UConn Marine Sciences

10/22/2026

Crabs, Clams, and You at Marine Science Day! Students participated in a workshop presented by the Professor Ward's lab and Project Oceanology in May, exploring filter feeding, food webs, and sustainable decision-making in shellfish consumption.

Images: Allison Keck, Project Oceanology

10/20/2026

Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Robert Mason on receiving the Clair C. Patterson Award from the Geochemical Society! Rob simultaneously became a Fellow of the Geochemical Society. Rob received this award for groundbreaking contributions to mercury science through innovative research at local and global scales, informing public policy on controls of mercury releases, and mentoring developing scientists in mercury science and policy. Dr. Mason received this award at the Goldschmidt Conference held in Montreal in July 2026. Watch his award lecture here: https://youtu.be/edPSTHfGczc

10/15/2026

As the days get shorter, many New England residents dream of traveling to a warmer location. Some scientists in our department make other plans! PhD student Eva Scrivner, who conducts research in the Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Lab led by Professor Heidi Dierssen, spent 8 weeks last December and January heading to the Palmer Station Long Term Ecological Research Station in Antarctica to take optical measurements to characterize the unique coastal ecosystems in Antarctic waters during summer in the southern hemisphere.

Read an interview with Eva to learn more about her pathway into optical oceanography and advice for other students.

https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/2026/01/23/travels-to-the-other-side-of-the-world/

10/13/2026

Our graduates go on to do amazing things after their graduation! At Avery Point, Dr. Tyler Griffin conducted research in Professor Evan Ward’s lab, was teaching assistant for many courses and even instructor of record. Tyler defended his PhD on mussel microbiomes in 2024. After his PhD, he did a teaching-intensive postdoc at Bowdoin College in Maine and is now back in Connecticut working as a tenure-track assistant professor of Biology at Fairfield University. Congratulations Tyler!

Read our full interview with Prof. Griffin through the link below.

Anne: Why did the topic of microbial biology of mussels interest you? Tyler: My dissertation investigated the bacterial communities associated with blue mu ...

09/09/2026

The Avery Point community celebrates Jeff Godfrey for his 26 years of service in our dive operations. We wish him the best in his retirement! Check out this interview with Jeff about his career at UConn: https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/2026/02/05/avery-point-spotlight-jeff-godfrey/

09/03/2026

Please help us congratulate Dr. Pieter Visscher, Professor in UConn Marine Sciences and UConn Department of Earth Sciences, on receiving the Geological Society of America’s 2025 Distinguished Career Award (sponsored by the Geobiology and Geomicrobiology Division), which is given to a researcher demonstrating sustained excellence in research, mentoring, service, and leadership. Dr. Visscher is also a fellow of the Geological Society of America.

With this award, Dr. Visscher is celebrated for his career spanning over three decades, where he has made fundamental advances in geomicrobiology over hundreds of research articles, and inspired new directions of research for other scholars. His research pursues the fundamental questions: where are we coming from, where are we going, and what is our future? His tireless curiosity ultimately led to the establishment of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute (NAI) in 1998; the product of a four-decade-long collaboration with scholars, scientists, and engineers from around the country. He has trained many young scientists from the USA and around the world, giving them international research opportunities and helping them to embark upon their own research careers.

Read the full citation here:
https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/2026/02/05/dms-prof-pieter-visscher-honored-with-gsa-career-award/

08/18/2026

Our department is using new technology to study hypoxia in Long Island Sound! Read more here: https://ow.ly/WxFV50ZASGJ

How can a hurricane hundreds of miles offshore affect water quality in Long Island Sound?

Last August, when Hurricane Erin passed offshore, its winds and waves mixed the Sound's waters, bringing oxygen rich surface water deeper into the water column. After the storm, hypoxic conditions we no longed detected at monitoring stations.

The event gave scientists a striking example of how weather and timing can shape hypoxia from year to year, even as long-term reductions in nitrogen pollution have improved conditions in the Sound.

Our latest story takes a closer look at what scientists learned from Hurricane Erin: https://ow.ly/otnq50ZASGZ

05/18/2026

04/21/2026

UConn Gives is underway! Please consider donating to support UConn Marine Sciences. Your generosity directly fuels the work that makes our department thrive.

Donate here: https://giving.uconn.edu/schools/UniversityofConnecticut/uconn-gives-2026/pages/clas/marine-sciences/?a=13117641

At UConn’s Marine Sciences Department, world-class researchers and a passionate student community come together to explore one of Earth’s most vital and complex systems: our oceans. As dedicated stewards of Long Island Sound, we are committed to understanding and protecting the ecosystems that sustain our region and our planet.

Your gift will equip students with the tools and supplies needed for hands-on scientific discovery and support research that advances our understanding of ocean health and environmental change.

Please donate through the link below. Share to help us grow our impact.

04/10/2026

We are hiring a Diving Safety Officer at UConn Marine Sciences to support our research and educational programs at the UConn Avery Point campus. Read the job posting through the link in our bio and please share with your colleagues!