Marine Science Center Annual Report 2014

Marine Science Center Marine Science Center Annual Report 2014

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 1 4/16/15 10:50 AM IN THIS REPORT Note from the Director 2

The Noisy World of Mud Crabs 3

Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology Program Admissions 4

PhD Degrees Awarded in 2014 5

MSC Graduate Student Awards & Fellowships 6

What You May Not Know About Vertical Seawalls 8

External Awards Received in 2014 10

Internal Awards Received in 2014 12

Northeastern Splashes Down with Mission 31 13

Publications 15

Outreach 19

Nathan W. Riser Lecture and Memorial Fellowship Fund 22

Doherty Professorship in Marine and Environmental Sciences 24

Giving to the Marine Science Center 25

Prof. Richard Bailey, left, explains the history of fossils in the region of Nahant during a tour given to community members at the Marine Science Center Open House.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 2 4/16/15 10:50 AM NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Note from the Director 2 Greetings from East Point! The Marine Science Center (MSC) continues to move forward in myriad ways, and these accomplishments are largely due to The Noisy World of Mud Crabs 3 the great teamwork of our students, staff, and faculty. We are building a great environment for scientific research and higher education that all rests ona solid foundation of community. We all love coming to work, and that’s not just 4 because of the breathtaking views around the MSC property.

PhD Degrees Awarded in 2014 5 We continue to focus on our desire to become a global leader in the area of urban coastal sustainability, seeking to forge interdisciplinary collaborations that produce solutions for cleaner, safer, and smarter coastal communities. The MSC Graduate Student Awards & Fellowships 6 efforts of the Urban Coastal Sustainability Initiative (UCSI) are being recognized as evidenced by a $1.5M grant from the Henry L. and Grace Doherty Foundation to support an endowed Professorship in Marine and Environmental Sciences. 8 The Doherty Foundation has long been a major supporter of marine science, and their recognition and support of our efforts speak volumes about our External Awards Received in 2014 10 achievements and future. Our students continue to lead the way, setting a standard of achievement 12 and excellence that will transform our relatively new PhD program in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology into one of the best in the country. Their accomplishments are too numerous to cover in this short note, but I should Northeastern Splashes Down with Mission 31 13 highlight both Allison Matzelle (Helmuth Lab) and Tanya Rogers (Kimbro Lab) for winning prestigious NSF Graduate Fellowships, and Robert Murphy Publications 15 (Grabowski Lab) and Amanda Dwyer (Patterson Lab) for receiving Honorable Mentions for this intensely competitive fellowship.

Outreach 19 On the hiring front, we have nearly completed a search for a new faculty member in Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics, and are partnering with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to hire faculty in the area of coastal sustainability. The candidates that have interviewed with us are outstanding, and I am hopeful 22 that we will soon have at least two new faculty members joining Northeastern.

Doherty Professorship in Marine and Environmental Sciences 24 Our signature Three Seas Marine Biology Program will soon be doubling in size with graduate and undergraduate cohorts rotating between Nahant, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, and Friday Harbor Laboratories at the University of Washington. This thriving program has benefited immensely from the hard work Giving to the Marine Science Center 25 of Liz Magee, Laura Evangelista, Heather Sears, and Mark Patterson, the new Faculty Head of the Program. I should also mention the great efforts of faculty from other universities that participate in our program. Again, there are far too many to mention, but I should highlight the long-standing contributions of Rich Aronson (FIT), Bill Precht (GulfBase), and Jim Leichter (Scripps).

Finally, we are putting the finishing touches on a new Masters degree program in Environmental Science and Policy. This new program is a collaborative venture with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities that embraces the vision and mission of the Urban Coastal Sustainability Initiative. Our goal is to provide students with the broad expertise of environmental scientists, sociologists, economists, urban planners, and policy analysts that better prepares them to address present and future environmental challenges.

Cheers!

Geoff 2

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 3 4/16/15 10:50 AM THE NOISY WORLD OF MUD CRABS

Angela Herring, News@Northeastern

Fish are not silent creatures. Just like the terrestrial world, there’s a veritable symphony of sound echoing under the sea. Indeed, the black drum fish was the subject of many a phone call to the Miami police back in 2005, when their midnight mating calls were waking up the locals, said Randall Hughes, Northeastern assiso tant pr fessor of marine and environmental sciences.

But sex is just one of the many things that get fish mouthing off: they also use their watery voices to relay dis tress, find prey, defend their nests, and attract mates.

All this noise got Hughes and her colleagues thinking. If fish are vocal creatur es, can their prey hear them? And if so, how do they react? Fear is an important part of ecolog ical communi ties, and Hughes is one of a number of researchers at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center studying how the phenom enon drives predator-prey interactions.

Their work—as well as that of researchers around the globe—has shown that the visual and chemical cues that fish dispatch into their environment can cause prey, such as mud crabs and shrimp-like crustaceans called amphipods, to go into hiding. But, until now, no one had ever studied the way prey species react to fishes’ auditory cues.

In a paper published on June 17, 2014 in the journal Proceed ings of the Royal Society B, Hughes and her team show that sound plays at least as much of a role in mud crabs’ reaction to fish behavior as other widely studied cues—and possibly more.

“We showed that these crabs change their behavior in response to acoustic signals,” she said. “They’re just as strong as chemical cues.”

In the first step of the experiment, the team—which also includes Northeastern assistant professor of marine and environmental science David Kimbro and David Mann, an expert in marine acoustics based at Loggerhead Instruments in Sarasota, Florida—looked at whether mud crabs respond to fish sounds. They put the crabs into mesocosms—experimental environments designed to mimic the natural world— containing food in the form of juvenile clams. They then submerged a microphone into the tank and trans mitted various types of sound recordings of oyster toadfish, hardhead catfish, and black drum fish.

“We pretty quickly saw that the crabs weren’t feeding as much in response to the predator sounds,” Hughes said.

The catfish and black drum had the most pronounced effect on the crabs’ behavior, likely because they move on and off the reef during feeding times whereas the toadfishstick around all the time. “Prey usually respond differently if the cue is constant versus variable,” Hughes said. “It makes sense—if a cue is con stant, you’re going to have to eat sometime, so you become desensi tized to it.”

Once the researchers determined that the prey do indeed change their behavior in response to predator sounds, they decided to confirm that this was due to the crabs’ ability to actually hear them, rather than some other hidden variable. Other researchers have examined terrestrial crabs’ ability to hear, but no one has looked at the capacity among marine crabs, which are very different animals.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 4 4/16/15 10:50 AM Prof. Randall Hughes near the Marine Science Center in Nahant, MA.

