About the Author: Lucy DiBenedetto is a fourth-year student in SoMAS Sustainability Studies Program. She currently serves as a mapping intern with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, a GIS Technician for the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program, and as a TA for GIS Design & Application I. Her passions lie within the realm of GIS and teaching others how to implement and use a GIS.

The Science of Where?

If you were to ask me six months ago what my plans for the summer were going to be, I would have responded with, “I don’t know, I might take on more shifts at work, go on more ShiRP trawls, spend more time doing research at the Peterson Lab, or go travel somewhere cool, but I know I’ll be doing at least one of those aforementioned things.” If you were to ask me five months ago what my plans were going to be, I would have jumped up and shouted, “I’m going to Redlands to work for ESRI and living the dream!”

For those of you who don’t know who I am, I’m a fourth-year Coastal Environmental Studies major with a minor in Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning and a specialization in GIS. Right now, I’m a TA for GIS Design & Application I and a lecturer across Long Island, teaching teachers how to utilize a GIS in their classrooms and teaching folks how to utilize a GIS in their career fields. I spent this past summer interning with ESRI at their headquarters in Redlands, CA with 119 others from across the country and overseas, and it was awesome!

The Science of How

A whiteboard welcomes you to ESRI Support Services

Back in mid-February 2018, I applied for seven ESRI internships and the User Conference Student Assistantship along with internships with other organizations (the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, to name a few). On March 13, I decided to take a visit to the ESRI Denver office on a whim, as I was in the area already visiting family and scouting out some possible graduate school options. I was able to get a tour of the office, talked with some cool folks, and received some cool textbooks regarding ArcGIS Pro and using GIS for conservation. Two days after the tour (March 15), I received an email from a Support Readiness Lead, Marco, asking for my availability to have a phone interview; I interviewed the next day. I talked about the tour in my interview, saying that it seemed so coincidental that I went to the office and then was notified about an interview a few days later, and even the Readiness Lead said that it was coincidental. The fact that I had visited the Denver office played no factor in me receiving an interview opportunity. Anyways, the interview was supposed to be a short 30-minute interview; I ended up interviewing for nearly an hour just talking about my experience with GIS and my teaching experiences.

Nearly two weeks went by before receiving an email from HR about making an intern offer. I signed my letter of intent and my offer on March 30, six weeks after applying for ESRI internships. My offer was to intern with Educational Services on the Support Readiness team out in Redlands and my mentor was to be Marco, who I had interviewed with two weeks prior. From that day until the end of the spring 2018 semester, I was preparing for a cross-country move and gearing up for a summer of hard work and fun!

Lucy with ESRI President and CEO Jack Dangermond

The Science of Here!

On my first day of the internship, the University Programs managers in HR spoke about the prestige of being an ESRI intern. Out of the 10,000 or so intern applicants, 115 were given the opportunity to intern with the company. Roughly 100 of those interns were based out of the Redlands location with the others interning at regional offices (Charlotte, DC, St. Louis, and Denver to name some) across the United States. I also found out that day that there had never been an intern from Stony Brook in ESRI’s history and the Readiness team also never had an intern before me. It was so awesome to find out that I had etched my name in the history books, paving the way for future ESRI interns from Stony Brook.

As a Support Readiness intern, I was part of the team that is responsible for training those who work for Technical Support/Support Services. Trainings for software update releases and new product releases were typically held on Fridays either in the morning or in the afternoon, depending on the availability of the Training Room.

I had three main tasks and one final project for the duration of my internship. The tasks were to audit and edit 72 E-training modules, write triage documentation for 17 products and 16 extensions, and learn as much of the ArcGIS platform as I could. My final project was to create a video series covering a topic that I found interesting or a topic that had a high demand for trainings. I decided to create my final project on OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) and WMS products, as I thought it would be a good challenge for me while also allowing me to show off my creative side. In addition, I was also tasked with “mini-tasks,” like proofreading presentation materials, attending trainings, giving presentations, preparing for new hires, and, yes, talking with Analysts.

In 12 weeks, I was able to learn most of the ArcGIS platform, including ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Server, Operations Dashboard, ArcGIS Monitor, and the ESRI mobile apps. I was also able to beta test an upcoming app called “ArcGIS Indoors,” which allows a user to create maps of the inside of buildings and create best routes to go from an area in one building to an area in another building; the app will be released later this year.

The 2018 ESRI User Conference

One major highlight from my internship came from the day of the User Conference. I was asked by my Charlotte-based Program Manager, Jon, to help with giving a presentation to global distributors at the Global CRM Track. The presentation was in two parts: Jon and Hanna would cover Salesforce usage during the first part, Marco would cover the Support Services structure in the second part, and I would jump in whenever I was needed. It was so awesome to be able to present with my mentor during the Conference! When I wasn’t giving my presentation, which was most of the day, I was working the Expo floor with Technical Support and learning about different products that Technical Support receives cases on. I also was able to see my map in the Map Gallery (“A Geospatial Analysis of Quantuck Bay, New York: Making Decisions for Remediation“) alongside my friends’ and classmates’ posters. There were thousands of awesome maps on display and being able to see it all was truly awesome.

GIS: Inspiring What’s Next

Since my internship ended with ESRI in mid-August, I have been hard at work with completing my courses of study and teaching the GIS users of the future how to utilize a GIS to their advantage. Right now, I’m a TA for Maria Brown‘s GIS Design & Application I where it’s my goal to teach the students how to use GIS in their courses of study in an easy-to-understand way. I’m also teaching teachers across Long Island how to implement a GIS into their curriculums with Maria.

My goal in life is to teach folks how to use GIS or teach folks different aspects of GIS, and that goal was made a reality through my time as an ESRI Support Readiness intern.

Please join us for the first meeting of the

New York State Ocean Acidification Task Force

November 1, 2018 6:30pm – 8:30pm

120 Endeavour Hall
South Campus, Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794

The Ocean Acidification Task Force works to assess the impacts of ocean acidification on the ecological, economic, and social well-being of the State of New York in order to recommend actions to reduce these impacts.

This is an open invitation to observe and participate in this process.

About the New York State Ocean Acidification Task Force

On August 22, 2018, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officially announced the formation of the New York State Ocean Acidification Task Force and the members who will be serving on it. The group of marine science, economics, policy, and industry experts will work to assess impacts of acidification in New York and recommend actions to address negative impacts.

“Governor Cuomo established New York’s Ocean Acidification Task Force to ensure that the best available science is used to assess and respond to this emerging threat to our coastal waters and fisheries. The Task Force is charged with providing New York with the tools and information to protect our natural resources from changing ocean chemistry and safeguard the long-term sustainability of our fisheries.”

-DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos

Read more about the Task Force in the full press release and on the official Task Force website. Explore the Task Force website to find announcements of public meetings, summaries of meetings, and other news about the progress of the Task Force.

Picture above: LiDAR image showing flooding of New York City at 4 foot water heights over the area.

NEW YORK – Thursday afternoon, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer was joined by advocates, leaders, and residents from lower Manhattan for a press conference marking the sixth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, which on flooded lower Manhattan and much of the region on October 29, 2012 with 9- to 12-foot storm surges, claiming 43 lives in New York City alone.

Sandy caused an estimated $71 billion in economic damage to the New York-New Jersey region, with $19 billion in losses accruing just within New York City. While the storm’s immediate impact lasted only weeks, major infrastructure systems, including mass transit, its tunnels and electrical and telecommunications systems, sustained lasting damage, some of which are still not repaired.

At the press conference, the leaders discussed the status of planned resiliency projects and investments in lower Manhattan, government’s failure to move forward quickly on certain critical projects, and the need for a coordinated, layered, regional approach to protect against future storms and sea-level rise.

The leaders called on the mayor and city government leaders to support a regional storm surge barrier and to devote significant capital funding to the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project. Significant investments are underway or planned for Manhattan’s Lower East Side, with federal commitments of $338 million, city commitments of $422 million, and planning underway, but the Financial District and neighboring Lower Manhattan neighborhoods remain unprotected and extremely vulnerable both to storm surges and rising sea levels.

“Storm surges and sea-level rise are clear and present dangers to the safety, security, and economic future of this city,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “The task is enormous, but we can’t turn away from it – we need to be working toward a regional storm surge barrier that can prevent the next Sandy, and perimeter walls, marshes, berms, and other features that can protect and preserve all our at-risk neighborhoods – especially lower Manhattan.”

“Six years after Superstorm Sandy, we continue to witness the negative impacts of climate change with the understanding that another storm of this magnitude could occur again,” said Congressman Jerry Nadler. “It is imperative that that we support, fully fund and implement resiliency measures across New York City to ensure that our city and all its residents are protected from future natural disasters. I am committed to continuing to fight alongside my fellow elected officials, the community and all stakeholders to make sure that a comprehensive plan is developed and put in place to protect our coastline.”

“This somber anniversary is a time for us to reflect on the damage that Sandy wrought on our neighborhoods, and the long recovery that is still taking place. However, this day should also be a wake-up call about how far we have yet to go in terms of protecting our homes, small businesses, and infrastructure from the next big storm that we know will come,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. “I am proud to join so many people involved in the effort to create a more resilient city, which must begin where New York began – right here at the Seaport. Thanks to Borough President Brewer, Captain Boulware, Catherine McVay Hughes, and others who have never forgotten the lessons of Sandy and how we need to continue to work together.”

“Events like Sandy will happen again and with greater frequency. Rising sea levels will incrementally increase these flooding events. Normal tidal cycles will come with greater risk of inundation, and the Seaport remains incredibly vulnerable to events like this,” said Captain Jonathan Boulware, President of the South Street Seaport Museum. “The Seaport Museum is actively at work on resilience for its own physical plant, and actively engaged in efforts related to city-wide resilience. This is the future of New York City. How will we adapt to this new challenge? How will 22nd century New York be thriving precisely because of the work and planning we’re doing today?”

“Six years later, the City, northern New Jersey, the Hudson River Valley, and the south shore of Long Island are just as vulnerable as they were the night before the storm hit. Conflicting statements and positions by special interest groups abound,” said Malcolm Bowman, Distinguished Professor of Coastal Ocean and Estuarine Dynamics at Stony Brook University and Chair of the NY-NJ Storm Surge Working Group. “The NY-NJ Storm Surge Working Group is a visionary and representative professional group which sees more clearly than most that the only way to save the region for the next 100 years is a regional solution that transcends political and geographic boundaries. We call for a hybrid regional approach to protect against the separate threats of storm surge and sea-level rise. One-size-fits-all impossibly high seawalls cannot realistically hope to defend the 1,000-mile shoreline against the combined threats of storm surges and future sea level rise.”

The hybrid system proposed by the Storm Surge Working Group consists of:

1. A regional outer NY Harbor Sea Gate system to address threats to life and property from future storms (but not gradual sea level rise). Built as far away from densely developed areas as possible, and normally open 99.99% of the time during settled weather, sea gates will not interfere with the normal tidal circulation and river discharge, necessary to maintain the ecological health and water quality of the Harbor and the Hudson River.

The gates would be closed for only a few hours during extreme high tides and storms to block the ocean surges without causing backups inside the barrier and damage elsewhere, especially to neighboring communities.

Without the regional barrier, many communities could be left out of a comprehensive solution. These include communities around all sides of New York Harbor, the outer Boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, Jersey City, Port Elizabeth, Hoboken, the Two Rivers, up and down the Hudson River Valley, the three major airports, and along the south shore of western Long Island, including Jamaica Bay.

2. Local perimeter, land-based, low-profile seawalls, which, while they cannot protect against storm surges, will provide critical protection from gradually rising sea levels over the decades and centuries ahead. Investment to erect seawalls and other barriers are on track in some, but not all of the areas that need them. Some plans currently under consideration call for higher walls intended to provide protection against storm surges as well, but these are ineffective when compared to a regional surge barrier, and would also interfere with waterfront access.

“The Financial District is the fourth largest business district in the country,” said Catherine McVay Hughes, who served as chair of Manhattan Community Board 1 during Sandy and the recovery period. “One out of every 18 jobs citywide is here, and 50,000 people call FiDi home – yet there is no coastal defense at our shoreline or anywhere else in our neighborhood!”

“Six years after the shock of Superstorm Sandy, too many of our neighborhoods are just as vulnerable now as they were October 29th, 2012,” said Roland Lewis, President of the Waterfront Alliance. “We must recognize that there is no silver bullet – all adaptation options for our coastal city must be considered and implemented. More important, there is no silver – local, state and federal government must find the resources to invest in protection. Last and most important there is no time – downtown Manhattan and the entire city of New York must recognize the urgency of now to protect our city in the face climate change.”

The New York-New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study includes Natural and Nature-Based Feature Examples such as Tidal Marsh, Vegetated Dune, Oyster Reef, and Freshwater Wetland. It is imperative to save the Metropolitan Region while maintaining healthy Hudson and East Rivers.

For more information is available on the US Army Corps of Engineers New York/New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study website.

Please Contact:
Andrew Goldston  Tel: 917-960-1187
Malcolm Bowman Tel: 631.632-8669

Press conference of Storm Surge Working Group at South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan, where 6 feet of water from Superstorm Sandy covered the area back in 2012.

