Awards & Honors

The journal Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography has celebrated the career of Emeritus Professor of Oceanography Tom Rossby, devoting its January issue, titled "Modern Physical Oceanography and Professor H.T. Rossby" to his life and work.

Kerry Whittaker, a doctoral student at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, has been recognized with an award for her research at a recent scientific conference.

Maryjo Brounce, a doctoral student at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, has been recognized with awards for the best student presentation and the outstanding student research paper in the field of tectonophysics at the recent meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the largest gathering of earth and space scientists in the world.

Scott Nixon was posthumously awarded the 2013 Citation for Scientific Excellence at the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) 2013 Aquatic Sciences Meeting in New Orleans. His daughter, Beth Nixon, accepted the award on his behalf.

The full citation is available at this link.

Dr. Mary Voytek, Director of NASA's Astrobiology program, was presented this year's GSO Dean's Distinguished Achievement Award. The awards, conferred by the President of the University and each college within the University, honor alumni who have brought distinction to themselves and the University through their professional achievements, outstanding leadership or community service.

Dr. Mary-Jane James-Pirri, a marine research associate at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, has been named the winner of the 2012 Award for Natural Resource Research by the northeast region of the National Park Service.

GSO alumna and former Dean of GSO Dr. Margaret Leinen has been elected to President of the Board of Directors of the American Geophysical Union.  Her two-year term will begin on 1 January 2013.

Dr. Leinen, who received her PhD in Oceanography from GSO in 1980 and served as Dean of GSO from 1991-2000, is currently the Associate Provost and Executive Director, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce. Her research interests are paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, biogeochemical cycles, and climate change.
 

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was awarded the inaugural Admiral James D. Watkins Award by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in a ceremony at the Bay Campus. The award was created in honor of the late Admiral to recognize outstanding contributions to ocean research and education.  

Dr. Bruce Corliss has accepted the position of Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. He comes to GSO from Duke University, where he was Director of the Duke/University of North Carolina Oceanographic Consortium and also served as Chair of the Department of Geology, the Interim Chair of the Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences, and the senior Assistant Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Dr.

The American Association of School Administrators has announced that Dr. Robert Ballard is the 2012 recipient of the American Education Award. This award honors an outstanding American citizen who has achieved excellence and distinction in his or her career and serves as a role model and teacher to others.