To perform this experiment, the team implanted electrodes into the “statocyst” at the base of the mud crabs’ antennae. This is a tiny sac containing a mineral mass and thousands of sensory hairs. It’s typically thought to be important for marine animals’ balance, but, Hughes said, “If they’re going to respond to sound pressure or particle accelera tion, that’s where it would happen.”

And indeed it did happen. The electrode signals showed a strong correlation with particle acceleration when the crabs were stimulated with fast pulses of noise. They didn’t hear the same way we do—through the imposi tion of sound waves on our auditory machinery—but rather through billions of displaced parti cles knocking against the tiny hairs inside their statocysts.

The study is the first to show that marine crabs are able to hear and opens up a wide range of questions for the team to probe in the future. The researchers have already collected soundscapes from reefs up and down the eastern seaboard and hope to use that data to examine questions such as whether mud crabs on all reefs show the same behaviors, or if they’re only sensitive to locally dominant predator sounds.

ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND MARINE BIOLOGY PROGRAM ADMISSIONS Harriet Booth Michael Peters BS Marine Biology BS Biology Brown University University of New Hampshire, Durham Advisor: Dr. David Kimbro Advisor: Dr. H. William Detrich

Carmen Elenberger Robyn Zerebecki BA Biological Anthropology MS Marine Biology University of Florida Northeastern University Advisor: Dr. H. William Detrich Advisor: Dr. A. Randall Hughes

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 5 4/16/15 10:50 AM PhD Degrees Awarded in 2014 MARINE SCIENCE CENTER GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS Dan Blustein Dan completed his PhD in Biology with Dr. Joseph External Awards Ayers. He defended his thesis, titled, “Control of a biomimetic robot lobster with a synthetic nervous NSF Graduate Research Fellowship system,” on December 4, 2014. He will be pursuing a The program recognizes and supports outstanding postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute of Biomedical graduate students in NSF-supported science, Engineering at the University of New Brunswick technology, engineering, and mathematics working on neurally-controlled prosthetic limbs for disciplines who are pursuing research-based human patients. master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. Awarded to Allison Matzelle, student of Dr. Brian Helmuth, and Tanya Rogers, student of Dr. David Kimbro Honorable Mention to Amanda Dwyer, student of Liz Hemond Dr. Mark Patterson, and Robert Murphy, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski Liz completed her PhD in Biology with Dr. Steven Vollmer. She defended her thesis, titled, “The NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship Genetic Landscape of Caribbean Acropora Corals,” Provides financial support to high caliber Canadian scholars who are engaged in a doctors program in on November 18, 2014. the natural sciences or engineering. Awarded to Robyn Zerebecki, student of Dr. Randall Hughes

Graduate Women in Science Nell Mondy Fellowship The SDE/GWIS National Fellowships Program offers fellowships to help increase knowledge in the fundamental sciences and to encourage research careers in the sciences by women. Marissa McMahan Silvia Libro was awarded $9,488 for her project titled, “Ecological implications of a northern range expansion of Silvia completed her PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and black sea bass, Centropristis striata.” Marine Biology with Dr. Steven Vollmer. She defended Awarded to Marissa McMahan, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski her thesis, titled, “Genetic bases of immunity and disease resistance to White Band Disease in the Crowdsourced funding through Experiment.com Caribbean Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis,” on Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn, student of Dr. Steven Vollmer, together with Felicia Aronson, Northeastern December 9, 2014. After graduation, she started undergraduate, raised $5,796 for their project “What is killing Caribbean corals? Investigating a postdoctoral work at New England Biolabs. devastating coral disease.” Marissa McMahan, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski, raised $6,926 for her project titled, “New fish on the block: Ecological implications of black sea bass in the Gulf of Maine.”

American Academy of Underwater Science Kathy Johnston Scholarship AAUS awards competitive scholarships to graduate students engaged in, or planning to begin, a Catherine Matassa research project in which diving is used as an important research tool or the research topic is diving Catherine completed her PhD in Ecology, Evolution, science. Kathy Johnston Scholarship awards $3,000 to a doctoral program student. and Marine Biology with Dr. Geoffrey Trussell. She Awarded to Marissa McMahan, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski defended her thesis, titled, “Ecological context shapes the response of consumers to predation risk,” on The Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship, runner-up April 10, 2014. She is continuing as a Postdoctoral The fellowship comprises a competitively based award to a graduate student actively engaged in thesis Research Associate with Dr. Trussell. research relevant to marine conservation. Award for runner up is $1,000. Awarded to Marissa McMahan, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 6 4/16/15 10:50 AM PhD Degrees Awarded in 2014 MARINE SCIENCE CENTER GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS Dan Blustein Dan completed his PhD in Biology with Dr. Joseph External Awards Ayers. He defended his thesis, titled, “Control of a biomimetic robot lobster with a synthetic nervous NSF Graduate Research Fellowship system,” on December 4, 2014. He will be pursuing a The program recognizes and supports outstanding postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute of Biomedical graduate students in NSF-supported science, Engineering at the University of New Brunswick technology, engineering, and mathematics working on neurally-controlled prosthetic limbs for disciplines who are pursuing research-based human patients. master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. Awarded to Allison Matzelle, student of Dr. Brian Helmuth, and Tanya Rogers, student of Dr. David Kimbro Honorable Mention to Amanda Dwyer, student of Liz Hemond Dr. Mark Patterson, and Robert Murphy, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski Liz completed her PhD in Biology with Dr. Steven Second year PhD student Allison Matzelle Vollmer. She defended her thesis, titled, “The NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship Genetic Landscape of Caribbean Acropora Corals,” Provides financial support to high caliber Canadian scholars who are engaged in a doctors program in on November 18, 2014. the natural sciences or engineering. Awarded to Robyn Zerebecki, student of Dr. Randall Hughes

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 7 4/16/15 10:50 AM MARINE SCIENCE CENTER GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS (cont.) Internal Awards

Dissertation Completion Fellowship, Northeastern Office of the Provost Provides PhD candidates who are nearing completion of their dissertation the financial support to spend their final semester writing. Awarded to Daniel Blustein, student of Dr. Joseph Ayers

Outstanding Graduate Student Award for Teaching, Northeastern Graduate Student Government and Office of the Provost Honors exceptional students for their significant contributions and accomplishments in teaching, research, community service, and experiential learning. The awards were established to confer honor upon individuals, who, by their contributions to their field and the community, have brought recognition to themselves and the University. Awarded to Chris Baillie, student of Dr. Jonathan Grabowski

