"Postcard: Dry Tortugas" Time Magazine, September 6, 2010 p 6. (Article on NSU Scientists Jose Lopez and Charles Messing expedition on Greenpeace Arctic Sunrise to collect samples possibly affected by the oil spill.
Read all about Dr. Spieler and the BS in Marine Professional Studies here.
The Oceanographic Center recently received confiscated endangered corals worth up to $1 million from two federal agencies ---- U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ---- for research and educational outreach display. Story has received a wide array of local and national media coverage, including Channel 10 Miami and NBC 6 Miami as well as the Tampa Tribune.
Professor Mahmood Shivji's genetics class is using DNA testing to determine if fish served at local restaurants are being mislabeled. Their results showed that a majority of the restaurants tested where serving fraudulent fish such as escolar being sold as white tuna. The story received FRONT page coverage in the Sun-Sentinel's Sunday edition, as well as the Orlando Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, United Press International, WGNO, WSFL, etc.
OC associate professor Jose Lopez was interviewed by radio station WCCO, a CBS affiliate based in the Twin Cities, covering Minnesota and the Dakotas, about the effects of the BP oil spill one year later.
Scientists: Oil Spill May Affect South Florida
Scientists at the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center fear that the Gulf oil spill will reach South Florida waters and impact fisheries, wildlife, and the economy.
2010 and older
Diving Into Research
The World's Oceans Become Living Classrooms for the OC's Scientists and Students.
Study: Buoy Gear Not A Big Threat
NCRI scientist David Kerstetter conducted a 3-year study on the effects of buoy gear fishing on bycatch. The results were surprising.
Coral Reefs Form On 'Ancient Template'
Red Sea coral reefs get their complex shape from an ancient 'seabed template', say a team headed by NCRI researcher Sam Purkis.
Red Sea Corals Mapped In Unprecented Detail
Using a combination of satellite, aerial and ship-based techniques, a team headed by NCRI researcher Sam Purkis has mapped little-known coral reefs along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastline.
Researchers From NCRI Making New Discoveries For ExxonMobil
Researchers at the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) are working with ExxonMobil to develop a toolkit of satellite remote sensing algorithms and a model to predict the lithology of subsurface carbonate reservoirs.
South Florida Scientists Grow Corals From Scratch
Scientists and students at the National Coral Reef Institute are growing coral in a lab at Nova Southeastern, in hopes of transplanting them right onto our reefs.
Coral Reefs' Survival Off Broward Coast Surprise Experts
The ocean floor off northern Fort Lauderdale appears to hold little promise for coral growth, with cargo ships, condo towers, fishing and diving boats as constant threats. Yet over the past few years, scientists have noticed a sharp increase in staghorn coral, a delicately branched species that has declined so sharply that it was listed as a threatened species by the federal government.
Beached Whales Could Provide Insight Into Species
As scientists try to figure out what caused a rare beaked whale and her calf to become beached in the sands of Hollywood on Monday, some believe the incident could shed much-needed insight into the mysterious marine mammal.
South Florida Coral Nurseries Get Federal Stimulus
The ailing coral reefs of South Florida have received a rare piece of good news: The Obama administration has announced a series of economic stimulus grants that includes $3.3 million for offshore nurseries to help young corals grow.
Oceanographic Center Dean Receives Award From U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
NSU Oceanographic Center Dean and National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) Executive Director Richard Dodge, Ph.D., received an award from the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) at their bi-annual meeting in Kona, Hawaii, held Aug. 22-30.
NSU Spearheads Largest Coral Reef Symposium In The World
The 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) took place at the Broward County Convention Center from July 7-11. Richard Dodge, Ph.D., NSU Oceanographic Center dean and executive director of the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) chaired the Local Organizing Committee.
NCRI Receives Federal Funding For Coral Reef Research
The 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) took place at the Broward County Convention Center from July 7-11. Richard Dodge, Ph.D., NSU Oceanographic Center dean and executive director of the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) chaired the Local Organizing Committee.
Oceanographic Center Professor Addresses Audience In Ecuador On Shark Conservation
Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., Oceanographic Center associate professor and director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute, was invited to speak during a meeting of Eastern Pacific nation government representatives from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Group in Ecuador.