The Climate Extremes Modeling Group at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University seeks a highly-motivated candidate for a postdoctoral researcher. The research will focus on the response of clouds and convection to warming using a multi-model ensemble of both Cloud Resolving Model (CRM) and General Circulation Model (GCM) simulations run in radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE). This will include both analyzing existing simulations as well as designing and performing new idealized numerical simulations with various atmospheric models to explore the impact of self-aggregation of convection on simulated climate and feedbacks. The selected candidate will have proficient communication skills as evidenced by published results and presentations. A successful candidate will have the ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment with a diverse staff.

• Perform single column model (SCM) and general circulation model (GCM) simulations with the CAM.
• Analyze SCM/GCM differences in clouds, self-aggregation and climate sensitivity in CAM.
• Develop analysis techniques for comparison of clouds, self-aggregation and climate sensitivity across RCEMIP model simulations.
• Publish research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present results at conferences, seminars and/or technical meetings.
• Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):

Ph.D. in atmospheric science or closely related field in hand by August 2019. Experience conducting research in atmospheric science or closely related field. Experience in convection and/or cloud process research. Experience with running and analyzing atmospheric numerical models.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in atmospheric numerical models development. Experience in a multi-institutional research environment.

Special Notes:

This is a full time appointment. The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

To apply for this position, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1803161

About Stony Brook:

Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Equal Opportunity Employer, females, minorities, disabled, veterans.

If you need a disability related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700. In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350. It can also be viewed on line at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Official Job Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Job Field: Post Doctoral

Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-The Research Foundation for The State University of New York at Stony Brook
Posting Start Date: Oct 31, 2018
Posting End Date: Dec 31, 2018, 12:59:00 AM
Salary: Commensurate with experience within the range of $48,000 – $58,000
Salary Grade: E89
Appointment Type:Regular

Ecosystem indicators of the New York Bight and Northwest Atlantic

Applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher (PR) are invited to work with an interdisciplinary team of biological and physical oceanographers at Stony Brook University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. We seek an enthusiastic and highly quantitative person to develop indicators that help assess the health of the New York Bight pelagic ecosystem and understand the ecology of the broader Northwest Atlantic. The PR will be working with existing large datasets on oceanographic and atmospheric conditions, nutrient dynamics, carbonate chemistry and living marine resources on the Northeast U.S. Shelf (NES) as well as with new data collected in the New York Bight. The main objective of this project is to develop an interdisciplinary, multi-trophic level ocean monitoring program in the New York Bight, provide information on the status of New York pelagic resources to managers and communicate this information to better inform decision making regionally and locally. The postdoc will be an integral part in evaluating and recommending a suite of indicators to monitor in the New York Bight.

Brief Description of Duties: 

The postdoctoral researcher will analyze oceanographic data and develop indicators related to ocean health in the New York Bight and Northeast US. The postdoc will help plan and participate in research cruises and work with a transdisciplinary team of physical, chemical and biological oceanographers.  The postdoc will prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific research conferences. A strong candidate will have excellent written communication skills as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications.

• Analyze data and develop indicators of oceanographic conditions and ecosystem health
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in scientific journals
• Help plan and participate in oceanographic cruises
• Present at conferences, NYDEC and other management agencies
• Write proposals for external funding
• >Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):
Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in quantitative ecology, computer science, advanced statistics, fisheries science, or related field in hand by May 31, 2019. Three (3) years of research experience. Experience with advanced statistics, programming in Matlab, R or other statistical coding languages. Experience working with ecological or oceanographic data.

Preferred Qualifications:
Two years of experience using advanced statistics. Excellence in the field as demonstrated by relevant peer-reviewed publications or Fellowship in population dynamics, quantitative ecology, computer science, statistics, or applied math. Experience with oceanographic data, working on oceanographic vessels and developing ecological indicators.

This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

The postdoc will be employed by New York state with an annual salary of $50-60K depending on qualifications. This position is full-time for one year, with annual renewal of appointment conditional on the PR making satisfactory progress during the prior year(s) and continuation of funding. Start date is flexible, and the successful candidate could begin as soon as possible. Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and contact information for at least three professional references. For further information, please contact Dr. Janet Nye (janet.nye@stonybrook.edu) or Dr. Lesley Thorne (lesley.thorne@stonybrook.edu), who will supervise the PR.  To apply for this position online, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1802916

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov

Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Stony Brook University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We encourage protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, women and minorities to apply.

If you need a disability related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700.  In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350.  It can also be viewed on line at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Job Field: Post Doctoral
Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-Stony Brook University
Posting Start Date: Nov 1, 2018
Posting End Date: Dec 2, 2018, 12:59:00 AM
Salary: Commensurate with experience within the range of $50,000 – $60,000.
Salary Grade: SL1
Appointment Type:Temporary

From Researchers of the Month November 2018 at URECA

This month, URECA features two students who have been active in research in the School for Marine & Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS). Both currently participate in the  Stony Brook Southampton: Semester by the Sea program that emphasizes hands-on experiential learning. Both participated last summer in NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs (at different institutions). And both will be presenting their REU projects at the upcoming Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) meeting in Puerto Rico in spring 2019.

CLAIRE GARFIELD

Biology major, Honors College, Class of 2020
Research Mentors:  Dr. Jackie Collier (SoMAS);  Dr. Frank Stewart & Dr.  Nastassia Patin (Georgia Tech – REU mentors); Dr. Kiyoko Yokota (SUNY Oneonta)

COURTNEY STUART

Marine Vertebrate major, Class of 2019
Research Mentors:  Maria Brown and Dr. Nicholas Fisher (SoMAS); Dr. Douglas Rasher (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences – REU mentor)

Claire Garfield is a junior in the Honors College, majoring in Biology with minors in Chemistry, French and Marine Sciences. In her freshman year, Claire became involved in a SoMAS research project overseen by graduate student Gina Clementi that examines the effects of marine reserves on predatory fish. At the beginning of sophomore year, she began doing research under the direction of Professor Jackie Collier (SoMAS) and graduate student Kylie Langlois, working on a project that compares functional genes vs. 16s gene sequences in microbial communities from nitrogen removing biofilters (NRBs). This past summer, Claire participated in a REU program at Georgia Tech working on an aquatic chemical ecology project involving Karenia brevis (red tide) dinoflagellates, and the examination of genome sequences of the microbes found in different bloom states.

At SB, Claire has studied abroad in Rome and Ireland and will soon study abroad in Japan (Winter ’19). She has served as a teaching assistant for General Chemistry; and is a member of the SB Environmental Club and a copy editor for SB Young Investigator’s Review. She was inducted to Phi Beta Kappa in 2018.

