in coastal environments, the second is the bacterial population ecology in coastal environments, and the third area is biodegradation of organic pollutants in coastal ecosystems. They use DNA fingerprinting, DNA sequencing, and routine microbiological techniques to study bacteria in coastal environments. In addition to these techniques, they use radioisotopic tracers, microcosms, and high performance liquid chromatography for biodegradation studies. Dr. Shiaris also works with the Center for Coastal Environmental Network Sensors to develop remote bacterial sensors.
Dr. Crystal Schaaf
EEOS, Crystal.Schaaf@umb.edu
Dr. Schaaf is working on the development and use of operational products from NASA's MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) to monitor the Earth's environments from the Terra and Aqua polar-orbiting space platforms. She is a science team member for both MODIS and the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensor on board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership platform (NPP is the precursor to the next generation of national meteorological satellites). Dr. Schaaf's current interests include modeling reflectance anisotropy and albedo and using remote sensing data to reconstruct and and monitor the reflectance characteristics of various land surfaces, including vegetation phenology and land surface change. More recently she has also been involved in the development and use of ground-based lidar systems to characterize biomass and vegetation structure.
Dr. David Terkla
EEOS, david.terkla@umb.edu
Dr. David Terkla’s research, in addition to his many writings on the New England fishing industry, centers on environmental management and local and regional economic development issues, including valuation of uses of resources in Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bay, analysis of protection policies for water dependent uses on urban waterfronts, analysis of potential conflicts between tourism and fishing industries in Gloucester, MA, and analysis of transportation planning and development in Massachusetts. He has identified and studied several industry clusters related to climate change in New England, including the marine sciences and technology industry, the renewable energy industry, and the environmental services industry. He has supervised several undergraduate research projects in the form of honors theses completed by majors in economics. The topics of these projects have ranged from the influence of government funding of defense research and development on the type of R&D conducted in the private sector to an analysis of the federal deductibility of state and local taxes to a study of the use of congestion charges to alleviate traffic congestion and an economic analysis of the preservation of rain forests.
Dr. Juanita Urban-Rich
EEOS, Juanita.urban-rich@umb.edu
Dr. Juanita Urban-Rich’s research interests and focus is on coastal zooplankton distribution and their inputs to particulate and dissolved carbon cycles and on global environmental education. Zooplankton are an important trophic link to many commercial fisheries and to the North Atlantic Right Whale in Massachusetts Bay. In order to better understanding their distribution and grazing habits, she has research projects looking at coastal plankton distributions and the influence of the freshwater inputs on these communities. Additionally, she has found that zooplankton excrete a unique humic-like compound that can be detected using fluorescence spectrophotometry. Dr. Urban-Rich has ongoing research involving both field and laboratory work on the development and testing of a fluorometer to measure in situ zooplankton inputs to fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) is continuing in the Virgin Islands and in Massachusetts Bay.
Dr. Meng Zhou
EEOS, meng.zhou@umb.edu
Dr. Meng Zhou’s research focuses on small and mesoscale physical processes and their effects on spatiotemporal variability of chemical and biological processes in aquatic ecosystems by using observation tools, numerical models, and mathematical theories. He is particularly interested in integrating observations, models, and mathematical theories with will lead to better understandings of the ecosystems and better ecosystem models. He is also interested in zooplankton population dynamics, aggregation behavior, and patch dynamics.
Dr. Cascade Sorte
EEOS, cjsorte@ucdavis.edu
Dr. Cascade Sorte’s research focuses on the impacts of climate change in order to better understand how environmental conditions determine patterns of physiology, species interactions, and biogeography. Recent ocean warming has led to shifts in species ranges and the composition of local communities, and the most extreme potential outcome of climate change is local or global extinction. Several of her current projects involve examining whether or not species will be able to avoid extinction (in other words, “cope” with climate change) by acclimating, adapting, or dispersing to cooler locations.