• Construction on the Hopkins Building is off to a good start. The 8300 square foot structure replaces two buildings lost during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – the Hopkins Building and the Anadromous Building – and will contain four classrooms with laboratory facilities. The expected completion date is April 1, 2013.

• Physical Plant building construction is underway at Cedar Point. The 6000 square foot building will house a wood shop, a welding shop and a grounds shop all of which will help to support the growing concerns at the Cedar Point location. The estimated completion date is September 2012.

• The Marine Education Center (MEC) project is off and running. Architects from the firm of Lake l Flato have made an initial visit to the property at Cedar Point, effectively getting the site selection process started.

Dr. Eric Powell – New Director of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Dr. Eric Powell came to GCRL from the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, located at the School of Environmental and Biological Science at Rutgers University where he was a professor. Previously serving as director of the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory from 1996 through 2010, Powell began his role at GCRL in September.

A native of Millbach, Pennsylvania, Powell earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina in 1976 and 1978, respectively. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Washington.

Dr. Powell is quoted as saying, “My goal is to utilize academic science to foster job growth and economic development through the provision of science in the management of natural resources and the promulgation of regulations leading to resource sustainability while also sustaining and expanding businesses supported by these resources.”
Welcome Dr. Powell!

Andrew Evans - Assistant Professor, Aquatic Molecular Physiologist
“I chose a career as a research scientist because I enjoy the challenges of both basic and applied research, as well as the freedom to address complex questions limited only by your own creativity and continuing drive to learn. I strongly value collaborative efforts and enjoy mentoring students one-on-one, which are both major components of my position here at USM.”
Read more about Dr. Evans

Frank Hernandez – Assistant Professor, Fisheries Oceanography and Ecology
“My career path was greatly influenced by my university instructors, particularly those with active research programs that used their enthusiasm for science at the podium to inspire students. In a similar respect, my commitment to teaching is directly supported by my commitment to research. University environments provide many formal and informal opportunities to interact with both undergraduate and graduate students in a research setting. As a teacher, I am interested in developing and teaching courses that emphasize my strengths and research interests, but also have broad appeal to a diverse group of marine science graduate students.”
Read more about Dr. Hernandez

Robert Leaf – Assistant Professor, Department of Coastal Sciences
“I like working with students in the lab because it provides a stimulating and rewarding environment to pursue interesting research topics and questions. I am both a teacher and a learner: my fellow faculty members have much expertise in their sub disciplines and everyday is an experience to learn and think about how their experience and research methods can be used in a my research. Science is really a creative enterprise that is informed and tested by data – this multidisciplinary aspect makes the university setting and my position very rewarding.” Read more about Dr. Leaf