Memberships, Appointments and Awards - Spring 2009

Stephen Toth Professor of Marine Biology Larry B. Crowder received the Duke University Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award for 2008-2009 in October. The award is given by the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church. Crowder teaches both undergraduates and graduate students such topics as marine megafauna, sea turtle biology and conservation, and (with cultural anthropologist Michael K. Orbach), Conservation Biology and Policy.

In October, Michael K. Orbach, professor of the practice of marine affairs and policy, was appointed a National Associate of the National Research Council of the National Academics of Sciences and Engineering for his involvement and contributions to the National Academy over the years.

Associate Professor Martin D. Smith received the 2008 Dr. S.-Y. Hong Award for Outstanding Article in the journal Marine Resource Economics (w/J. Zhang and F.C. Coleman). The award, established in 2006 by Inha University President Hong Seoung-yong, is given annually to recognize outstanding works published in MRE. The award consists of a monetary prize of $800 and recognition with a plaque housed at the University of Rhode Island where Hong received an honorary degree. Smith also is a newly appointed member of the Editorial Board of Open Fish Science Journal, an open access peer-reviewed online journal, which publishes research articles, letters and reviews in all areas of fish science, including shellfish, molluscs and crustaceans and on fisheries research.

Associate Professor of Environmental Policy Erika Weinthal was appointed to the United National Environment Programme (UNEP) Expert Advisory Group on Environment, Conflict and Peace Building in February 2008. The expert advisory group was established in October 2007 by UNEP’s Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch in cooperation with the Environment and Security Programme of the International Institute for Sustainable Development to provide policy inputs, develop tools, and identify best practices in using natural resources and the environment in ways that contribute to peace building and prevent relapse into conflict. Its 10 senior members are appointed on a two-year renewable consensual basis.

Cindy L. Van Dover, professor of marine biology and director of Duke University Marine Lab, is guest curator for the traveling arts exhibition “Beyond the Edge of the Sea: Diversity of Life in the Deep Ocean Wilderness.” The exhibition highlights work by scientific illustrator Karen Jacobsen who accompanied Van Dover on many expeditions to deep-sea locations across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. More than 70 works selected from Jacobsen’s sketchbooks and five specially commissioned pieces were
created for this traveling exhibition.

The exhibit opened in September, 2008 at the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William and Mary and moved on to display at the North Carolina Maritime Museum from Jan. 17 - March 15. For information on the exhibit visit the Web site web.wm.edu/muscarelle/exhibitions/traveling/beyond/index.html.

In December, Van Dover was honored as a 2008 Fellow of the Wings WorldQuest Program for her work as a deep-sea oceanographer. The program was created in 2007. Wings WorldQuest Inc.’s mission is to celebrate and to support extraordinary women explorers by promoting scientific exploration, education, and conservation. Other activities for Van Dover last fall include a new appointment to the National Advisory Council Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence, and to the Ridge 2000 Steering Committee—an NSF sponsored interdisciplinary research program.