Marine Science Center Travel Awards The Marine Science Center awarded $300 for conference travel to the following students: Kylla Benes, Benthic Ecology Meeting Daniel Blustein, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Nick Colvard, Gordon Research Conference: Ocean Global Climate Change Jennifer Elliott, Benthic Ecology Meeting Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn, Ecological Society of America Meeting Silvia Libro, Benthic Ecology Meeting Allison Matzelle, Gordon Research Conference: Ocean Global Climate Change Lara McGrath, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Marissa McMahan, International Conference and Workshop on Lobster Biology and Management Robert Murphy, American Fisheries Society Meeting Christine Ramsay, Benthic Ecology Meeting Tanya Rogers, Benthic Ecology Meeting Sarah Salois, Ecological Society of America Meeting Lin Zhu, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

Marissa McMahan, Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology PhD ‘17 7

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 8 4/16/15 10:50 AM MARINE SCIENCE CENTER GRADUATE STUDENT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS (cont.) VERTICAL SEAWALLS

These are two views of shorelines in Mobile Bay in Alabama. At left, a natural shoreline is seen, and at right, a man-made vertical wall is seen. Photos taken by Steven Scyphers.

Angela Herring, News@Northeastern If you looked up and down the coast of Alabama’s Mobile Bay a half-century ago, you would have seen that roughly 90 percent of its shores were lined with fringing salt marshes and other natural coastal habi tats. But today, more than 70 percent of the residential shoreline has been reinforced with vertical walls, erected by homeowners in individual attempts to stave off erosion or, in some cases, as a convenient place to dock one’s boat.

Nat ural habitats are known to provide a range of “ecosystem services” that benefit not only the marine species that live there, but also their human neighbors. For instance, oysters and other intertidal mollusks filter the water of organic waste runoff and also represent a valuable food source. Steven Scyphers, a postdoctoral research fellow in marine and environmental sciences associate professor Jon Grabowski’s lab at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center, said that one of the major problems with man-made shoreline struc tures is that they often damage these natural habitats and don’t provide the same benefits.

Fur thermore, he said, they’re expensive. “People think vertical walls are less expensive than regular main tenance of a natural shoreline, but it’s actually two times as costly,” he explained.

In a paper published on June 13, 2014 in the journal Conser vation Letters, Scyphers and his colleagues at the University of South Alabama and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab present research examining the values and decision-making processes of waterfront homeowners. The goal of the research, he said, is to identify conservation strategies that are most likely to succeed given the need for stakeholder buy-in. 8

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 9 4/16/15 10:50 AM WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT VERTICAL SEAWALLS (cont.)

Scyphers is interested in how homeowners manage their shorelines, because this is where individual changes are happening quickly and consistently. “It’s not just one large-scale conservation project—it’s hun dreds of thousands of little ones,” he said.

The researchers used a 40-question written survey developed in conjunc tion with coastal scien tists, prac titioners, and waterfront homeowners to develop a better understanding of the perceptions and experi ences of nearly 400 homeowners on Mobile Bay.

An analysis of the feedback revealed two important discoveries: First, there was a lot of misin forma tion regarding the environmental impacts and cost-effectiveness of various shoreline solutions—not only ver tical walls, but also things like rocks and simply leaving the natural shore intact. Second, homeowners were much more likely to add a vertical wall to their own property as a response to damage done by a neighbor’s wall.

“The decision of one neighbor to build a vertical wall can cascade down the shoreline,” Scyphers said. He noted that the most common form of shoreline intervention—vertical walls—is also the most damaging because for more than half a century, conservation policies have favored this kind of infrastructure.

The study’s results give Scyphers and his team valuable data for informing future policy measures. The cascading phenomenon, Scyphers said, suggests that perhaps the most impor tant places to protect are long, existing stretches of undeveloped shoreline. Con ser vation efforts, he noted, should focus on restoring habitats in the most degraded areas as best as possible, but policy should focus on promoting better decisions among homeowners. That latter effort will require working collaboratively with homeowners to understand and develop the best solutions that benefit them and coastal ecosystems, according to Scyphers, whose research is also focused on living shorelines.

Solutions range from man-made oyster reefs to salt marshes, which reduce ero sion by absorbing wave impacts without the negative effects brought on by sea walls. Furthermore, these so-called “green” or “nature-based” approaches actually promote habitat for the local ecosystems rather than degrading it.

Steven Scyphers, a post-doctoral research fellow in marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center. 9

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 10 4/16/15 10:50 AM EXTERNAL AWARDS RECEIVED IN 2014

Ayers, J. Utilizing Synthetic Biology to Create Programmable Micro-bio-robots, Boston University/Office of Naval Research, 2011-2016, $264,578

Distel, D. Diverse Drug Lead Compounds from Bacterial Symbionts in Philippine Mollusks, Oregon Health and Science University/National Institutes of Health, 2014-2019, $110,570

Distel, D. Lignocellulose Degradation by Shipworms and their Bacterial Symbionts, National Science Foundation, 2014, $47,232

Distel, D. Identity, Function, and Transport of Lignocellulose-Active Enzymes in Wood-eating (xylotrophic) Bivalves (shipworms), National Science Foundation, 2014-2016, $591,000

Fernandez, L. Non-equilibrium Passive Sampling for Quantitative Thermodynamic Exposure Assessment (Q-TEA), US Army Environmental Laboratory/Army Corps of Engineers, 2014-2017, $45,000

Grabowski, J., M. Ruth, & S. Scyphers. Social and Ecological Factors Influencing Shoreline Hardening in the Northeast: Implications for The Marine Science Vulnerability, Resilience and Informed Decision Making, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Center received over Administration, 2014-2016, $87,500 $3M in federal and non- federal funding in 2014. Grabowski, J. Archival Tagging and Age Validation in the Mid Atlantic, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014-2016, $92,543

Hughes, A.R. Functional Consequences of Invasion-mediated Biodiversity Changes in a Marine Ecosystem, Massachusetts Institute of Technology/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014-2015, $75,000

Dy, J., T. Gouhier, A. Ding, & A. Ganguly. CyberSEES: Type 2: SEA-MASCOT: Spatio-temporal Extremes and Associations: Marine Adaptation and Survivorship under Climate Change and Rising Ocean Temperatures, National Science Foundation, 2014-2018, $1,199,617

Grabowski, J. The Trophic Ecology of Restored Oyster Reefs in Southern RI, The Nature Conservancy, 2014-2015, $24,032

Grabowski, J. & T. Gouhier. Mapping and Modeling Demersal Fish Habitat Suitability and Productivity in the Gulf of Maine, The Nature Conservancy, 2014-2016, $165,000

Grabowski, J. RI TNC/DEM Habitat Enhancement Project, The Nature Conservancy, 2014-2018, $74,860

Grabowski, J. & S. Scyphers. Assessing Social Impacts in Groundfish Fishing Communities, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014-2016, $236,785

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 11 4/16/15 10:50 AM EXTERNAL AWARDS RECEIVED IN 2014 (cont.)

