Table 29: Number of students who participated in research cruise aboard the R/V Delaware II

• 
  Doctoral student Jan Vicente (IMET) participated in a scientific cruise onboard R/V Walton Smith from July 14 to August 1, 2011. He conducted a time series study of nitrogen fixing gene expression in the sponges Ircinia strobilina and Mycale laxissima. Core samples of Xestospongia muta were also collected.
  
• 
  HU master’s student, Maryse Leandre completed a research cruise in summer 2011.
  

Dr. Deidre Gibson funded LMRCSC M.S. student Maryse Leandre to continue her research on bacterial degradation of the pelagic tunicate, Dolioletta gegenbauri. Six cruises were conducted between the summers of 2009 and 2010 that hosted students from HU and SSU. This project, in conjunction with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography was also dedicated to educating underrepresented minority students in the Marine Sciences.

The Fisheries Stock Assessment course was taught again at UMES from June 1 to June 30, 2009 by Drs. P. Chigbu, Dvora Hart (NOAA NEFSC), Ralf Reidel (University of Southern Mississippi), Larry Alade (NOAA NEFSC) and Mr. Robert Leaf (Virginia Tech). Seven students from universities across the country enrolled in the course, including Jhamyllia Rice (LMRCSC-UMES), Fanen Kwembe (Jackson State University, MS), Spencer Sims (Oakwood University, CA), Phillip Moore (St. Augustine’s College, NC), Nicole Vogt (SUNY Cobleskill), Michael Kim (University of Maryland Baltimore County), and Christopher Luckett (Jackson State University, MS). Details of student evaluations of the course can be found in the 2007 special issue of the Journal of Geoscience Education (Chigbu et al. 2007).

Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP Program)

• 
  Acoustic Telemetry: Dr. Mary Fabrizio and Mr. Mark Henderson (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) conducted a workshop on the use of acoustic telemetry in fisheries research at UMES on November 18, 2008. The workshop included a brief presentation on the theory and application of acoustic telemetry, a demonstration of a live surgical implantation and hands-on practice by students using simulated fish. Approximately 30 students and faculty attended this workshop.
  

• 
  Image Pro Analytical Software: A one-day workshop on the use of Image Pro analytical software was conducted at UMES on December 9, 2008. Six LMRCSC students and two faculty members received this training.
  

• 
  Flow Cytometry: A Workshop on the Principles of Flow Cytometry was organized by Dr. Dan Terlizzi (COMB) and Francis Chrest and presented to faculty, staff and students at DSU on August 26, 2009. Francis Chrest presented an overview of Flow cytometry which was followed by hands-on demonstration of flow cytometry with phytoplankton species used in the research project and the analysis of a preliminary experiment confirming dark induction of programmed cell death (PCD) in Karlodinium veneficum. This training provided an opportunity to confirm earlier observations on PCD induction in Dunaliella tertiolecta and Karlodinium veneficum.
  

• 
  At the recommendation of the LMRCSC Review Panel and the suggestion of many LMRCSC students, who requested additional opportunities to interact with their peers, the Center held an ‘LMRCSC Student Weekend’ at UMES on March 27, 2010. The session, planned largely by Drs. Dionne Hoskins, Rosemary Jagus and Deidre Gibson, consisted of team building exercises, professional development workshops and career opportunities, particularly those at NOAA. LMRCSC students from Center partners attended. LMRCSC’s doctoral graduates: Larry Alade, Ayeisha Brinson, and Jose Reyes-Tomassini participated in a conference call with the LMRCSC students and provided their perspective on the Graduate Sciences Program, obtaining employment with and working for NOAA, and their experience within LMRCSC. This event was held in conjunction with the 3^rd Annual AFS Student Subunit Aquatic Sciences Symposium on March 26, which provided a venue for students to present research.
  