Claire is from Oneonta, NY and was introduced to research as a high school student: she has participated in research over an extended period of time at SUNY Oneonta– studying algal communities and nutrient pollution. Claire presented a poster recently at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography: Water Connects summer meeting in Victoria BC, Canada on “ Comparison of Algal Community Determination Techniques: Preliminary Evaluation of Pigment-Based versus Microscopic Analyses .” She has also presented her Oneonta research at the Northeast Global Lake Ecology Observatory Network meetings, the North American Lake Management Society, the GLEON 17 All-Hands Meeting, and the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society. Claire plans to pursue a PhD in biological oceanography. Her hobbies include swimming, scuba diving, and hiking.

As Claire nears senior year and prepares to do an honors thesis working with Dr. Collier, she reflects: “I love to do research. It’s the most relaxing thing I do….. I find a lot of solace doing research.” With her varied and extensive experiences in investigating phytoplankton community dynamics and microbial communities, she notes that “what sort of unifies them is the environmental angle and the community outreach. I like to know that the work I’m involved in will matter for people that I know – that I go to school with. That’s meaningful to me.”

Courtney Stuart  is a senior, majoring in Marine Vertebrate Biology. At the start of her junior year, Courtney joined the research laboratory of Professor Nicholas Fisher (SoMAS), where she worked closely with graduate student Abigail Tyrell. Courtney assisted with data collection and analysis for a project that investigated whether copepods are most affected by the viscous or thermal effects of temperature, and which aimed to increase understanding of how copepod behavior, locomotion, and feeding are influenced by environmental perturbations. In her junior year, Courtney took a class in GIS, served as a Teaching Assistant for GIS Fundamentals, and presented a GIS-project supervised by Maria Brown (SoMAS) at the URECA campus symposium (April 2018) titled  “Geospatial Analysis of Tiger Shark Distribution and Habitat Utilization Related to Depth and Potential Ontogenetic Diet Shifts Along the Subtidal Eastern Coastline.”  Courtney’s GIS-training and background proved to be particularly useful this past summer when she participated in an NSF-funded REU program at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine. Working with her REU mentor, Dr. Douglas Rasher, and post-doctoral scientist Dr. Thew Suskiewicz, Courtney performed geospatial analyses of the Gulf of Maine’s kelp forests over the past quarter-century, did predictive modeling/data analysis, and gained experience in the field aboard a research vessel. Although her REU is over, she is still producing maps using GIS data and contributing to the lab’s greater project. Courtney looks forward to attending the ASLO meeting in Puerto Rico this February, where she will present:  “Kelp – a Comeback Story: A Geospatial Analysis of Maine’s kelp forests over the past quarter century.”  In addition to participating in Semester by the Sea this year, Courtney is employed as a Deckhand at Southampton. She assists in outreach tours for high school groups, during which she conducts trawls, plankton tows, water and sediment samples, etc. At SB, Courtney has previously served as a Resident Assistant, and is a current member of the Marine Science and the Environmental Science Clubs. In April of 2018, she was awarded the Jeffrey Eng Memorial Scholarship in Environmental Studies and was recognized with the 2nd place People’s Choice Award at the ESRI Long Island GIS Conference. This past summer, the GIS project that she completed during her course at SB was presented at the 2018 ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, CA. Additionally, this fall she was selected as a recipient of the 2018 Evan R. Liblit Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship.

Courtney is from Nashua, New Hampshire, and grew up taking frequent trips to the coast. In summer 2017, she worked as a naturalist and environmental educator at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH, where she independently taught programs on a variety of organisms, including species such as the American lobster, horseshoe crab, and chain catshark. Courtney is currently applying to graduate programs and hopes to build on her interest in using GIS to approach community ecology questions.

Courtney is enthusiastic about the varied experiential learning opportunities she’s had as an undergraduate. Regarding research, Courtney observes that:  “When you participate in research, it makes you aware of the process from start to finish. It challenges you and forces you to develop critical thinking skills so that when you run into a problem – you learn how to solve it .” Regarding the Southampton program, she unequivocally states:  “I can’t recommend Semester by the Sea enough. When I came in as a freshman, I had heard about it and thought that I’d love to participate. That’s why I planned my schedule so that I could be there my whole senior year. . . Now that I’m living there, it’s amazing. It’s exactly what I hoped it would be! All of the classes are very specific to marine science; the community is close, and everyone is willing to help each other.”

Below are excerpts from Claire and Courtney’s interview with Karen Kernan, URECA Director.

The Interview:

Karen .  Tell me about  your research experience this past summer.

Claire. I did an REU in aquatic chemical ecology at Georgia Tech which was an amazing experience. Summer research is always great because when you’re doing things over the school year, you have to balance quite a bit with classes and what not. . .But with summer research, you can have your entire summer open to lab work. It was a great time and the research project was incredible. I really learned a lot of molecular biology techniques doing that. I learned to use NMR and mass spec. I worked in an organic chemistry lab. And I think that the skills I picked up will really help me with doing my senior thesis next year.

Courtney: I did an REU program at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences – up in East Boothbay, Maine. It was amazing. I wanted to get involved in a project that would let me use GIS in some capacity, and I was really lucky and fortunate that my whole project let me grow those skills. The entire REU experience was better than I thought it could possibly be. I was able to interact with other scientists and all of us were doing such different projects. There were people working on chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, coral reef ecology – even the molecular structure of photo-oxidized oil in the water – it was very interdisciplinary. And it was great getting to live with a fun, energetic group of people who were doing all sorts of different things, and to learn about each of their projects as we went along.

Karen.  How has research enhanced your education?

Courtney: I don’t think I would have gotten as much out of my education if I’d never done research. If you’re in a STEM field, it’s really helpful to get hands-on experience in order to actually  see what you’re learning in class happen in front of you. For instance, you can read a paper about copepods and how they are moving under a cold and viscous fluid…but until you watch it under a microscope, you might not be able to fully understand what you’re reading. Or if you’re just using GIS in class with the data that you were given – sure you can understand what the tools are and how to use them to answer a homework question – but when you are actually using them with your own data, having to mine through your data and get it into the right format for GIS analysis, and having to choose which tool is the most appropriate to use – that’s a whole other process…

I think I actually enjoy research most when I find results that I wasn’t expecting – which has happened quite a bit. You go in thinking that you know what results you’re going to get, and then you run your model and discover something you didn’t expect. That’s also the hardest part – figuring out why you got a result that you weren’t anticipating.

Karen. What other challenges does research pose?

Claire. When I first started doing research, I struggled admitting that I didn’t know how to do something or I was nervous to ask questions. Communication can be really difficult, especially if you’re a bit shy. But you learn that you have to work in a team, and you have to communicate well with your teammates. I’ve improved, a lot actually, because I’ve had to…. You really can’t get away with being unwilling to communicate your mistakes or your uncertainty. And it goes beyond the lab:  I’m much more apt to raise my hand in classes and admit that I don’t know something than I was before.