Hughes, A. R., J. Grabowski, & G. C. Trussell. The Effect of Lyngbya majuscula on Bay Scallop and Eelgrass Ecology at Nantucket, Nantucket Land Council, 2014, $24,903

Kimbro, D. Florida’s Imperiled Apalachicola Oysters: Paired Experimentation, Monitoring, and Modeling to Understand Collapse of Oyster Reefs and to Promote Recovery, State of Florida, 2014-2016, $202,969

McCauley, C. From School to Sea: Linking Middle School Students in Lynn to the Sea Next Door, The Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation, 2012-2015, $10,000

Ries, J. MRI: Acquisition of a Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP- MS) for Research in the Marine, Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Science Foundation, 2014- 2018, $500,000

Ries, J. Collaborative Research: A Combined Boron Isotope, pH Microelectrode and pH-sensitive Dye Approach to Constraining Acid/Base Chemistry in the Calcifying Fluids of Corals, National Science Foundation, 2014-2017, $369,414

Ries, J. & J. Grabowski. Investigating the effects of ocean acidification and warming on the shell properties and meat weights of NW Atlantic sea scallops via paired field surveys and laboratory experiments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, $430,186

Prof. Randall Hughes gives Congresswoman Katherine Clark and Congressman John Tierney an in-depth look at the greenhouse during a tour of the Marine Science Center. 11

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 12 4/16/15 10:50 AM EXTERNAL AWARDS RECEIVED IN 2014 (cont.) INTERNAL AWARDS RECEIVED IN 2014

Beighley, E., A. R. Hughes, & D. Kimbro. Effects of Continental-Scale Variation in Freshwater Input on Coastal Ecosystem Services. Northeastern University Office of the Provost, 2014-2015, $49,971

Patterson, M. R. & B. Helmuth, Autonomous Sensors and Smart Analytics for Wetlands in Urban Areas. Northeastern University Office of the Provost, 2014-2015, $50,000

PhD student Tanya Rogers, left, and David Kimbro, Assistant Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences, examine a predation experiment at the Marine Science Center in Nahant, MA.

Professor Mark Patterson speaks to attendees about “Fetch” during the Future of Robotics Summit held at Microsoft NERD.

Brian Helmuth, Professor of Marine and Environmental Sciences and Public Policy, at the Marine Science Center in Nahant, MA. 12

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 13 4/16/15 10:50 AM NORTHEASTERN SPLASHES DOWN WITH MISSION 31

Angela Herring, News@Northeastern Nine miles off the coast of Key Largo, Fla., and 63 feet beneath the waves, lies the world’s only underwater research lab: Aquarius. “There’s no place like it on earth,” said Mark Patterson, professor of marine and environmental science and civil and environmental engineering, who has visited and lived within the “habitat” 10 times.

Sponges and corals decorate the exterior and a 700‐pound grouper has taken up residence underneath. Inside, it’s a veritable underwater apartment complex complete with kitchen, sleeping quarters, and Wi‐Fi. “It’s like a miniature city immersed in the environment,” said Brian Helmuth, a professor of marine and environmental science and public policy.

Operated by Florida International University, the habitat was home to a team of aquanauts from June 1 through July 2, 2014 for a 31-day expedition, aptly named Mission 31. Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the famed ocean explorer and creator of the first ocean floor habitats for humans, led the mission in honor of the 50th anniversary of his grandfather’s Conshelf Two mission. “The overarching theme for Mission 31 is the human-ocean connection within the lens of exploration and discovery,” Cousteau said.

Northeastern’s Marine Science Center took the lead as scientific partner during the second half of the mission, when Liz Magee, Program Coordinator for the Three Seas Program, spent two weeks submersed. The expedition aligned with Northeastern’s focus on solving global challenges in sustainability, one of the university’s core research themes. 13

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 14 4/16/15 10:50 AM NORTHEASTERN SPLASHES DOWN WITH MISSION 31 NORTHEASTERN SPLASHES DOWN WITH MISSION 31 (cont.)

As part of Mission 31, Marine Science Center researchers pursued four main research projects all centered on the theme of coral reef ecology in the context of global change, including coral response to stress, collection of tissue samples from 14 sponge species for the Ocean Genome Legacy, energy flow through barrel sponges, and zooplankton populations in the water column within 24 hour periods. Magee was underwater with Aquarius for two full weeks, while the rest of the Northeastern team, which included Patterson, Helmuth, research technicians Francis Choi and Sara Williams, and graduate students Nick Colvard, Amanda Dwyer, Allison Matzelle, and Jess Torossian stationed “topside” conducted shorter‐term dives throughout that same period. The divers and aquanauts closely collaborated to maximize the data collected in two weeks.

Estimates indicate it would have taken up to two years of surface diving to collect the amount of data the team collected during the mission’s two weeks. Since the mission, the team has worked tirelessly to analyze the data collected. Mission 31’s message of the human-ocean connection and conservation has reached over 400 million people across the globe. Each member of Northeastern’s Mission 31 team continues to share this message at outreach events and speaking engagements.

Northeastern’s Mission 31 team topside.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 15 4/16/15 10:50 AM PUBLICATIONS

Faculty in bold, * denotes graduate students, † denotes postdocs

Altamia, M. A., N. Wood, J. M. Fung, S. Dedrick, E. W. Linton, G. P. Concepcion, M. G. Haygood, & D. L. Distel. (2014). “Genetic differentiation among isolates of Teredinibacter turnerae, a widely occurring intracellular endosymbiont of shipworms.” Molecular Ecology 23(6): 1418-1432.

Bracken, M. E., R. E. Dolecal, & J. D. Long. (2014). “Community context mediates the top-down versus bottom-up effects of grazers on rocky shores.” Ecology 95: 1458-1463.

Bryson, E. S., G. C. Trussell, & P. J. Ewanchuk. (2014). “Broad-scale geographic variation in the organization of rocky intertidal communities in the Gulf of Maine.” Ecological Monographs 84: 79-597.

Byers, J. E., T. L. Rogers*, J. H. Grabowski, A. R. Hughes, M. F. Piehler, & D. L. Kimbro. (2014). “Experimental evidence for environmentally mediated infection of oysters at biogeographic scale.” Oecologia 174: 731-738.