The LMRCSC educational, research and outreach activities have resulted in several contributions. From September 2006 to August 31, 2011, one hundred and forty-five (145) students were supported and trained in NOAA core sciences. One hundred and sixty-one (161) students graduated, including 8 Ph.D., 48 MS and 105 BS. Fifty-four (54) projects funded through the TAB were completed. Their results have important implications for aquaculture, and assessment and management of fish stocks. Funds leveraged from external sources that were used to support center-related activities, research, and students totaled $16.63 million.

• 
  The research fleet at UMES doubled in the past five years to a total of four. In 2009, UMES secured the transfer of two 19 foot Munson patrol boats from Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Additionally, two new boats were purchased in 2011, one of which is 21 ft. These vessels provide platforms for conducting research in Maryland’s Coastal Bays, the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries.
  
• 
  Through collaborations between Dr. Chigbu and NOAA NEFSC scientists (Drs. M. Fogarty and A. Jearld), a summer fish stock assessment program was established at UMES to help create a pipeline for the production of fish stock assessment scientists needed by NOAA, state agencies and universities.
  

• 
  Students supported under the LMRCSC at SSU had access to tools and training they would not have had were it not for the LMRCSC. For example, Nadia Meyers used an online survey to study student success in respondents who matriculated in SSU’s degree and training programs. Her experience made her an attractive candidate for inclusion on a NOAA Sea Grant application that Dr. Hoskins submitted with faculty at the University of Georgia. This grant was funded and Ms. Meyers was included as one of the supported research personnel.
  
• 
  Because the LMRCSC supported a fulltime outreach coordinator at SSU, the Marine Science Program was able to take advantage of many opportunities to provide teacher training to the K-12 community, an example of which is Ocean Awareness Days sponsored by COSEE Southeast.
  

• 
  Noelle Hawthorne’s (M.S., SSU) work has helped to refine how GRNMS estimates utilization of Gray’s Reef by commercially important migratory species. Tiffany Ward’s (B.S., SSU) (with Eric Ransom) work on natural and artificial oyster reefs has allowed us to provide important data to the restoration center on the comparative value of restored oyster reefs.
  

• 
  Dr. Larry Alade (Ph.D., UMES) received a permanent appointment as a Fishery Biologist at the NOAA NEFSC in Woods Hole, MA.
  
• 
  Dr. Jose Reese-Tomasini (Ph.D., IMET) is now a Fishery Biologist at NOAA NWFSC, Washington.
  
• 
  Dr. Joel Llopiz (Ph.D., RSMAS) is a Post-doctoral Research Associate at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
  
• 
  Dr. Ayeisha Brinson (Ph.D. RSMAS) was offered the position of Economist at the NOAA NEFSC; she later transferred to NOAA Headquarters, Silver Springs, MD.
  
• 
  Ryan Corbin (M.S., UMES) was hired as a Biologist at Versar, Inc in Rockville, Maryland.
  
• 
  Nicholas Clemons (B.S., M.S., UMES) was hired as a Ranger II at Assateague Island National Seashore (National Park Service).
  
• 
  Phillip Simpson (M.S., DSU) received employment as Habitat Conservation Biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; he was later promoted to supervisory restoration biologist.
  
• 
  Jessie Thomas (MS-DSU 2006) was hired as the Habitat Coordinator by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
  
• 
  Elden Hawkes (M.S., UMES) was hired as Policy Coordinator for the American Fisheries Society, a position he held for several years before accepting a job as SBIR Program Specialist, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
  
• 
  Daniel Luers (M.S. UMES) was hired at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, HI in 2009 as a Fisheries Biologist.
  
• 
  Alexander Lewis worked at the NOAA Regional site in Hampton, VA through the NOAA/HU MOU agreement implemented by Dr. Kevin Chu, NOAA.
  
• 
  Colette Cairns (M.S., DSU) was hired as an Analyst, Protected Species Division, NOAA Fisheries, Silver Spring, MD.
  
• 
  Rebecca Lynch (B.S., DSU) accepted a SCEP appointment with the USFWS National Fisheries Technology Center in Lamar, PA.
  
