East Carolina University’s Coastal-Maritime Programs Reviewed By Panel of Expert Scientists

East Carolina University’s coastal-maritime research programs were reviewed by an expert panel of scientists.  Under the auspices of the ECU academic council of vice chancellors, the ECU Coastal Maritime Council (CMC) conducted a review of the coastal-maritime research activities ongoing at the university.  This 2-day event was held on May 4-5, with campus scientists from many disciplines presenting their data and perspectives to the panel.  The review was coordinated by Bill Queen, Director of the Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources and a member of the CMC.  The panel was comprised of: Dr. B. J. Copeland (chair), former director of the UNC Sea Grant Program; Dr. Paul Sandifer, senior scientist for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, South Carolina, and recently appointed by the President to the US Commission on Ocean Policy; Dr. John Gatewood, professor of anthropology and sociology at Lehigh University and member of the board of directors of the UNC Coastal Studies Institute at Manteo; Dr. Al Hine, associate dean of the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida; and Dr. William Cogar, Vice President of Mystic Seaport, Conn., and former professor at the US Naval Academy.  The panel provided a preliminary oral report to the academic council of vice chancellors (Dr. Michael Lewis, Dr. James Smith, and Dr. Glen Gilbert), and is expected to provide their final written report to them in July.

In addition to university researchers, several administrative officials attended the review sessions including Dr. Glen Gilbert, interim vice chancellor for research and graduate studies and dean of the college of health and human performance; Dr. James Smith, provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs; Dr. Deidre Mageean, recently named vice chancellor for research and graduate studies; Dr. Paul Gemperline, acting associate vice chancellor of research and graduate studies; and Dr. Scott Snyder, senior associate dean of the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. 

L-R, Bill Queen, William Cogar, Paul Sandifer, B. J. Copeland, Deirdre Mageean, John Gatewood, and Al Hine