Castillo, K. D., J. B. Ries, J. F. Bruno, & I. T. Westfield. (2014). “The reef-building coral Siderastrea siderea exhibits parabolic responses to ocean acidification and warming.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282: 1802.

Chu, N. D., S. T. Kaluziak*, G. C. Trussell, & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “Phylogenomic analyses reveal latitudinal population structure and polymorphisms in heat stress genes in the North Atlantic snail Nucella lapillus.” Molecular Ecology 23(7): 1863-1873.

Chu, N. D., L. P. Miller, S. T. Kaluziak*, G. C. Trussell, & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “Thermal stress and predation risk trigger distinct transcriptomic responses in the intertidal snail Nucella lapillus.” Molecular Ecology 23(24): 6104-6113.

Colvard, N. B*., E. Carrington, & B. Helmuth. (2014). “Temperature-dependent photosynthesis in the intertidal alga Fucus gardneri and sensitivity to ongoing climate change.” Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 458: 6-12.

Cuellar, J., H. Yébenes, S. K. Parker, G. Carranza, M. Serna, J. M. Valpuesta, J. C. Zabala, & H. W. Detrich. (2014). “Assisted protein folding at low temperature: evolutionary adaptation of the Antarctic fish chaperonin CCT and its client proteins.”Biology Open 3: 261-270.

Gouhier, T. C. & F. Guichard. (2014). “Synchrony: quantifying variability in space and time.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5(6): 524-533.

Grabowski, J. H., M. Bachman, C. Demarest, S. Eayrs, B. P. Harris, V. Malkoski, D. Packer, & D. Stevenson. (2014). “Assessing the Vulnerability of Marine Benthos to Fishing Gear Impacts.” Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture: 142-155.

Guichard, F. & T. C. Gouhier. (2014). “Non-equilibrium spatial dynamics of ecosystems.” Mathematical Biosciences 255: 1-10.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 16 4/16/15 10:50 AM PUBLICATIONS (cont.)

Faculty in bold, * denotes graduate students, † denotes postdocs

Altamia, M. A., N. Wood, J. M. Fung, S. Dedrick, E. W. Linton, G. P. Concepcion, M. G. Haygood, & Helmuth, B., B. D. Russell, S. D. Connell, Y. Dong, C. D. Harley, F. P. Lima, G. Sará, G. A. Williams, & D. L. Distel. (2014). “Genetic differentiation among isolates of Teredinibacter turnerae, a widely occurring N. Mieszkowska. (2014). “Beyond long-term averages: Making biological sense of a rapidly changing intracellular endosymbiont of shipworms.” Molecular Ecology 23(6): 1418-1432. world.” Climate Change Responses 1(1): 6.

Bracken, M. E., R. E. Dolecal, & J. D. Long. (2014). “Community context mediates the top-down versus Hemond, E. M.*, S. T. Kaluziak*, & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “The genetics of colony form and function in bottom-up effects of grazers on rocky shores.” Ecology 95: 1458-1463. Caribbean Acropora corals.” BMC Genomics 15(1): 1133.

Bryson, E. S., G. C. Trussell, & P. J. Ewanchuk. (2014). “Broad-scale geographic variation in the Hughes, A. R. (2014). “Genotypic diversity and trait variance interact to affect marsh plant organization of rocky intertidal communities in the Gulf of Maine.” Ecological Monographs 84: 79-597. performance.” Journal of Ecology 102: 651-658.

Byers, J. E., T. L. Rogers*, J. H. Grabowski, A. R. Hughes, M. F. Piehler, & D. L. Kimbro. (2014). Hughes, A. R., P. E. Griffen,D. L. Kimbro, & M. J. Bishop. (2014). “Additive and site-specific effects “Experimental evidence for environmentally mediated infection of oysters at biogeographic scale.” of two foundation species on invertebrate community structure.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 508: Oecologia 174: 731-738. 129-138.

Castillo, K. D., J. B. Ries, J. F. Bruno, & I. T. Westfield. (2014). “The reef-building coral Siderastrea Hughes, A. R. & K. E. Lotterhos. (2014). “Genotypic diversity at multiple spatial scales in the foundation siderea exhibits parabolic responses to ocean acidification and warming.” Proceedings of the Royal marsh species, Spartina alterniflora.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 497: 105-117. Society B: Biological Sciences 282: 1802. Hughes, A. R., D. A. Mann, & D. L. Kimbro. (2014). “Predatory fish sounds can alter crab foraging Chu, N. D., S. T. Kaluziak*, G. C. Trussell, & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “Phylogenomic analyses reveal behaviour and influence bivalve abundance.”Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences latitudinal population structure and polymorphisms in heat stress genes in the North Atlantic snail Nucella 281(1788). lapillus.” Molecular Ecology 23(7): 1863-1873. Johnson, K. D., J. H. Grabowski, & D. L. Smee. (2014). “Omnivory dampens trophic cascades in Chu, N. D., L. P. Miller, S. T. Kaluziak*, G. C. Trussell, & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “Thermal stress and speciose communities.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 507: 197-206. predation risk trigger distinct transcriptomic responses in the intertidal snail Nucella lapillus.” Molecular Ecology 23(24): 6104-6113. Kimbro, D. L., J. E. Byers, J. H. Grabowski, A. R. Hughes, & M. F. Piehler. (2014). “The biogeography of trophic cascades on US oyster reefs.” Ecology Letters 17(7): 845-854. Colvard, N. B*., E. Carrington, & B. Helmuth. (2014). “Temperature-dependent photosynthesis in the intertidal alga Fucus gardneri and sensitivity to ongoing climate change.” Journal of Experimental Lewis, L.* & J. Ayers. (2014). “Temperature preference and acclimation in the Jonah Crab, Cancer Marine Biology and Ecology 458: 6-12. borealis.” Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 455: 7-13.

Cuellar, J., H. Yébenes, S. K. Parker, G. Carranza, M. Serna, J. M. Valpuesta, J. C. Zabala, & H. W. Low, N. N., A. Drouin, C. Marks*, & M. S. Bracken. (2014). “Invader traits and community context Detrich. (2014). “Assisted protein folding at low temperature: evolutionary adaptation of the Antarctic contribute to the recent invasion success of the macroalga Heterosiphonia japonica on New England fish chaperonin CCT and its client proteins.”Biology Open 3: 261-270. rocky reefs.” Biological Invasions 17: 257-271.