• 
  Devin Dumont (M.S., SSU) was hired as curator of the University of Georgia Marine Extension Center Aquarium.
  
• 
  Klaus Huebert (PhD, RSMAS) received a post-doctoral position based at the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, FL funded through the National Research Council.
  
• 
  Joshua Newhard (M.S. UMES) transitioned to a permanent position as a Fishery Biologist at the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Annapolis, MD
  
• 
  Jessie Thomas (M.S. DSU) is the Most Endangered River Coordinator for the non-profit organization American Rivers.
  
• 
  Naeem Willett (M.S. DSU) was hired as a Research Technician at DSU.
  

• 
  Reginald Black (M.S., UMES) was hired as an Environmental Scientist for the Department of the Navy in July, 2010.
  
• 
  Kasim Ortiz (B.S., SSU) was offered a NOAA STEP appointment at the University of South Carolina. He is working on an M.S./Ph.D. in Marine Spatial Planning in the Geography department.
  
• 
  Bashiru Balogun (Ph.D, UMES) received a Post-Doctoral position in the Department of Agriculture at UMES following his graduation in May 2011.
  
• 
  Sue Chaplin Ebanks, who received her M.S. degree from SSU as an LMRCSC student, graduated with her Ph.D from University of Miami (ECSC), and joined the faculty of Savannah State University.
  

• 
  Marissa Brady (DSU) received a 1^st Place Best Student Poster award for her poster (co-authored by Dewayne Fox) entitled “An assessment of American eel (Anguilla rostrata) dispersal and prevalence of parasitism by Anguillicola carassus in the waters surrounding the St. Jones River, Delaware”. HBCU-UP Research Symposium, Dover, Delaware, September, 2006.
  
• 
  Kevin Neves (DSU) received a 1^st Place Best Student Poster award by US AID CRSP program and 2^nd Place Unites States Aquaculture Society (USAS) best Student Presentation for the following poster: K. Neves*, G. Blank, D. McIntosh, D. Fox and J. Clark. Reducing the need for live prey items by feed training wild caught weakfish Cynoscion regalis. Aquaculture 2007 Book of Abstracts, San Antonio, Texas, USA. February, 2007.
  
• 
  Marvin Mace (SSU) won best undergraduate poster presentation at the SEERS meeting in October 2006 for his poster: Mace T., and M.C. Curran. The Effects of Dock Shading on Spartina alterniflora in Chatham County, Georgia. Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEERS) meeting; October 19-21, 2006; Savannah, GA
  
• 
  Michael Partridge (SSU) received Best Graduate Student Poster Award at the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEER) meeting, March 13-14, 2008.
  
• 
  Chris Williamson (SSU) received Best Undergraduate Student Poster Award at the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEER) meeting, March 13-14, 2008. Both students were supervised by Dr. Carla Curran (SSU).
  
• 
  Johnna Fay (DSU), graduate student won best poster award based on the presentation entitled: Investigation of total bacteria and Vibrionaceae concentrations in Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica). Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, Fall Meeting, November 6-8, 2008, Fairfax, VA, USA.
  
• 
  Steverson, E. and C. Pride. Zooplankton distribution, standing stock and biomass on the Georgia Shelf (South Atlantic Bight). HBCU-UP Conference, Atlanta, GA, October 2008. 3rd place poster award in biological division
  
• 
  Compton, S.* and Pride C. Density and distribution of live and fossil benthic foraminifera across the Georgia Shelf (South Atlantic Bight). SEERS Conway, SC (March 2009). Best Poster Award.
  
• 
  Willet, N. A.*, D. A. Fox, B. M. Wetherbee. Now we detect them, now we don’t: a description of sandbar shark core habitat use while resident in Delaware Bay. Annual Meeting of the Tidewater Chapter of American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, NC. 3^rd Place Poster Award.
  