Oceanographic Center Holds Course In Australia
An intensive, hands-on field course, offered through Nova Southeastern University, designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students is being held in May 2008.
Oceanographic Center's National Coral Reef Institute Publishes Book
Bernhard Riegl, NSU Oceanographic Center (OC) professor and National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) associate director, and Richard E. Dodge, Ph.D., NSU OC dean and NCRI executive director, have recently published Coral Reefs of the USA, which is the first volume in the new series, Coral Reefs of the World.
Fecal Bateria Survive Better In Sand Than Seawater
Traditionally, the cleanliness of a beach is monitored by sampling the bathing water a few meters from shore. But since sand is an effective filter, it follows that fecal bacteria (those from sewage) may be concentrated in the sand as the tide flows and ebbs.
Anchorage Near Lauderdale Reefs Put Off Limits
Hoping to eliminate a threat to coral reefs, the Coast Guard on Thursday announced the elimination of a ship anchorage off the Fort Lauderdale coast.
Oceanographic Center Dean And Professors Participate In Environmental Conference With Al Gore
Richard Dodge, Ph.D., dean and professor of the NSU Oceanographic Center (OC) and executive director of NCRI, along with researchers Dave Gilliam and Bernhard Riegl, participated on the panel "Coral Reefs and Climate Change". The conference included a keynote speech by former Vice President Al Gore.
Oceanographic Center Researcher Featured On The History Channel
Kevin Helmle, a researcher based at the NSU Oceanographic Center (OC) National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI), is featured in the two-hour documentary special A Global Warning? on The History Channel.
Distinguished Marine Scientist Holds Seminar
Edie Widder, Ph.D., of the Ocean Research and Conservation Association, Inc., captivated a packed audience of faculty and students at the Oceanographic Center with an extraordinary presentation on her research into marine bioluminescence.
Oceanographic Center Student's Poster Wins Awards
Abby Renegar, Ph.D. candidate under Patricia Blackwelder, Ph.D., recently attended the Microscopy and Microanalysis Conference held Aug. 5-9 at the Broward County Convention Center.
Congressman Visits NSU Oceanographic Center
Congressman Ron Klein visited Nova Southeastern University's Oceanographic Center on August 17 to learn more about the outstanding science education and research being conducted.
Oceanographic Student Participates In Necropsy Of Rare Sei Whale
Earlier this month, Oceanographic Center student Samara Parker, working with New England Aquarium's Rescue and Rehabilitation Department, was one of several marine biologists to assist with the necropsy of a stranded Sei Whale.
Reusable Energy In Ocean Debris
Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center is taking part Wednesday in gathering tire debris from the seafloor and turning it into reuseable energy.
Dan Rather Interviews Oceanographic Center Dean On The Fate Of Coral Reefs
In researching for a story on the fate of coral reefs, Dan Rather and his staff learned of the coral reef research being done by scientists of the NSU National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) and of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (coming to Fort Lauderdale in 2008) that NCRI is helping organize. [Watch the Video]
Oceanographic Center Student Tags Whale Sharks
Oceanographic Center graduate student Matthew Potenski completed five months of field research in Tanzania, on the east coast of Africa. During his time there he observed and tagged whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the waters surrounding Mafia Island, Tanzania.
Oceanographic Center Receives $5000 From Miami Billfish Tournament
The Oceanographic Center's Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) recently received a $5,000 donation from Yahama Contender Miami Billfish Tournament (YCMBT) to assist the GHRI's shark and billfish research.
Oceanographic Center Report Helps Reduce Human Impacts to Coral Recruitment
Oceanographic Center graduate student Maureen Trnka, and researcher, Alison Moulding, Ph.D., undertook a comprehensive review of the coral reproduction literature for the National Coral Reef Institute to identify predicted coral spawning and larval duration times in the Caribbean and to help identify gaps in scientific knowledge.
NSU Oceanographic Center Professor Discovers Rare Crustacean
James D. Thomas, Ph.D., professor at the NSU Oceanographic Center (OC), has discovered a new species of deep-sea amphipod crustacean that is among the rarest crustaceans known to science.