Gouhier, T. C. & F. Guichard. (2014). “Synchrony: quantifying variability in space and time.” Methods in Macreadie, P. I., D. L. Kimbro, V. Fourgerit, J. Leto, & A. R. Hughes. (2014). “Effects of Pinna clams on Ecology and Evolution 5(6): 524-533. benthic macrofauna and the possible implications of their removal from seagrass ecosystems.” Journal of Molluscan Studies 80(1): 102-106. Grabowski, J. H., M. Bachman, C. Demarest, S. Eayrs, B. P. Harris, V. Malkoski, D. Packer, & D. Stevenson. (2014). “Assessing the Vulnerability of Marine Benthos to Fishing Gear Impacts.” Reviews in Matassa, C.* & G. C. Trussell. (2014). “Effects of predation risk across a latitudinal temperature Fisheries Science & Aquaculture: 142-155. gradient.” Oecologia: 1-10.

Guichard, F. & T. C. Gouhier. (2014). “Non-equilibrium spatial dynamics of ecosystems.” Mathematical Matassa, C. M.* & G. C. Trussell. (2014). “Prey state shapes the effects of temporal variation in Biosciences 255: 1-10. predation risk.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281: 2014952.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 17 4/16/15 10:50 AM PUBLICATIONS (cont.)

Matzelle, A.*, V. Montalto, G. Sarà, M. Zippay, & B. Helmuth. (2014). “Dynamic energy budget model parameter estimation for the bivalve Mytilus californianus: Application of the covariation method.” Journal of Sea Research 94: 105-110.

Miller, L. P., C. M. Matassa*, & G. C. Trussell. (2014). “Climate change enhances the negative effects of predation risk on an intermediate consumer.” Global Change Biology 20(12): 3834–3844.

Mislan, K. A. S., B. Helmuth, & D. S. Wethey. (2014). “Geographical variation in climatic sensitivity of intertidal mussel zonation.” Global Ecology and Biogeography 23(7): 744-756.

Monaco, C. J., D.S. Wethey, & B. Helmuth. (2014). “A dynamic energy budget (DEB) model for the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus.” PLoS ONE, 9(8): 1-19.

Montalto, V., G. Sarà, P. M. Ruti, A. Dell’Aquila, & B. Helmuth. (2014). “Testing the effects of temporal data resolution on predictions of the effects of climate change on bivalves.”Ecological Modelling 278: 1-8.

Mukhopadhyay, S., C. Wang, M. Patterson, M. Malisoff, & F. Zhang. (2014). Collaborative autonomous surveys in marine environments affected by oil spills. Pages 87-113 in Cooperative Robots and Sensor Networks 2014 (Second Edition), (Editors, A. Koubaa and A. Khelil), Special edition in the Studies in Computational Intelligence Springer Book Series, 554. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-55029-4_5

Justin Ries is an associate professor of marine and environmental sciences and is based at the Marine Science Center in Nahant, MA, where he researches biogeochemical oceanic change over long time periods. 17

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 18 4/16/15 10:50 AM O’Connor, R. M., J. M. Fung, K. H. Sharp, J. S. Benner, C. McClung, S. Cushing, E. R. Lamkin, A. I. Fomenkov, B. Henrissat, Y. Y. Londer, M. B. Scholz, J. Posfai, S. Malfatti, S. G. Tringe, T. Woyke, R. R. Malmstrom, D. Coleman-Derr, M. A. Altamia, S. Dedrick, S. T. Kaluziak*, M. G. Haygood, & D. L. Distel. (2014). “Gill bacteria enable a novel digestive strategy in a wood-feeding mollusk.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1413110111

Perini, V. & M. E. Bracken. (2014). “Nitrogen availability limits phosphorus uptake in an intertidal macroalga.” Oecologia 175(2): 667-676.

Petes, L. E., J. F. Howard, B. S. Helmuth, & E. K. Fly. (2014). “Science integration into US climate and ocean policy.” Nature Climate Change 4(8): 671-677.

Pillai, P.†, T. C. Gouhier. & S. V. Vollmer. (2014). “The cryptic role of biodiversity in the emergence of host–microbial mutualisms.” Ecology Letters 17(11): 1437-1446.

Rodriguez, A. B., F. J. Fodrie, J. T. Ridge, N. L. Lindquist, E. J. Theuerkauf, S. E. Coleman, J. H. Grabowski, M. C. Brodeur, R. K. Gittman, & D. A. Keller. (2014). “Oyster reefs can outpace sea-level rise.” Nature Climate Change 4: 493-497.

Rosengaus, R. B., K. F. Schultheis, A. Yalonetskaya, M. S. Bulmer, W. S. DuComb, R. W. Benson, J. P. Thottam, & V. Godoy-Carter. (2014). “Symbiont-derived beta-1,3-glucanases in a social insect: mutualism beyond nutrition.” Frontiers in Microbiology 5(607).

Sará, G., M. Milanese, I. Prusina, A. Sará, D.L. Angel, B. Glamuzina, T. Nitzan, S. Freeman, A. Rinaldi, V. Palmeri, V. Montalto, M. Lo Martire, P. Gianguzza, V. Arizza, S. Lo Brutto, M. De Pirro, B. Helmuth, J. Murray, S. De Cantis, & G.A.Williams. (2014). “The impact of climate change on Mediterranean intertidal communities: losses in coastal ecosystem integrity and services.” Regional Environmental Change 14(Suppl 1): S5-S17.

Schunter, C., S. V. Vollmer, E. Macpherson, & M. Pascual (2014). “Transcriptome analyses and differential gene expression in a non-model fish species with alternative mating tactics.”BMC Genomics 15(1): 167.

Steve Vollmer at the Marine Science Center in Nahant. 18

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 19 4/16/15 10:51 AM OUTREACH AT THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER

Youth and Community Outreach

The Center’s Outreach Program served over 7,400 youth, PreK-12 educators, faculty, students, and members of the wider community in 2014, an increase of 11% over 2013. The program aims to foster a sense of place among program beneficiaries by connecting them to natural resources in the local environment. The program utilizes several MSC resources such as its signature rocky intertidal field site on Canoe Beach, classroom and storage space, and salt- water aquaria that house local marine organisms. In delivering programs, it also leverages the unique natural and historic resources of historic East Point, as well as nearby salt marshes, eelgrass beds, and sandy beaches.

Youth Programs

The Outreach Program works extensively with youth in a number of ways. Programs take place Thousands of school children learn about intertidal ecology each year by taking Middle schoolers engaged in the after-school Beach Sisters Program at part in a field trip program on the MSC’s iconic rocky shore. Girls Inc. of Lynn enjoy a visit by the MSC traveling touch tanks. during school, after school, and in the summer.