• 
  Kahler, E.* (2009). Associations Between Marine Communities and Artificial and Natural Reefs of Maryland. 2^nd Annual American Fisheries Society UMES Student Subunit. University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Berlin, MD. April 10, 2009. Best Poster Award.
  
• 
  Six LMRCSC students were recognized for their presentations at the NOAA EPP Education and Science Forum held at Howard University from November 12-14, 2009. Of these, three placed first in their category.
  
  • 
    Simmons, K.* Observation of Tomopteridae egg cases. (oral) **1st prize (oral) in Living Marine Resources ($300).
    
  • 
    Bennett, E.M.*, Gonsalves, L. C.*, and R. Jagus, Incidence of mycobacteriosis in Young of the Year striped bass (Morone saxatilis) from the Chesapeake Bay. **1st prize poster in Living Marine Resources ($300).
    
  • 
    Tulu, A.* (UMES), Ishaque, A., Chambers, C., and R. Jagus, Evaluation of the separate and joint effects of PAH and PCB contaminants on Atlantic tomcod cytochrome 1A1 (CYP1A1) and cytochrome 19A (CYP19A) genes. **1st prize poster in Oceans & Ecosystems ($300).
    
  • 
    Dominique III, V.J. (UMES)*, Place, A., Williams, E., and D. Forward, Genotyping of Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) megalopae in the Beaufort Inlet. **2nd prize poster in Living Marine Resources ($200).
    
  • 
    Davis, J.* (IMET), and R. Hill, Kahalalide-producing Vibrio spp of Elysia rufescens. **3rd prize poster in Oceans & Ecosystems ($100).
    
  • 
    Taylor, G.R.*, Watson, A. and A. Place, Determination of a Plant Protein Diet for a Marine Fish. **3rd prize poster in Living Marine Resources ($100).
    

• 
  Aaron Watson (M.S., UMCES- IMET) won the 2011 M.P. Mulvihill Aquaculture Scholarship and also awards for his poster presentations at the following conferences
  
• 
  Best Student presentation from the United States Aquaculture Society
  
  • 
    Best Student presentation from the Sea Grant Association
    
• 
  IMET graduate student, Ammar Hanif, won the prize for best oral presentation at UMES Student Sub-Unit 4^th Annual Symposium, April, 2011.
  
• 
  Whitney Dyson (M.S. UMES) won 2^nd place for her poster at the American Fisheries Society Tidewater Chapter meeting in March, 2011.
  
  • 
    The following LMRCSC students were recognized for their presentations at the Fourth NOAA Educational Partnership Program Education and Science Forum in Tallahassee, FL October 30 – November 1, 2006.
    

2nd Place Ms. Ebony Henderson Savannah State University

3rd Place Ms. Odalys Martinez-Sanchez Savannah State University

Honorable Mention Mr. Johnny Moore Savannah State University

3rd Place Mr. Greg Oliver University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Honorable Mention Ms. Ashley Nance Hampton University

Graduate Poster Presentations:

Honorable Mention Ms. Jessica Shoop University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Honorable Mention Ms. Ayeisha Brinson University of Miami

• 
  Ayeisha Brinson (RSMAS) received a $500 award from the RSMAS GSO to travel to Mexico to attend the Biennial North American Association of Fisheries Economists Forum.
  
• 
  Johnna Fay (DSU) also received a travel award to attend the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, Fall Meeting, November, 2008, Fairfax, VA.
  
• 
  Marissa Brady (DSU) was provided travel funding to the National AFS meeting in September, 2007 through the DSU HBCU-UP program.
  
  • 
    Marissa Brady and Johnny Moore (DSU) received travel awards to attend the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting and workshop for minorities in natural resources. October, 2008. Corpus Christi, TX.
    

• 
  Dr. Allen Place (UMCES-IMET) was chosen as a recipient of the 2009 USM Board of regents award for Public Service for his work with harmful algal blooms http://www.umbi.org/computing/rss/player.php?id=520.
  
