Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation
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Dauphin Island Sea Lab Alabama’s Marine Science Education and Research Institution 2012 Annual Report The Twenty-Two Member Schools of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab/ Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium • Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL* • Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL* • Athens State University, Athens, AL • Auburn University, Auburn, AL* • Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL • Birmingham Southern College, Birmingham, AL • Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL • Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL* • Judson College, Marion, AL • Samford University, Birmingham, AL* • Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL • Talladega College, Talladega, AL • Troy University, Troy, AL • Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL* • University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL* • University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL* • University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL* • University of Mobile, Mobile, AL • University of Montevallo, Montevallo, AL • University of North Alabama, Florence, AL • University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL* • University of West Alabama, Livingston, AL * Schools with Graduate Degree Programs Annual Report 2012 - page 2 Statement of Purpose The Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) is Alabama’s marine research and educational institution. Founded in 1971 by the Alabama Legislature to maximize the marine sciences capabilities of several Alabama institutions and minimize duplication, DISL serves twenty-two Alabama colleges and universities, both public and private. DISL and its faculty work toward the combined purposes of conducting pure and applied research, and sponsoring structured educational programs for individuals and organizations interested in and dependent upon the marine environment. Table of Contents Member Schools....................................................................2 Dauphin Island Sea Lab/ Statement of Purpose/Table of Contents...............................3 MESC provides equal Letter from the Executive Director......................................4-5 educational opportunity to, and is open and accessible to, Administration and Facilities..............................................6-10 all qualied students, without •. Administration •. Business/Finance regard to race, color, creed, •. Information Technology national origin, sex or qualied •. Library handicap/disability with •. Public Relations respect to all of its programs •. Institutional Advancement and activities. •. Facilities and Vessel Operations •. Technical Support/Data Monitoring Discovery Hall Programs................................................11-14 Disabled students will •. Academic Year Programs be provided “reasonable •. Summer Programs accommodations” when they •. Professional Development for K-12 Teachers and Informal Educators have identied themselves •. Public Outreach and validated their special •. Professional Activities need(s). Complete The George F. Crozier Estuarium...................................15-16 condentiality is maintained University Programs.......................................................17-19 unless authorization for Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation................................20-21 release or information has Mobile Bay National Estuary Program........................22-27 been given in regards to •. Program Implementation disability. •. Status and Trends •. Education, Outreach and Capacity Building Dauphin Island Sea Lab 101 Bienville Boulevard Resident Research Faculty.......................................28-29 Dauphin Island, AL 36528 Faculty Activity................................................................30-45 Ph: (251) 861-2141 •. Book Chapters and Projects Fax: (251) 861-4646 •. Peer-Reviewed Publications •. Other Publications www.disl.org •. Abstracts and Presentations •. Miscellaneous Presentations For questions about this •. Workshops, Meetings Attended or Organized Annual Report, please e-mail •. Faculty News and Awards Lisa Young, Public Relations •. Public Outreach and Other Service •. Committee Service Consultant, at lyoung@disl. •. Grants in Force org. •. Research Projects Abroad Photos on cover: Left - Dr. Marcus Drymon measuring a shark. Right, Board of Directors/Executive Committee/ top to bottom - Educator Joan Turner with Gulf Island Journey participants; Program Committee........................................................46-47 a cownose ray; Educator Mendel Federal Awards/Grants...................................................48-50 Graeber shows a tiny snail to a Summer Excursion participant. Balance Sheet.....................................................................51 DISL Educational Impact in Alabama, by County.............................................................52 Annual Report 2012 - page 3 2012 Letter from the Executive Director It has now been over forty years since the Alabama editors for some of the leading journals in the marine Legislature enacted the statute that gave birth to the sciences tell me that your contributions to science Dauphin Island Sea Lab. The intent of this legislation bring great cachet to our facilities and programs. was to reduce programmatic redundancy in higher education while promoting marine education and The Discovery Hall Programs (DHP) Educators research within the state. That legislation produced similarly had an excellent year. Over 240 groups, the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium with some 9,200 students, participated in (MESC) which then consisted of 17 member educational programs offered by our teachers. Bay institutions. Over time the mission of this consortium Mobile took the show on the road and provided has.diversi.ed.and.evolved.and.we.now.are.able. another 13,000 students with a glimpse of what our to draw on the talents and skills of scientists and state’s remarkable natural resources look like. For faculty at 22 member universities and colleges. many.of.these.children,.it.was.their..rst.exposure. During these forty years our K-12 program has also to the wonders of life in the Gulf of Mexico. One grown and expanded and our marine educators now only has to hear that DHP will also be the host for regularly provide instruction to students in all 67 the National Marine Educators Annual Meeting in counties found within the State of Alabama. Mobile to recognize just how well the DHP programs are thought of on the national stage. Just as is the In reading the wealth of materials submitted by each case with the researchers, the DISL educators also of our departments for this year’s annual report, all I brought much deserved praise and recognition to can say is “Wow!” It seems very clear to me that the our facility this past year. members.of.the.Alabama.Legislature.de.nitely.got. this one right! No matter which metric you choose, Neither of these programs could have exceeded our it is very clear that our educators, investigators and founding legislators’ wildest expectations without staff.have.excelled.in.the..elds.of.marine.education,. the excellent support provided by the maintenance research and community service. Across the board staff, vessel operators, computer wizards, cafeteria we all did a great job making sure the DISL mission staff.and.the..nance.department..Being.a.measure- assigned us by the legislature was achieved in 2012. once-and-cut-twice kind of guy, I continue to be Moreover, you accomplished all this despite the amazed that the construction of the new Endeavor sustained cuts to our state appropriation. Classroom has continued so seemingly effortlessly. I am certain I will be similarly impressed as the This past year over 1,700 credit hours were FOCAL classroom and sorting lab are converted into delivered by the University Programs faculty to graduate.student.of.ces.later.this.year.. undergraduate and graduate students in residence on the DISL campus. Seven DISL-supported I also want to call your attention to the fact that graduate students received their doctoral degrees the cafeteria staff served meals to some 45,000 and an additional 10 resident graduate students satis.ed.customers,.and.that.our.vessels.logged. completed their master’s degree requirements in in an estimated 5,475 hours on the water. I also 2012. The DISL faculty and student gave just short note that our IT staff has successfully established of.100.presentations.at.some.of.the.leading.scienti.c. a campus-wide WiFi. They are also crafting what I meetings in the marine sciences. The college faculty know will be an outstanding new DISL website. We and students also published the results of nearly have so many moving pieces that our site map is 60.studies.in.journals.within.their.respective..elds. now 8 pages long! And then there is the Finance of study. In addition to all of these achievements, Department that deserves additional praise. You the DISL faculty also managed 112 grants this past may not know this, but once again our annual state year. Lastly, the numbers of college faculty serving audit.failed.to.produce.any..ndings.of.fault.in.our. as.research.agency.panelists,.of.cers.in.national. accounting practices. That’s amazing given all that is and.international.scienti.c.organizations,.and.as. listed above. Annual Report 2012 - page 4 At the DISL Foundaton’s inaugural Marine Environmental Awards are (l-r) DISL Executive Director John Valentine; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner N. Gunter Guy, Jr.; award recipient Russell Ladd; Congressman Jo Bonner; DISL Foundation Director Helene Hassell. ExxonMobil received the award given to a business