I think it’s important to know that it’s totally okay to make a mistake. People do appreciate that you’re trying to learn when you’re in lab. I’ve never had a mentor who didn’t prioritize that–the fact that I am trying to learn. I’ve never had to work with anyone who was more concerned with having a flawlessly done methodology than their mentee learning how to do things. It’s important to learn not to be afraid to make mistake, to ask for help. In some ways, that is what makes research different from classroom learning because when you make a mistake in the classroom on an exam (especially a final), you’re punished for it. But with research, for the most part, when things go wrong, you can take your mistakes and bounce back and learn from them.

Karen.  Do you think your presentation/communication skills have improved through research?

Courtney: Definitely! That began for me in the Fisher Lab. At the end of both my semesters as a research volunteer, I had to submit a final report to Abby and Dr. Fisher explaining what I had learned over the semester, what surprised me, and what discoveries I thought were most important. When I went to Bigelow, I had many opportunities to explain my project openly to a group of people who were always there to help and give me constructive criticism. We presented to each other over and over again, asking each other questions such as: “Do you think this makes sense or should I phrase it differently?” “Does this graph help you understand this concept?” …My mentor and the other senior research scientists at Bigelow were always open to helping us learn how to better explain our projects. They had a lot of tips regarding how to make research more understandable – not only to the scientific community – but to the general-public, to anyone who might happen to walk in and ask: “What are you working on? Can you explain it to me?”

Claire. Going to various conferences – in addition to being lots of fun — really helps you improve your presentation skills. And just in general, when you’re involved with research – you are doing a lot of writing, summarizing what you did. I’d say that most of the writing that I now do in college relates to research: finishing my final paper for the REU Project, or writing up abstracts for a meeting, writing up lab notebooks— all of that has helped me to improve communication skills.

Karen. Have your mentors had a big impact on your overall research experience?

Claire. I’ve been very lucky. All of the research mentors I’ve had have been incredibly supportive and helpful. Prof Collier–she’s so wonderful! It’s really nice to have a research mentor who is just very willing to let me pursue my own side projects. My mentor from the REU was also fantastic. And my first mentors at Oneonta were also a big influence.

Courtney: My mentors have been phenomenal. Dr. Nicholas Fisher, Maria Brown, and Dr. Douglas Rasher have all been incredible resources and role-models for me. I am still very close with all 3 of them, and they are helping me in my approach to moving on to graduate school. When I have questions for them about graduate programs, research, or the next step to take, they’re the first ones to help me out and give me words of encouragement.

Karen. Was it helpful getting involved in research early on?

Claire. I think my high school research experience really helped informed my interests in the long term. It was also nice starting off college knowing that I do like research and science. And now – because of my experiences, I have a much clearer idea of what I like and what I want to do. It’s a nice position to be in.

Courtney.  My involvement in research truly began during my junior year at SBU, and for me, the timing worked out great. But I had also done some research when I was in high school through my biotechnology program, and I knew coming into college that Stony Brook was a school known for its STEM programs and that I would have opportunities to be involved in research. That’s one of the critical reasons that I chose Stony Brook.

Karen. What advice about research do you have for fellow undergraduates?

Courtney:  Honestly, what I learned is that all you have to do is ask. You can go over to Challenger or Endeavour Halls at SoMAS, see if there’s someone who is conducting research that you’re interested in, and just ask “Can I get involved? Do you have opportunities for undergrads?”  When you read up about the different research groups, and you see something that sparks your interest — you just need to follow up and go talk to the PI. There’s so much to learn from the professors and grad students here, and they’re all willing to help.

Claire. I’ve had honestly nothing but great experiences from all the research I’ve ever done–but not everyone gets that. I think doing research should be doing something that you enjoy. So if something is not working out, I think that you need to be honest about where you want to be. You don’t have to force yourself to do something that makes you miserable. Maybe it’s not for you. Or maybe you just haven’t found the right lab or the right project yet. I think it’s really important not to neglect your mental health and to just know that there’s nothing wrong with waiting and looking around to find that specific thing that does it for you. Also – and this is useful too– don’t be afraid of a rejection letter.  I think I applied to 9 programs this summer….maybe only one will work out but you can’t get the opportunity if you don’t try.

Photo above: Carotenoid production mutants in various colors

Applications for a Postdoctoral Associate are invited to work in the lab of Dr. Jackie Collier at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University.

Required Qualifications:
Doctoral Degree (or foreign equivalent) in hand by February 1, 2019.

Preferred Qualifications:
Ph.D. or MD in molecular genetic manipulation of a model eukaryotic species.
Successful publication record. Experience in Golden Gate cloning and vector design. Experience in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Experience coding computational genome-scale analyses. Experience with localization of fluorescently tagged proteins by microscopy.

Brief Description of Duties:
The Postdoctoral Associate will assist the Principal Investigator in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.  The incumbent will conduct research and ensure that all experiments are appropriately conducted following the policies and procedures of Stony Brook University.

• Within the predetermined research scope and methodology, conduct research experiments in the field of functional genomics of labyrinthulomycetes, particularly the development of more specific and efficient methods for the genetic manipulation of Aurantiochytrium.
• Collect and analyze data, including periodical/literature search and utilizing specialized skills in related field to analyze the collected data.
• Participate/assist in manuscript writing for publication in scientific journals and/or presentations.  May also assist in grant writing.
• Lab maintenance, including equipment maintenance and ordering of supplies as needed.
• Disseminate research findings widely via social media, attendance at annual scientific conferences, and additional venues.
• Other duties as assigned as appropriate to departmental mission and rank.

Special Notes:

This is a full-time appointment. The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

To apply for this position online, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1803048

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

About Stony Brook:

Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Equal Opportunity Employer, females, minorities, disabled, veterans.

If you need a disability-related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700. In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350. It can also be viewed online at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Official Job Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Job Field: Post Doctoral
Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-The Research Foundation for The State University of New York at Stony Brook
Posting Start Date: Oct 30, 2018
Posting End Date: Dec 14, 2018, 11:59:00 PM
Salary: Commensurate with experience within the range of $47,500 – $53,000.
Salary Grade: E89
Appointment Type:Regular

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University invites applications for the Postdoctoral Associate/Senior Researcher position to work in the he Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) under Dr. Paul Shepson. The title/rank will be contingent upon the selected candidate’s skills and experience in their area of expertise.