• 
  Dr. Harold Schreier and Dr. Yossi Tal received a patent for an invention related to the recirculating aquaculture technology at UMBI-COMB, entitled "Dissimilatory Sulfate Reduction as a Process to Promote Denitrification in Marine Recirculating Aquaculture Systems", that allows for enhancing a microbially-mediated process, i.e. denitrification, that is necessary for converting toxic inorganic nitrogen waste products derived from fish digestion and undigested food, into nitrogen gas. Elimination of nitrogenous waste via production of inert nitrogen gas is key for an environmentally friendly, self-contained, bio-secure system that functions with zero discharge (http://www.umbi.org/computing/rss/player.php?id=388).
  
• 
  HU Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Andrij Horodysky was selected to serve a two year term on the editorial board of the North American Journal of Fisheries Management. NAJFM is a publication of the American Fisheries Society and addresses the maintenance, enhancement, and allocation of fisheries resources.
  
• 
  LMRCSC DRS, Brad Stevens was appointed Associate Editor of Journal of Shellfish Research.
  

• 
  Dwight Ebanks (RSMAS) received the Royal Caribbean Fellowship, 8/2007 – 7/2008; $33,000
  
• 
  Ayeisha Brinson (RSMAS) received the YCMBT scholarship, 8/2007 – 7/2008; $1,000; and McKnight fellowship to support her Ph.D. work.
  

• 
  Xaymara Serrano received the RSMAS Dean’s prize for the best M.S. thesis of the year; and Mcknight fellowship to support her Ph.D. work.
  
• 
  Joel Llopiz received the RSMAS Smith Prize for best dissertation of 2009
  
• 
  Dwight Ebanks (RSMAS) received the Royal Caribbean Fellowship, 8/2007 – 7/2008; $33,000
  
• 
  Jose Reyes-Tomassini was awarded a NOAA-EPP Graduate Sciences Program fellowship to work at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. He transferred to the NWFSC in June, 2008.
  

• 
  Dwight Ebanks received support from the Royal Caribbean Foundation to support his PhD.
  
• 
  Marissa Brady was awarded a National Science Foundation Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship through DSU. The total amount of this award was $30,000 per year plus roughly $10,000 to DSU for tuition and expenses.
  
• 
  Frank Marenghi (DSU) received $12,500 through DuPont’s Clear Into the Future Program to support his research activities
  
• 
  Johnny Moore (DSU) received $12,500 through DuPont’s Clear Into the Future Program to support his research activities
  
• 
  Shelly Krueger (M.S. student, SSU) received the Knauss Fellowship which she began in January 2009.
  
• 
  Aziza Marchant (a B.S. student at SSU who was part of the benthic lab) received the NOAA Undergraduate scholarship in 2008.
  
• 
  Courtney McGeachy (B.S., HU) received NOAA Undergraduate scholarship
  
• 
  Camille Gaynus (B.S., HU) received NOAA Undergraduate scholarship
  
• 
  Briana Jones (B.S., UMES) received NOAA Undergraduate scholarship
  
• 
  Jeannette Davis (HU graduate) in a graduate program at UMBI-COMB received the National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship. Jeanette is advised by Dr. Russel l Hill.
  
• 
  Kendall Crawford (B.S., HU) received Marshall Scholarship for graduate work in London, United Kingdom.
  
• 
  Marvin Mace (SSU) was accepted to Louisiana State University with a full assistantship as a result of the work he did in the LMRCSC.
  
• 
  UMES PhD students Lonnie Gonsalves and Shari Mullen were accepted into the NOAA Graduate Sciences Program in June, 2010.
  
• 
  UMES student Cy’Anna Scott and HU student Symone Johnson were selected for the NOAA Undergraduate Scholarship Program and completed their internship in Silver Spring, MD in summer 2011.
  
• 
  LaTrisha Allen received an assistantship for her Ph.D. work in Environmental Science at FAMU
  
• 
  Carissa Wilkerson (B.S., HU) entered the VIMS graduate program with funding from the Hall Bonner Program
  
• 
  Robyn Day (B.S HU) entered the University of S. California on the Winston Graduate Merit Fellowship Program
  
• 
  Rolando Santos (RSMAS) continued to receive support during this period from the McKnight Fellowship to support his PhD work.
  