Monster Coral - The Oldest Living Animal In Florida
Believed to be the oldest living animal of South Florida, the Monster Coral has been discovered in the waters of Port Everglades, in the county of Broward, by a group of investigators of the Oceanographic Center of Nova Southeastern University (NSU).
Rising Sea Temperatures Weaken Reefs
Researchers fear more than half the world's coral reefs could die in less than 25 years and say global warming may at least partly to blame.
Do We Have Enough Sharks?
There seems to be some question about whether a lack of sharks are is upsetting the balance of nature. (KMOX 1120 AM St. Louis)
Coast Guard May Change Rules To Protect Fort Lauderdale Reefs From Freighters
Ocean-going vessels waiting to enter Port Everglades drop anchor in two areas nestled among three reefs that parallel the coastline. But this year, two large ships missed their mark and ran aground on the reefs, crunching delicate coral and sea fans. In response, the U.S. Coast Guard last week unveiled a draft emergency proposal: Limit the size of the vessels allowed among the reefs and restrict them to certain areas.
Bright Idea Of Tire Reef Now Simply A Blight
Now the idea seems daft. But in the spring of 1972, the dumping of a million or so tires offshore here looked like ecological enlightenment. What happened instead is a vast underwater dump -- a spectacular disaster spawned from good intentions.
Sociable Killers
New studies of the white shark (aka great white) show that its social life and hunting strategies are surprisingly complex.
Throwing In The Towel On Florida's Tire Reef
A growing number of researchers say that the tire reef off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, created to stimulate new marine growth, has become an environmental disaster.
Basking Sharks Face Low Genetic Diversity Worldwide
Scientists studying mitochondrial DNA of basking sharks, found in various oceans worldwide, have found very little difference in their genetic makeup, according to a paper published in the current online edition of Biology Letters.
Coral Reefs Hurting, Study Finds
Researchers are probing whether sewage and other pollution are damaging coral reefs that help protect coastal areas from storm surges.
New South Carolina Shark Species Found
Researchers have recently identified a new species of hammerhead shark hailing from waters just off the coast of South Carolina, according to two independent studies.
Oceanographic Center Researcher Studies Shark Movement
Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU's Oceanographic Center, recently returned from setting up a field research study on fish behavior in St. Thomas, USVI.
Big and Fearsome, But Vulnerable
Basking sharks may be among the largest fish in the world (they can be more than 30 feet long), but they are hardly monsters of the deep. Their slow movements make them an easy target. Because of that, they are listed as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union. But there is little data on basking shark populations. A recent study fills in the blanks a bit.
Feeding Effects Studied
A two-year study found that supplemental feeding changes the activity patterns, feeding habits and reproduction of stingrays.
Restoration Projects Bring Fish
Psst, beach divers and snorkelers...Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is not the only game in town anymore. You might want to direct your fins south to Hollywood's North Beach Park or Hallandale Beach's public swimming beach.
OC Faculty Member Receives Grant To Continue Research On Cetaceans
Oceanographic Center faculty member Edward O. Keith, Ph.D. and his collaborator at the University of Miami, Lemnuel Aragones, Ph.D., were notified on May 24, 2006 that they were receiving a $10,000.00 grant from the Sea World Busch Gardens Conservation Fund to support our ongoing study of the Ecology and conservation of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) in Ta?on Strait, Philippines.
Oceanographic Center Research Assistants Attend Meeting In Palau
On May 4-13, Oceanographic Center research assistants Pat Quinn (Ph.D. candidate) and Kirk Kilfoyle (M.S. candidate) traveled to Koror, Palau, for the Coral Reef Restoration and Remediation Working Group (RRWG), an international multi-group project funded by the World Bank Global Environmental Facility.
Grounded Freighter Refloats Self Overnight; Reef Investigation Continues
Student divers piloting their research vessel noticed the freighter just off Fort Lauderdale beach Wednesday morning. They immediately knew the 623-foot Norwegian ship was too close to shore. It was also too close to the fragile reef they had come to inspect.
Another Shark Species Is Found
Scientists from Nova Southeastern University and the University of South Carolina have discovered a previously unknown species of hammerhead shark in the southeastern Atlantic.