Postdoctoral Associate

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):  

Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in chemistry, atmospheric science, or related field.  Experience with atmospheric data analysis.  Experience with atmospheric models.  Experience with instrumentation for atmospheric measurement

Senior Researcher

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):  

Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) in chemistry, atmospheric science or related field. Three (3) years experience with atmospheric data analysis. Experience with atmospheric models. Experience with instrumentation for atmospheric measurements.

Preferred Qualifications: 

Prior experience with the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions. Prior experience in the study of the production of atmospheric aerosols and ozone. Experience with atmospheric transport modeling and atmospheric photochemistry modeling, and field measurement logistics.

Brief Description of Duties:

The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct basic research on the chemistry of the atmosphere, to include aircraft-based measurements of greenhouse gases and aerosols.  S/he will conduct data analysis, write proposals for external support, and prepare manuscripts for publication in appropriate specialized journals.

• Prepare for and conduct atmospheric measurements in the field, which includes calibrating and assessing performance of analytical instrumentation aboard the aircraft.
• Conduct data analysis by converting raw data into final concentration v. time data, conducting simple matrix algebra operations on the data (usually using MATLAB), and conducting Quality Control of the data.  It may involve comparisons of final calculated results against other observations in the literature, and against inventories from the EPA.
• Write manuscripts.
• Write proposals.
• Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.

Brief Description of Duties:  

The Senior Researcher will conduct research on the chemistry of the atmosphere, working on highly complex, and technically broad challenges and problems such as the design of aircraft-based experiments that enable calculation of emission rates of various chemical species from complex environments. He/she will construct flight plans (which requires the ability to read aviation sectional maps, and to understand the limitations of aircraft, e.g. with respect to icing hazards, and controlled airspace avoidance and communications), perform data analysis, write proposals for external support from federal agencies such as NSF, NOAA and/or NASA, and prepare manuscripts for publication in appropriate specialized journals.

• Prepare for and conduct atmospheric measurements in the field, which includes constructing flight plans, and calibrating and assessing performance of analytical instrumentation aboard the aircraft.
• Conduct data analysis by converting raw data into final concentration v. time data, conducting simple matrix algebra operations on the data (usually using MATLAB), and conducting Quality Control of the data.  It may involve comparisons of final calculated results against other observations in the literature, and against inventories produced by other organizations.
• Write manuscripts for publication.
• Write proposals for external support.
• Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.

Special Notes:

This is a full time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

To apply for this position online, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1802513

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

About Stony Brook:

Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Stony Brook University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We encourage protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, women and minorities to apply.

If you need a disability related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700.  In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350. It can also be viewed on line at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Official Job Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Job Field: Post Doctoral
Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-Stony Brook University
Posting Start Date: Oct 4, 2018
Posting End Date: Dec 2, 2018, 11:59:00 PM
Salary: Postdoctoral Associate: Commensurate with experience within the range of $44,500 – $53,000 Senior Researcher: Commensurate with experience within the range of $49,000 – $60,000
Salary Grade: SL1
Appointment Type:Regular

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University invites applications for the Postdoctoral Associate/Senior Researcher position to work in the Marine Animal Disease Laboratory under Dr. Bassem Allam. The title/rank will be contingent upon the selected candidate’s skills and experience in their area of expertise.

Brief Description of Duties:
The selected candidate will assist in the analysis of large-scale genomics data (RNASeq, RADSeq) to answer questions pertaining to the molecular mechanisms associated with the resilience of bivalve mollusks to pathogenic and environmental stress.

• Carry out research that allows the identification of genetic features and molecular pathways associated with bivalve resilience and response to environmental (e.g. ocean acidification, food limitation) and pathogenic stress.  This includes planning and study design, wet lab experimentation with mollusks, nucleic acid extraction, high-throughput sequencing and data analysis using modern bioinformatics tools.
• Participate in the supervision of the daily operations of the lab and contribute to the training of students and interns.
• Build and submit research proposals for external funding agencies and participate in manuscript writing for publication in scientific journals. Write activity and progress reports to funding agencies.
• Other duties as assigned, including providing expert consultation to SoMAS colleagues and students, and demonstration of proper execution and interpretation of novel molecular methods and techniques.

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume) :
Doctoral Degree (or foreign equivalent) in biological sciences or related field in hand by December 31, 2018. Extensive training in Genomics and Bioinformatics. Mastery of modern bioinformatics tools.

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in Marine Genomics and/or Shellfish genomics. High-performance computing. Evidence of creativity and high productivity.

Special Notes:
This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

To apply for this position online, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1800176

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

About Stony Brook:
Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Stony Brook University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We encourage protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and minorities to apply.

If you need a disability-related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700.  In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350.  It can also be viewed online at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Official Job Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Job Field: Post Doctoral
Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-Stony Brook University
Posting Start Date: Nov 15, 2018
Posting End Date: Dec 15, 2018, 11:59:00 PM
Salary: Commensurate with experience within the range of $45,500 – $50,000.
Salary Grade: SL1
Appointment Type

Photo above (from left): Honorees Dr. Hyemi Kim and Dr. Lesley Thorne with Chancellor’s Award Recipient Dr. Sharon Pochron.

Last July, it was announced that fourteen faculty and staff at Stony Brook University received the 2017-2018 State University of New York Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. SoMAS was honored to have two recipients on the list!  The honorees attended the annual Stony Brook University Annual Awards and Recognition Dinner on Thursday November 8, 2018.

Facilities Manager Mark Wiggins was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service and Lecturer Sharon Pochron was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Assistant Professors Hyemi Kim and Lesley Thorne were recognized for their NSF CAREER awards.

Dr. Sharon Pochron received her Chancellor’s Award from Stony Brook University President Sam Stanley.  Mark Wiggins received his award from Dr. Larry Swanson at SoMAS.

Chancellor’s Award recipient and Facilities Manager Mark Wiggins with Dr. Larry Swanson

“Excellence is SUNY’s hallmark,” said State University of New York Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “At each of our campuses it is driven by our faculty and staff and their commitment to providing the highest quality environment, where students are inspired and supported to excel as they pursue their passions. I congratulate this year’s recipients, and thank them for their contributions.”

The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence are presented annually to faculty and staff in seven categories: Faculty Service, Librarianship, Professional Service, Scholarship and Creative Activities, Teaching, Adjunct in Teaching, and Classified Service. The honor provides system-wide recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and encourages the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

From Stony Brook Makes a Splash with Best College for Marine Biology Ranking on Stony Brook News by Amelia Camurati on November 20, 2018

College Magazine has ranked Stony Brook University fourth on its list of “The 10 Best Colleges for Marine Biology,” the only university in New York State to make the top 10 list.

Stony Brook’s program in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) was regarded for its hands-on field research and experience in and around the Shinnecock Bay, the Peconic River and the greater Atlantic Ocean through the Marine Sciences Center on the Stony Brook Southampton campus.