Several LMRCSC students received training at NOAA or at center institutions in the past five years. Examples are given below; a complete list is available in Appendix IX.

• 
  Daniel Cullen (M.S., Ph.D., UMES) received training in age and growth techniques at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole in January and March, 2007. Dan also spent two weeks at the NOAA NEFSC in Woods Hole, MA in July 2008, and from January to March, 2009 analyzing monkfish age and distribution data in collaboration with NMFS staff. In summer 2011, he also conducted analysis of monkfish distribution and temperature data in the lab. Dan’s research, the effects of temperature change on the distribution and behavior in Lophius americanus, was supervised by Dr. Andrea Johnson (UMES), Dr. Anne Richards (NOAA) and Mr. Jim Manning (NEFSC).
  
• 
  Larry Alade (Ph.D., UMES) worked on yellowtail flounder tagging, growth and mortality at NOAA Woods Hole Laboratory under the supervision of Paul Rago and Steve Cadrin until his graduation in May, 2008. Larry transitioned to an FTE Fishery Biologist position with NOAA, thereafter.
  
• 
  Darius Wheeler (M.S., DSU) spent the 2008 summer at the NOAA NEFSC conducting research with Dr. Paul Rago (NOAA NEFSC), after participating in the Stock Assessment course at UMES in June, 2008.
  
• 
  Lonnie Gonsalves (Ph.D., UMES) conducted research under the supervision of Dr. Ashok Deshpande at the NOAA J.J. Howard Marine Science Lab at Sandy Hook from January 21 to March 11, 2009,June 22-July 3, 2009 and from January 12 to March 16, 2010. Lonnie’s research examined the fatty acid composition of striped bass and its effect on immune competence. Throughout fall 2008, and from April to June, 2009 Lonnie also performed portions of his research at the NOAA Cooperative Oxford Laboratory in Oxford, Maryland in collaboration with Dr. John Jacobs.
  
• 
  William Gardner (Ph.D., UMES) conducted research in collaboration with Dr. Ashok Deshpande at the NOAA J.J. Howard Marine Science Lab at Sandy Hook from November 8, 2008 to January 31, 2009, and March through fall, 2009. William analyzed the PCB content of Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay striped bass. He completed his Ph.D. degree in Fall 2012.
  
• 
  Jacklyn James (M.S., UMES) co-advised by Dr. Paulinus Chigbu and Dr. Vincent Guida conducted research on the fish habitat of the Hudson canyon. From June 1 to June 26, 2009 she conducted analysis of her data under Dr. Guida’s supervision at the NOAA Sandy Hook Laboratory.
  
• 
  Adam Tulu (Ph.D., UMES) received training in tomcod culture and husbandry with Dr. Chris Chambers from March 16-21, 2009 at the NOAA Sandy Hook Laboratory. He also conducted research under the supervision of Dr. Rosemary Jagus at COMB from May 26 – August 14, 2009.
  
• 
  Alexander Lewis, Kendyl Crawford and Matthew Davis (B.S. HU) completed summer internships during 2009 with the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Regional Office under the supervision of Dr. Kevin Chu.
  
• 
  Shamgan Perkins and Sanya Compton (B.S., SSU) participated in the NOAA Woods Hole PEP program.
  
• 
  Randi Tyler Greer (B.S., SSU) participated in an internship at the SEFSC in Miami. She was trained in larval shrimp collection and in the implementation of in vitro salinity studies using larval pink shrimp.
  
• 
  Krystle Ludwig (B.S., SSU) was trained in the design and use of mesocosms during an internship at the NCCOS lab in Charleston, SC.
  
• 
  Marissa Brady (M.S., DSU) had a planning/training session at the NOAA-NMFS Beaufort, NC Laboratory with Drs. Paul Conn and Kyle Shertzer.
  