NCRI Awarded $10,000 From Protext Our Reefs Plates Program
The National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) at NSU's Oceanographic Center has been selected for an award in the amount of $10,000 from the "Protect Our Reefs" program funded by the sale of the coral reef specialty license plate.
Great Whites On The Menu
For years, great white sharks have been trophy-hunted for their large jaws and teeth. Now, thanks to a DNA test, conservationists have proof that smaller members of the species are being killed for their fins, which are likely sold for food in Asia.
NSU's Guy Harvey Research Institute Makes National Headlines With Ground-breaking Study
Law enforcement agents are using a genetic test developed at NSU's Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) to identify fins and other products from the highly protected Great White Shark, according to an article published in the January issue of the journal Conservation Genetics.
South Florida Geneticists Develop DNA Tests To Track Fin Poaching
Scientists at Nova Southeastern University are helping federal fisheries agents bust a black market in fins with a DNA test that does what even the best biologists cannot -- tell one dismembered shark part from another.
Nova Scientist Helps Feds Build Case For Poaching Of Great White Sharks
Mahmood Shivji, a conservation biologist at Nova Southeastern University, is helping federal fishing enforcement agents make their case against a New York seafood exporter accused of illegally possessing the fins of protected great white sharks.
Swimming With Sharks
On 11 December 2005, 60 Minutes broadcast "Swimming with Sharks", about the controversies surrounding shark cage diving in South Africa. The broadcast featured R. Aidan Martin, who teaches "Biology of Sharks and Rays" through the NSU Oceanographic Center's distance education programs.
Guy Harvey Research Institute Earns Recognition
The Mercury Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo, a recreational fishing tradition in South Florida, is recognizing the world class fish conservation research of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU's Oceanographic Center.
NCRI Research Assistants Dive The Aquarius
Five NSU Oceanographic Center / National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) research assistants and graduate students had the opportunity to dive and visit AQUARIUS, the world's only undersea laboratory located 20 meters beneath the surface.
Oceanographic Center Conservation Research Benefits From Guy Harvey Mural
Renowned marine wildlife artist and conservationist, Guy Harvey, Ph.D., has painted a mural at Terminal 1 of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. A portion of the proceeds received for the mural will be donated to the Guy Harvey Research Institute at NSU's Oceanographic Center to support its internationally recognized research in marine conservation.
The National Coral Reef Institute Heads A Successful Bid For The 11th International Coral Reef Symposium In 2008
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force met December 2, 3, and 4 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami to conduct business related to the conservation of the Nation's precious coral reef resources. During the meetings, Dr. Richard Dodge of the National Coral Reef Institute ( NCRI ), reported on the successful U.S. bid to host the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) in 2008.
Shark Protection: Rapid Shark DNA Test Puts The Bite On Crime
Here's a riddle: How do you properly manage populations of animals that play vital roles in ocean ecosystems but are heavily fished, if you cannot even determine how many of the animals are being caught? The answer is you can't. But one Florida researcher is diligently applying new and innovative marine biotechnology techniques to correcting the situation.
A Devastating Delicacy
In order to meet an insatiable demand for shark fins, teeth, jaws, cartilage and other body parts, commercial exploitation is depleting shark populations worldwide faster than the sharks can reproduce.
Who's Your Daddy
DNA analysis of paternity is revealing that many apparently faithful animals are more promiscuous than once thought. But for the bonnethead shark, scientists have found the reverse. The revelation could have important implications for the management of shark fisheries, they report in the July issue of Molecular Ecology.
Ship Groundings Smashing Holes In Lauderdale Coral Reefs
When the freighter Eastwind smashed part of a coral reef off Fort Lauderdale last month, it was the latest in a series of ship groundings that have hammered the reefs north of Port Everglades.
NCRI Finds Widespread Damage From Freighter Grounding
The National Coral Reef Institute finds widespread damage resulting from the grounding of the freighter Eastwind off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale on March 26, 2004.
7,000 Red Mangroves Used In Maiden Island Mangrove Restoration
Stanford Development Group is working with The Reef Ball Foundation and Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to create a large mangrove ecosystem on Maiden Island, Antigua.
Stingray City
The Guy Harvey Research Institute has just completed one of the first comprehensive biological studies of the effects of interactive marine encounters with stingrays.