“The center aims to serve three purposes: education, research and outreach,” the magazine said in its review. “By tying these three objectives together, Stony Brook students contribute to maintaining important New York  ecosystems by including the surrounding community in their research, and teaching them about their findings.”

Faculty and students in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, led by Dean Paul Shepson, are engaged in cutting edge research both locally and globally, ranging from organic and inorganic compounds in planktonic systems to global climate change and sea level rise, from marine conservation to severe storm forecasting, and more.

“Our Marine Science Center has a fleet of research vessels that take classes on weekly trips into Shinnecock Bay, the Peconic River and the greater Atlantic Ocean,” senior Courtney Stuart told the magazine. “This gives us young marine scientists plenty of opportunities to strengthen our research skills and learn how to use advanced research equipment—such as handhelds CTDs, D.O. meters, Profiling SeaBird CTDs, Van Dorn water samplers and more.”

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) is SUNY’s designated school for marine and atmospheric research, sustainability studies, education and public service.

The school offers a number of degrees, including bachelor’s degrees in marine sciences, marine vertebrate biology, coastal environmental studies, environmental studies, and in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. The university also helps students explore new waters abroad with undergraduate and graduate courses in Cuba, Jamaica, Tanzania and the Bahamas.

SoMAS is one of the leading coastal oceanography institutions in the world and features classrooms on the water. The School also has a focus on studies of atmospheric sciences and meteorology and includes the Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, The Center for Clean Water Technology, Institute for Particle-Related Environmental Processes, Living Marine Resources Institute, Waste Reduction and Management Institute and the Long Island Groundwater Research Institute.

Photo above: Zoea, or larvae, of the Atlantic blue crab have a distinctly different morphology than adults. They are often spawned in estuaries, where they can be exposed to low dissolved oxygen and acidified conditions. Photo credit: Stephen Tomasetti

STONY BROOK, NY—Inhabiting a vast network of estuaries along the Atlantic coast, blue crabs are ecologically important and represent one of the valuable and prized fisheries in the United States. Blue crabs spawn in estuaries at a time of year when water-quality issues such as low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) and low pH (acidification) can be the most persistent and severe. A group from the lab of Christopher Gobler, a Professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) at Stony Brook University, investigated the effects of these individual and combined stressors on early life stages of the blue crab. Their study, recently published in PLOS One, provides evidence that larval blue crabs experience increased mortality when exposed to low oxygen and/or low pH conditions at levels routinely found in degraded estuaries.

While hypoxia is known to be a common condition within coastal zones, recent studies from across the globe have emphasized that many estuaries that are over-enriched with nitrogen and experience low oxygen simultaneously experience low pH and acidification.  While the effects of hypoxia on marine life have been well-studied, this is the first study to assess the effects of these two stressors on larval crabs.  And, the research is timely as climate change has also been decreasing oxygen and pH levels in the oceans.

Co-author Stephen Tomasetti, a doctoral student in the Marine Science program of Stony Brook University’s SoMAS explained that even at moderate levels of dissolved oxygen exceeding common regulatory targets, larval survival declined. “It’s concerning, given that climate change is generally expected to continue to worsen conditions. However, with an emphasis on restoration, and sound management, coastal environments can see improvements in water quality,” he said.

“Global climate change is acidifying and deoxygenating our oceans and those processes are, by and large, running out of control,” said Gobler. “The findings of this and similar studies demonstrate that serious efforts need to be made at the watershed level to mitigate the factors that regionally contribute to acidification and low oxygen of our waters, namely nutrient overloading. This is likely our best chances to preserve fisheries that rely on estuaries as their primary habitat.”

Their findings suggest that the dissolved oxygen and pH levels of known spawning locales are important considerations for the management and conservation of blue crab populations.

Link to article in PLOS ONE:

Individual and combined effects of low dissolved oxygen and low pH on survival of early stage larval blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus.

About Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University is going beyond the expectations of what today’s public universities can accomplish. Since its founding in 1957, this young university has grown to become one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with more than 25,700 students, 2,500 faculty members, and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs. Our faculty have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. The University offers students an elite education with an outstanding return on investment: U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 40 public universities in the nation. Its membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 62 research institutions in North America. As part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University joins a prestigious group of universities that have a role in running federal R&D labs. Stony Brook University is a driving force in the region’s economy, generating nearly 60,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of $4.65 billion. Our state, country and world demand ambitious ideas, imaginative solutions and exceptional leadership to forge a better future for all. The students, alumni, researchers and faculty of Stony Brook University are prepared to meet this challenge.

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) is SUNY’s designated school for marine and atmospheric research, education and public service. SoMAS is among the leading oceanography and atmospheric sciences institutions in the world, providing students with access to wet laboratories, shipboard experiences, and interactive and high-powered radar and computing facilities. The School provides leadership to understand climate change and other environmental impacts at regional and global scales and provide mitigation and adaptation strategies at state, national and international levels. SoMAS provides expanded study opportunities in the fields of ocean conservation, climate change and extreme weather, sustainability, waste management, marine fisheries and resources, and many others.  Students have many options for participating in study abroad programs including, Jamaica, Cuba, Tanzania, Kenya and Ireland.

Contact:

Christopher Gobler, Christopher.gobler@stonybrook.edu, 631-871-2109

Stephen Tomasetti, Stephen.Tomasetti@stonybrook.edu, 407-221-7543

Holiday greetings to you all!

This is a great time to reflect on 2018, how much we have accomplished, and how fortunate we are. We are fortunate to have such bright, hardworking, and ambitious students, from whom we can learn. They are a significant part of what makes SoMAS great. I hope for us that every student has experiences in SoMAS that make her/him say “Wow, that was cool!”. I have been delighted in the half year I have been here to meet so many people in our community who got their degrees in our programs. I have spent much of my time learning about us, who we are, and our fantastic achievements, and even greater potential. Jody and I have been delighted to be welcomed to and integrated into the SBU and the broader Long Island community, and what a great sense of family we have here. Wherever I go, I hear “you just have great people in SoMAS”. Yes, I know!

In the past year, there have been many exciting scientific accomplishments, and new developments with programs, and our facilities. This and our developing strategic planning progress, and our associated intense ambitions for the success and prominence of SoMAS should bring us all excitement for the coming year. I look forward to working with each and all of you in ensuring that SoMAS is truly exceptional, and high-impact. This certainly is a time in which we need inspired leadership, and I believe that SoMAS can provide important leadership for our students, the State, Nation, and World. In the words of the old African proverb: “If you want to go quickly, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” Let us lead, together.

I wish for all of you peace and good health, strong and enriching bonds with friends and family, and a productive new year!

