Professional Interests

The biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and trace metals in freshwater and marine environments. Nutrient and particulate loadings from a variety of land use types. The effects of these loadings on receiving waters and sediments.

Research Experience

From 1983 through 1984, I was part of the scientific team at Florida Institute of Technology working on the P-PRIME project (under a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]), which looked at cycling of pollutants in the Mississippi River delta. The team's primary focus was on the relationship between metals and particles from the riverine system of the Mississippi River to the marine system of the Gulf of Mexico. We worked of the Texas A & M research vessel Gyre and the NOAA reserach vessel Researcher. During these cruises, I assisted and performed extractions of interstitial water samples, which were subsequently analyzed for trace metals, nutrients and major ions. These samples were collected under a nitrogen atmosphere using custom-built Teflon® squeezers in a specially designed and built glove-box, which we called SCAM (squeezing chamber for anoxic muds). Sediment samples were collected using a stainless-steel box-corer. In addition to extracting interstitial water samples, I performed in situ measurements of Mn fluxes using benthic flux chambers and cores. This research allowed me to get my Master's Degree in 1984.

Also in 1984, I participated in the Second Joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Bering Sea expedition on the soviet reasearch vessel Akademik Korolev . My job during this expedition was to collect sediment cores from 25 monitoring locations in the Bering Sea. The surficial sediments from these cores were then analyzed for a variety of trace metals to determine the impact of anthropogenic activity on this relatively pristine ecosystem.

I participated on two VENTS cruises during 1985. The first cruise occurred in April-May 1985 on the Gorda Ridge (which is located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon and California). Our ship was the NOAA research vessel Surveyor. My main duties during the cruise were to extract interstitial water from sediment cores that were collected from the ridge. In addition, I performed on-board nutrient analyses for NO₃^-, PO₄^3-, SiO₂^2-. Back in the laboratory, I analyzed the interstital water samples for Mn and Fe. I also measured the total trace metal content in the sediments.

During the sumer 1985, I was member of the first scientific team to photograph and sample active hydrothermal vents on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We were back on board the R/V Researcher. Numerous problems with the coring equipment prohibit the collection of many cores. Therefore, my duties shifted from collecting and analyzing interstitial water nutrient concentrations to measuring silica concentrations in Go-Flo® and Niskin bottles®. The reason I measured silica in these bottles was to determine if any leaked on the way up. While doing these analyses, I ran into anomalously high silica concentrations. When we started comparing these concentrations with dissolved Mn measurements, a linear relationship was revealed. In essence, both Mn and silica levels decreased away from the source, the hydrothermal vent.

In 1986 through 1990, the Department of Oceanography and Ocean Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology was selected by Walt Disney World™ to perform monthly analyses of water samples collected in their Living Seas™ aquarium and their filteration system. The purposes of the monitoring were to determine whether the artificial seawater was maintaining its composition. in addition, we also were interested to see if trace metal concentrations would increase in this environment over time.

For the period from 1987 to 1989, I was a project scientist working stormwater monitoring project for two Florida agencies, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and St. Johns River Management District. My responsiblity was for the collection of water samples during bi-weekly and storm event sampling in the Turkey Creek watershed and data management including performing statistical analysis of particulate nutrient loadings and preparation of final report that was submitted to both agencies and I earned my Doctorate based on this research.

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