The Sherlock Project
On Thursday, October 23, Charles Messing, Ph.D. of NSU's Oceanographic Center, co-hosted the exciting first live broadcast of "The Sherlock Project: Investigating the Natural World" from the Port Everglades entrance channel at John U. Lloyd State Park in Hollywood, FL.
Outboard Motor Donated
In return for NSUOC faculty and students participating in a manatee watch program during boat engine demonstrations, Honda Marine has donated a 225 HP outboard motor to the Oceanographic Center.
DNA Test Better Protects Great Whites
A new genetic test will allow scientists to more effectively enforce the illegal plunder of great white shark populations for their fins, teeth and jaws.
DNA Test Makes Splash In Protecting Sharks
Scientists gathered at New York Aquarium in Coney Island yesterday to unveil a new method to detect great white shark parts in shark fin soup and other products.
WCS Helps Develop New DNA Test For Great White Sharks
NSUOC professor Dr. Mahmood Shivji has teamed with the Wildlife Conservation Society to develop a new genetic test that may lead to increased protection for great white sharks.
High Cost Of A Fin
A new genetic test may hold the key to saving some of the world's most threatened sharks, whose numbers are crashing for the sake of a bowl of soup.
Stemming The Fin Trade
A new genetic test or identifying endangered species from dismembered body parts might help conservationists better document the fast-growing trade in shark fins.
Taking The Shark Out Of Soup
A DNA test that identifies the kind of shark ending up in shark fin soup is being hailed as a conservation breakthrough.
NSUOC Student Wins National Scholarship
Jennifer Magnussen, NSUOC Ph.D. student in marine biology, has been awarded the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship for 2002. Jennifer is one of only 4 students in the nation to receive this award. Click on the icon for more information on the scholarship award. The NOAA news release can be found here.
A Boon For Nature, Tourism
Recreation may not be the main reason for Nova Southeastern University's budding reef-nursery project, but certainly sport diving will benefit from it.
Clipping The Fin Trade
A recent Science News article indicates that research and policy initiatives could take a bite out of shark exploitation.
Shark-Soup Boom Spurs Conservationist DNA Study
A burgeoning appetite for shark-fin soup has prompted the development of new genetic tests that will help safeguard the shark for commerce as well as conservation.
NSU Scientists Aim To Save Coral Reefs
Nova Southeastern University researchers have created a ''nursery,'' where pieces of broken coral are attached to an artificial reef to grow.
Global Experts To Study Dubai Coral Reefs
An international team of marine scientists will join hands with Dubai Municipality to conduct a series of ground-breaking studies on coral reefs at the Jebel Ali Marine Sanctuary.
Test To Monitor Fin Trade
A new genetic fingerprinting technique could now allow conservationists and fisheries managers to assess which of the 400 shark species are most threatened by the booming trade in their fins.
Shark Fins Out Of Soup and Into DNA Test Tubes
Shark fins bought in Hong Kong have been used by American geneticists to prove the effectiveness of DNA identification tests to help sound early alarms of overfishing of certain species.
Life Support For Ailing Reefs
A 6,000 year-old reef, once thought damaged beyond repair, now has a chance to be healed.
Shark Test Smells Fishy To Some
A stormy debate between shark fishermen and conservationists has been triggered, in part, by the growing popularity of shark fin soup.
Shining New Light On Stingrays
Two graduate students from the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center are working with artist Guy Harvey to study the life history, biology, behavior and economic value of Grand Cayman's stingrays.
Coral Sex
Late on the evening of August 6th a team of researchers from the National Coral Reef Institute [NCRI] at Nova Southeastern University witnessed a spawning event of staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, located on Southeast Florida coral reefs off Ft. Lauderdale.
Grand Cayman Sharks
Every Thursday and Saturday, divers attend the feeding of Caribbean Reef sharks, conducted by Ocean Frontiers, in conjunction with the Guy Harvey Research Institute.
Coastal Zone Management Master's Degree In West Palm Beach
Nova Southeastern University is now accepting applications for an MS degree in Coastal Zone Management. Evening courses will be held at NSU's West Palm Beach Center starting Fall 2001 or Winter 2002.