• Over 2,700 youth participated in 85 onsite rocky intertidal field trip programs at the MSC. • Over 1,850 youth participated in 96 offsite classroom programs that focus on local marine resources. • A total of 560 youth participating in both onsite and offsite programs were sixth grade students from Lynn Public Schools beginning the “School to Sea” program, which introduces students to field study on the rocky shore, sandy beach, and salt marsh. • Led by an Americorps/Massachusetts Promise Fellow, out-of-school time STEM enrichment programs were delivered to over 150 girls through the Beach Sister program with Girls Inc. of Lynn. • The Coastal Ocean Science Academy hosted 23 high schoolers in its 9th year of operation, and 15 middle schoolers formed the inaugural class offered at that level. • The second annual North Shore High School Marine Science Symposium engaged almost 200 students and 14 presenters in conversation and learning around marine science study and careers. • A new partnership with the Johnson Elementary School and Nahant Education Foundation is paving the way for all Nahant PreK-6 students to engage in multiple marine education programs each year. Outreach staff maintain touch tanks and other aquaria that 19 house local organisms used in traveling touch tank programs as well as special events and field trips at the MSC.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 20 4/16/15 10:51 AM OUTREACH AT THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER (cont.)

• Through collaboration with Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach, students from Harrington and Brickett Elementary Schools are receiving marine education programming in their schools.

Educator Support and Professional Development

Efforts are ongoing to support educators through the provision of teaching resources and exposure to our inquiry-based teaching strategies. Many of these resources are available on the MSC website.

• The first edition of a Coastal Habitats Curriculum was completed and is being piloted by 8 sixth grade teachers in Lynn. • Three videos were developed to prepare students for field trips to the rocky shore, sandy beach, and salt marsh. • Twenty-two out-of-school-time educators Thousands of school children learn about intertidal ecology each year by taking Middle schoolers engaged in the after-school Beach Sisters Program at from program sites in Malden, Salem, and part in a field trip program on the MSC’s iconic rocky shore. Girls Inc. of Lynn enjoy a visit by the MSC traveling touch tanks. Gloucester participated in professional development around inquiry-based teaching and learning, and each delivered “schoolyard ecology” programs with the youth they serve. • Two teachers and one administrator from Lynn Public Schools delivered a workshop session with MSC outreach staff at the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers conference. • The Outreach Program offered professional development experiences to dozens of educators, including attendees of the 2014 National Science Teachers Association conference.

Public and other Special Events

The MSC regularly opens its doors to the public to share its resources and research widely via lectures, films, and an annual Open House.

• This year, over 500 people attended ten public lectures and films, including the Annual Riser Lecture in the spring that celebrates the Center’s founding director. • The Annual Open House drew a record 917 people to the NUMSC in October. Offerings included demonstrations, field studies, interactive activities, and tours of the grounds and facilities. • The MSC was represented at numerous community events such as the Boston Public Schools Science Fair, Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach Kids Concert, and Swampscott’s Hadley School Family Night.

Outreach staff maintain touch tanks and other aquaria that College of Science Dean Murray Gibson celebrates his commitment to the MSC at house local organisms used in traveling touch tank programs 20 as well as special events and field trips at the MSC. the Annual Open House in October.

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 21 4/16/15 10:51 AM OUTREACH AT THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER (cont.)

Broader Impact Activities

MSC faculty, staff, and students participated in research- inspired activities that demonstrate broad impacts on society.

• Many faculty members, research staff, and graduate students presented their work to youth and adult audiences through our regular public lecture series, Coastal Ocean Science Academy, Beach Sisters Program, and with visiting high school groups. • Persons from six MSC research labs presented on their work at marine education events such as the annual High School Marine Science Symposium, Boston Harbor Educators Conference, and Ocean Literacy Summit. • Six high school interns undertook guided research in four different labs at the MSC in 2014.

Sixth graders from Breed and Pickering Middle Schools in Lynn record the elevation profile at a local beach as part of the “School to Sea” Communications program, which introduces students to local coastal habitats and the methods scientists use to study them. • In addition to being featured in articles in the Boston Globe, Wired, and CNET, MSC research and other accomplishments were featured in over 30 News@Northeastern articles, as well as half a dozen appearances in Northeastern Magazine. Additionally, the MSC itself issued another three dozen press releases on its website and via social media. • Mission 31, including Northeastern-led research, was widely covered in the global media, and it is estimated that over 330 million people were exposed to the Mission, which was broadcast 24/7 over the Internet. Northeastern’s contribution to the Mission was featured by media outlets such as Time Magazine, Popular Science, National Geographic, Alert Diver, Men’s Journal, and more. • “Likes” on the MSC’s Facebook page grew by 38%, and the MSC had a modest Twitter presence.

Achievements At-a-Glance

• Total number of individuals engaged: 7,435 • Youth attending onsite, field-based programs: 2,745 • Youth reached through classroom visits: 1,816 • Teachers/chaperones engaged: 510 • Towns served by school programs: 25 • Persons reached through onsite special events and lectures: 1,511 • Public reached through offsite events: 1,020

1721

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 22 4/16/15 10:51 AM MARINE SCIENCE CENTER ANNUAL NATHAN W. RISER LECTURE The 2015 Riser lecturer is Susan Williams, professor at UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, whose talk is titled, “Along the Spice Route: The Quest to Protect Indonesia’s Marine Biodiversity.” This lecture marks 30 years since the first Riser Lecture and the retirement of Nathan “Doc” Riser, founding director of the Marine Science Center.

We thank those of you who were able to join us for last year’s heavily attended Riser lecture, “Ecosystem Tipping Points, Chemical Ecology, and the Continuing Death Spiral of Coral Reefs,” by guest speaker Dr. Mark Hay, Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair, School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology.

Susan Williams, PhD

Mark Hay, PhD 22

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 23 4/16/15 10:51 AM NATHAN W. RISER MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP FUND

Dr. Nathan W. “Doc” Riser was a pioneer in establishing Northeastern’s marine science program and the Nahant facility as a world-leading center for research and education. We believe he would be proud of the major investment Northeastern has made, building Doc’s legacy and substantially growing the Marine Science Center as the centerpiece of the university’s commitment to sustaining urban coastal environments.

In honor of Dr. Riser’s significant contributions to both his discipline and his students, the University is seeking to further his legacy by establishing a special graduate student research fellowship in his name.

The Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship seeks to offer greater numbers of graduate students the opportunity to solve important questions in ecology, evolution, and marine biology, applying their research to issues of relevance to society and the environment, especially in this era of global climate change.