• 
  Jessica Rash and Oluchi Ukaegbu (B.S., DSU) participated in internships at UMBI-COMB during summer 2009. They also received training at the NOAA-NMFS Milford Aquaculture Lab from Dr. Gary Wikfors and Diane Kapareiko.
  
• 
  Kate Fleming (M.S., DSU) began conducting research at the NOAA NMFS lab at Panama City, FL in January, 2010.
  
• 
  Amber Hunt (B.S., HU) worked at the NOAA Fisheries Statistics Office in Hampton, VA from July 2009 to June 2010 through a coop program established by Dr. Kevin Chu (NOAA NERO).
  
• 
  Courtney McGeachy (M.S., UMES) worked with Dr. Beth Phelan at the NOAA J.J. Howard Marine Science Lab at Sandy Hook, NJ from Aug. 18-26, 2011. She examined behavioral ecology of black sea bass in and around traps using in situ video monitoring.
  
• 
  Dan Luers (M.S. Student, UMES) visited Gretchen Bath Martin at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Beaufort, NC from February 14-15, 2008. He examined ichthyoplankton samples for comparison with his own data and obtained American eel specimens for his research project.
  
• 
  Johnny Moore and Naeem Willett (M.S. students, DSU) visited the NMFS Narragansett, Rhode Island Laboratory and discussed their thesis work with members of the Apex Predatory Lab. In particular they worked directly with Nancy Kohler and Cami McCandless.
  
• 
  Catherine Carroll (MS student at SSU) visited the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Offices on Skidaway Island to meet with scientists there. This visit resulted in her developing a thesis project centered on the protected site with Sarah Fangman (GRNMS) as her research advisor.
  

• 
  RSMAS graduate student, Donald Bacoat received training in cobia larvae and juvenile organ preparation for analysis of eIF2 phosphorylation, an indicator of immune status, with Dr. Rose Jagus at COMB in January 2007.
  
• 
  Jamila Payton (M.S. UMES) worked at UMBI-COMB from January 4-23, 2009; May 26-July 3, 2009; January 12-21, 2010; June 1-30, 2010; and June 1 to August 30, 2011 under the supervision of Dr. Rosemary Jagus and Dr. Andrea Johnson. Jamila’s research examined the physiological effects of hypoxia on Atlantic croaker in the Chesapeake Bay. Ms. Payton also collected Atlantic croaker and conducted hypoxia exposure studies at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Eastern Shore Laboratory in Wachapreague, VA in collaboration with Dr. Richard Brill (NOAA), Dr. Andrea Johnson (UMES) and Dr. Peter Bushnell (University of Indiana) from July 3 to August 13, 2009.
  
• 
  Belita Nguluwe (B.S., M.S., UMES) received training in the analysis of microsatellites from Dr. Allen Place at UMBI-COMB from January 5-11, 2009, and thereafter conducted microsatellite analysis in Dr. Place’s lab at UMBI-COMB from May 26-August 1, 2009, and from July 1 to July 31, 2011. Belita’s research project examined genetic differences in the stock structure of monkfish between the northern and southern management areas.
  
• 
  Symone Jackson (B.S. HU) performed an internship at UMBI-COMB under the supervision of Dr. Odi Zmora.
  
• 
  Gregory Oliver (B.S., DSU) visited Dr. Terlizzi’s laboratory at the COMB on July 28, 2009 for a day-long training session on the culture of phytoplankton including media preparation, culture transfer and maintenance.
  
• 
  Vincent Dominique (B.S., UMES) interned in Dr. Al Place’s lab at UMBI-COMB and worked on genotyping of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) megalopae in the Beaufort Inlet.
  
• 
  Joanna Donaldson (UMES) interned in Dr. Eric Schott’s lab at UMBI-COMB. Her project was entitled “Evidence for the blue crab parasite, Hematodinium sp. in coastal bay benthos.”
  