Paul Shepson
Dean, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Director, Marine Sciences Research Center

Photo above: Ellen Pikitch is the inaugural Endowed Professor in Ocean Conservation Science in Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

From Endowed Professorship Boosts SBU’s Conservation Leadership on Stony Brook News by Elliot Olshansky  on December 10, 2018

With more than 100 marine species recorded as extinct — primarily due to overfishing — and more than 100 million tons of fish taken out of the water each year, our oceans and the animals that call them home are badly in need of protection.

That’s why the Ocean Sanctuary Alliance (OSA) is leading the charge to conserve at least 10 percent of the world’s marine and coastal areas by 2020 and to ensure that ocean protection is effective and durable. It’s also why the Alliance is investing in the work of Stony Brook University professor Ellen Pikitch — one of the world’s leading experts in ocean conservation.

In recognition of her proven conservation track record and current portfolio of promising research, they’ve created the Endowed Professorship in Ocean Conservation Science in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (SoMAS). As the inaugural holder of the position, Pikitch will expand her transformational work while educating the next generation of leaders in ocean conservation.

“From the moment I met Dr. Pikitch in 2008, she has approached her role as a change agent with the extraordinary dedication and the highest scientific standards,” said Rosalind Walrath, the Alliance’s treasurer and a member of the Dean’s Council at Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. “Ellen is a truly powerful asset to the cause of ocean conservation.”

Pikitch, of course, is no stranger to effective advocacy based on impactful research. By the time she arrived at Stony Brook in 2008, her work had led to the passage of the U.S. Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000, the international ban on the trade of wild sturgeon caviar and the listing of beluga sturgeon as threatened with extinction under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The research behind these policies originated from the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science (IOCS), which she established at the University of Miami in 2003 and relocated to Stony Brook when she joined the faculty in 2008.

“Ellen Pikitch’s track record of achievement in fisheries science and ocean conservation speaks for itself,” said Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. “The Endowed Professorship of Ocean Conservation Science serves to elevate her voice, enhancing the profile of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, and that of Stony Brook University as a whole.”

“Endowed professorships help universities attract and retain the best scholars and researchers in their fields,” added Paul Shepson, dean of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. “Having Ellen Pikitch as the inaugural Endowed Professor in Ocean Conservation Science makes a powerful statement about the contributions that we aspire to make at Stony Brook, both to science and to the welfare of our planet.”

For her part, Pikitch recognizes the opportunities created by an endowed professorship — supported by an anonymous donor in addition to OSA — which will empower her to follow her instincts in pursuit of further advances.

“I am truly grateful to the donors, including the Ocean Sanctuary Alliance, whose philanthropy has made this endowed professorship possible,” Pikitch said. “The funding of an endowed professorship makes it possible to act quickly when inspiration strikes, and pursue novel solutions with potentially far-reaching significance.”

There’s also a certain fulfillment in continuing her work at Stony Brook, where the opportunities created for students resonate with Pikitch’s own experiences as a first-generation college student who attended the City College of New York tuition-free.

“Stony Brook is a fantastic university for the sciences,” Pikitch said, “and it’s a public institution. Without public support, I wouldn’t have even been able to go to college, and knowing that students at Stony Brook have similar opportunities is one more reason that I am so proud to continue my work here.”

As she blends her work to protect the world’s oceans with the education of future fisheries and conservation scientists at Stony Brook, Pikitch is making an impact that will be felt for generations to come.

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University invites applications for the Instructional Support Technician to work in the Lab of Dr. Lesley Thorne.

Required Qualification (evidenced by an attached resume):

Bachelor’s Degree in biology, ecology, oceanography, fisheries science or a related field. Two (2) years of full-time experience conducting marine mammal surveys or research. Experience conducting line transect surveys. Marine mammal identification skills. Experience surveying marine mammals. Marine mammal photo-ID experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s of Science in biology, ecology, oceanography, fisheries science or a related field. Boat operating experience. Experience creating and working with databases. Experience working with ArcGIS. Experience writing formal reports and/or publications.

Brief Description of Duties:

The SoMAS Instructional Support Technician provides scientific support for offshore monitoring surveys and research cruises in the New York Bight. This support will include project planning and implementation. The incumbent will log data, analyze data, and prepare progress reports and final reports including those for publication. The selected candidate will have strong communication skills. They will need experience conducting field work on boat vessels in varying weather conditions. They will also need working knowledge of digital cameras.

Lead line transect surveys for marine mammals in offshore waters of the New York Bight. Perform statistical analyses on gathered data and samples, ensuring quality quality control of process and materials used. Work with a transdisciplinary team of ecologists and physical and chemical oceanographers during field work and analysis.

Project planning and participation in field research programs and oceanographic cruises, including sample collection, to include setting up equipment and materials. Organize and analyze data related to marine mammal abundance and distribution from these cruises

Preparation of progress and final reports for funded activities; presenting research results and programmatic results for sponsors, the public, at conferences and to the NYDEC.

Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.

Special Notes:

This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Non-exempt position, eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA.

Stony Brook University is 100% tobacco-free as of January 1, 2016. See our policy and learn more at stonybrook.edu/tobaccofree.

To apply for this position online, please visit Stony Brook Jobs and reference posting #1803867

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.   

About Stony Brook:

Stony Brook University, home to many highly ranked graduate research programs, is located 60 miles from New York City on Long Island’s scenic North Shore.  Our 1,100-acre campus is home to 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and more than 13,500 faculty and staff, including those employed at Stony Brook Medicine, Suffolk County’s only academic medical center and tertiary care provider. The University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and co-manager of nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multidisciplinary research laboratory supporting world class scientific programs utilizing state-of-the-art facilities such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the National Synchrotron Light Source, and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and the New York Blue IBM BG/L+P supercomputer, owned by Stony Brook and managed by BNL.  Stony Brook is a partner in managing the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, and is the largest institutional scientific user of BNL facilities. As such, many opportunities exist for collaborative research, and in some cases, joint appointments can be arranged.

Stony Brook University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We encourage protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, women and minorities to apply.

If you need a disability-related accommodation, please call the University Human Resource Services Department at (631) 632- 6161 or the University Hospital Human Resources Department at (631) 444-4700.  In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350. It can also be viewed online at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

Official Job Title: Instructional Support Technician
Job Field: Administrative & Professional (non-Clinical)
Primary Location: US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences-Stony Brook University
Schedule: Full-time  Day Shift  8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Pass Days: Sat, Sun
Posting Start Date: Dec 11, 2018
Posting End Date: Jan 25, 2019, 11:59:00 PM
Salary: Commensurate with experience within the range of $48,000-$56,500.
Salary Grade: SL3
Appointment Type:Temporary