Dr. Riser had a transformational impact on his students, and it is fitting to honor his legacy by providing crucial financial support to future generations of marine biologists.

To endow the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship, Northeastern University needs to raise an additional $320,000 toward the total goal of $500,000 by June 30, 2015.

A gift at any level to the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship honors an extraordinary teacher while supporting critical research in the marine sciences. Please contact Lisa Pedulla at 617.373.8392 or [email protected] with questions on making a contribution to the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship Endowed Fund. 23

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 24 4/16/15 10:51 AM THE HENRY L. & GRACE DOHERTY PROFESSORSHIP IN MARINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

More than half of the world’s population lives by the coast, with a growing fraction in cities. Coastal cities contribute to half of the global GDP, and two-thirds of the world’s megacities are located on a coast. Unprecedented global change is placing the world’s oceans−and the functions, goods, and services that they provide−in a precarious state. Ecological borders and coastal ecosystems are inherently complex because they integrate the impacts of environmental change on land and in the sea, with important implications for the benefits that the world’s oceans provide to humanity.

Northeastern University, recognizing the need to invest in the growth and impact of marine and coastal research, has established the Urban Coastal Sustainability Initiative (UCSI). This interdisciplinary initiative focuses on student education, innovative research, and knowledge creation to address the threats posed by climate change and sea level rise, collapsing fisheries, the spread of invasive species, the loss of biodiversity, coastal pollution, and port security. This interdisciplinary and transformative research and educational strategy will yield solutions that promote increased sustainability in these globally coupled human-marine ecosystems.

Recruitment and retention of world-class faculty and graduate students is critically important as we assemble a team of scientific leaders to address the global challenges related to urban coastal sustainability. The Northeastern University Marine Science Center (MSC) is pleased to announce our partnership with The Henry L. & Grace Doherty Foundation. Together, and with your help, we will establish the first endowed professorship at the MSC.

Partner with Us to Meet the Challenge! The Henry L. & Grace Doherty Foundation has generously awarded $1.5 million to the MSC and has challenged us to raise matching funds to establish and endow a professorship for a senior-level marine scientist. A $3 million endowment is needed to fully fund this prestigious and important professorship. We invite you to partner with us to meet the challenge.

Northeastern seeks investments that build upon three core strengths: • A well-rounded and talented student body. • A world-class research faculty. • An ethos of fearless innovation in education and discovery. Dr. Riser had a transformational impact on his students, and it is fitting to honor his legacy by providing Distinguished faculty members attract and inspire the best students, forge new routes to knowledge, and crucial financial support to future generations of marine biologists. elevate the academic rigor and reputation of a research university. Endowed professorships create a beneficial ripple effect: esteemed faculty attract grant funding, draw brilliant graduate and undergraduate students, and To endow the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship, Northeastern University needs to raise an additional facilitate research collaborations with leading faculty from other institutions. $320,000 toward the total goal of $500,000 by June 30, 2015. Investment in this chair will also yield the next generation of marine scientists—the people in whom we A gift at any level to the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship honors an extraordinary teacher while supporting will entrust the future of our precious marine environment for years to come. For more information, please critical research in the marine sciences. Please contact Lisa Pedulla at 617.373.8392 or [email protected] contact Patty Flint (617.373.7356, [email protected]). with questions on making a contribution to the Nathan W. Riser Memorial Fellowship Endowed Fund. 24

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 25 4/16/15 10:51 AM GIVING TO THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER The Marine Science Center and the College of Science would like to thank those who have contributed to our initiatives, labs, classrooms and, most importantly, our faculty and students. Much of the growing and expanding we’ve done here at the Marine Science Center is because of our extended Marine Science Center family! $10,000 and over $1,000 and over Mirage Fishing, LLC George R. Riser Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Miss Shauna, LLC Charles K. Gifford David R. Brierley George Putnam Leonard McNally Donald P. Cheney Kaitlyn C. Sanders The New York Community Trust Janet Fitzgerald Geoffrey C. Trussell The Lincoln and Patricia Flint Therese Filene Foundation $250 and over Philip Goelet $500 and over Ian H. Gardiner Paul J. DeFilippi Jonathan H. Grabowski $5,000 and over Jay Eisner Alan M. Kuzirian Janet L. and Stanley J. Burba Friends of Lynn and Maddie’s Anglers Club Nahant Beach Mark and Vi Patek Adam S. Heffernan Elisabeth A. Raleigh Joseph J. Jankowski

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 26 4/16/15 10:51 AM GIVING TO THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER GIVING TO THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER (cont.) The Marine Science Center and the College of Science would like to thank those who have contributed $100 and over Babson Capital Management, LLC A. Randall Hughes to our initiatives, labs, classrooms and, most importantly, our faculty and students. Much of the growing Charles W. and Elizabeth A. Adey Nathaniel A. Barker Karen T. Lee and expanding we’ve done here at the Marine Science Center is because of our extended Marine Science Wen-Tien and Yunyun Yeh Chen Thomas Williams Richard A. Reddy Center family! Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Rachel Byer-Barker Ernest Ruber Peter H. Hartline Barbara L. Carlson David L. and Hillary H. West Mirage Fishing, LLC Rebecca A. Kucera Rita Colwell Miss Shauna, LLC Edward and Mary Ellen Maney William Jack $25 and over George Putnam Kevin J. Meagher Wayne Kerchner C. Lawrence and Polly L. Bradley Kaitlyn C. Sanders Robert H. Morse Gregory A. Lewbart Gabrielle O. Dorr Geoffrey C. Trussell Nancy L. Perez Melinda L. Hull Bruce M. Poole $50 and over Robert A. Pringle $250 and over Fran P. and Robert S. Prezant George D. Buckley Jon Witman Ian H. Gardiner Katharine E. Riser Elaine M. Carlson Jonathan H. Grabowski Keil A. Schmid Alonzo J. Drummond Alan M. Kuzirian SP Inc James F. Gaquin Maddie’s Anglers Club John P. Alcock Brian S. Helmuth Mark and Vi Patek Elisabeth A. Raleigh To learn about supporting the work of the Marine Science Center, please contact: Helaine Silverman | 617.373.8654 | [email protected]

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 27 4/16/15 10:51 AM Marine Science Center 430 Nahant Road Nahant, MA 01908

781.581.7370 [email protected] northeastern.edu/marinescience

northeastern.msc NUMarSci

FINAL 2014 MSC Annual Report.indd 28 4/16/15 10:51 AM