• 
  Whitney Dyson (M.S., UMES) conducted research at COMB from January 5-22, 2010 under the supervision of Dr. Joseph Pitula (UMES), Dr. Eric Schott and Dr. J. Sook Chung (COMB). Whitney’s research project is entitled ‘A PCR- based assay for detection of Hematodinium sp. in Sediment from the Maryland Coastal Bays’.
  
• 
  Adam Tulu (Ph.D., UMES) conducted portions of his doctoral research on the effects of marine pollutants in the Atlantic tomcod, Microgadus tomcod at the IMET facility in Dr. Jagus’ lab in Baltimore from June 1 to August 30, 2011.
  

• 
  Charles Hooper (B.S. student, SSU) enrolled in Dr. Chigbu’s Stock Assessment course at UMES in summer 2008.
  
• 
  Keya Jackson and Matthew Taylor (B.S., HU) participated in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at UMES from June 1-August 7, 2009.
  
• 
  Malik Breland (B.S., HU) participated in the REU program at UMES in 2010.
  
• 
  Camille Gaynus (B.S., HU) participated in the REU program at UMES in 2011.
  

a) LMRCSC scientists and students at all institutions played active roles in community service and outreach.

b) Two UMES graduate students, Lonnie Gonsalves and William Gardner created the American Fisheries Society UMES Student Subunit which boasts 26 members.

.c) The LMRCSC has enhanced ocean science literacy among K-12 students and the public through the Upward Bound Marine and Estuarine Science Program, Seaing is Believing, and other programs.

d) The SSU Coast Camp allowed our program to engage over 100 youth annually in a more in depth way. It also provided an opportunity for parents to become acquainted with our program and campus. In 2008, 13 parents volunteered to form a parent advisory board to help guide the camp’s development.

e) A gift, provided to the University of Miami by the R.J. Dunlap foundation allowed for the creation of the R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program http://www.rjd.miami.edu/ . The program was led by Dr. Neil Hammerschlag, a new research assistant professor at the Division of Marine Affairs and Policy and a former student of the LMRCSC.

f) Several students at the Center institutions who were not directly funded by the LMRCSC benefited from the infrastructure and equipment made available to the institutions by the LMRCSC. Moreover, the LMRCSC grant resulted in >$16 million from 2006-2011 of leveraged funding that has enabled the Center institutions to recruit and support more students than they would otherwise be able to support.
New Courses, Programs and A Center:

Courses: Several new courses were developed and offered online at the center, including Multivariate Statistics, Survey Sampling, Fish Population Dynamics and Stock Assessment, Marine Population Dynamics, Bayesian Statistics, Risk and Decision Analysis, and Introduction to Environmental and Resource Economics.

A New Degree Program: As a result of educational and research capacity developed at the LMRCSC, UMES scientists were able to leverage funds from NSF to establish a new graduate program: Professional Science Master’s degree in quantitative fisheries and resource economics. The first cohort of 4 students entered the program in fall 2010, and an additional 6 students joined the program in the semesters that followed, for a total of 10 students. Two students graduated in spring 2012

A New Center: Additionally, funds were leveraged from NSF to establish a CREST Center for the Integrated Study of Coastal Ecosystem Processes and Dynamics in the mid-Atlantic Region. The new Center funded for five years has enabled UMES to recruit, support and train 8 new graduate students in the NOAA Fisheries related area.

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  Under Dr. Gibson’s leadership, Hampton University has become more integrated into the LMRCSC’s research and education plan. Students benefited from the linkage with her DREAMS and COSEE programs.
  
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  HU student, Kendyl Crawford used her skills gained from LMRCSC to assist Dr. Daniel Pauly (Professor, University of British Columbia, Canada) in his program the Sea Around Us. She spent summer of 2011 assessing fisheries data from small Pacific Islands.
  

a) Forty-four (44) students were trained at NOAA labs; and 46 students took part in NOAA sponsored research cruise during the period of 2006 to 2011.