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Printed on 30% Post Consumer Waste Recycled Paper The MES News The Newsletter of the Master of Environmental Studies Program The College of Charleston, South Carolina Fall 2004 The MES News INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From The Director 2 Dr. Sy Baron — Energy: It’s No Free Lunch 3 New Faculty Spotlights 4 ASHRAE Night 5 MESSA Activities 6 New Faculty Spotlights 7 2004 Coastal 8 America Partnership Award MES NEWS EDITORS David Lansbury First Year Student Lindsay Goodwin First Year Student Adam Sine First Year Student MES PROGRAM Contact Information: 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 Phone: (843) 953-2000 Fax: (843) 953-2001 www.cofc.edu/~environ Program Director Dr. Michael Katuna [email protected] Program Coordinator Mark McConnel [email protected] Visit Our Office At: 284 King Street Room 206 Suburban Sprawl and Sustainable Development Initiatives in the Charleston Metro Area S uburban Sprawl is the decentralization of urban areas, a shift in the “nerve center” of commerce and development away from concentrated urban areas, stretching it out along freeway and highway corridors. Sprawl is characterized by low-density, car dependent development. It constitutes an enormous change in land use patterns, subsequently degrading the regional environment and threatening the integrity of both ecosystems and the traditional characteristics of rural life. One of Coastal South Carolina’s most attractive qualities is its incredible wealth of natural resources, and the successful preservation of its historical and cultural identity. It has however, become an increasingly populated region, and with this population growth, a prime location for the seemingly inevitable sprawl that has suffocated so many landscapes throughout the U.S., especially the Southeast. What can be done to mitigate the effects of unsustainable sprawl in the Charleston area? How do we find solutions and alternatives to the problem of sprawl? These are the questions that have captivated many MES students, and have resulted in collaborations with several organizations and agencies in our region. The following analysis should provide some insight into these issues in a regional context, and examine how we in the environmental field have and can continue to make contributions to the common goal of sustainability or “smart growth” in the lowcountry. The coastal counties of S.C. have been identified as the fastest growing counties in the state, and the Charleston-DorchesterBerkeley area is no exception. Maybe it’s the 4% approximate increase in jobs or that easy, laid back southern feel that is attracting so many folks to our region, or perhaps the natural beauty of the lowcountry. Whatever it is, it will be a catalyst of the projected 49% increase in our regional population, placing 795,800 people here by the year 2030. This statistic by itself is not alarming, however, when you look at the accompanying 247% projected increase of developed land; from 250 sq/mi in 1994 to a staggering 868 sq/mi by 2030, a rather dreary environmental picture is painted. Besides fundamentally altering the biogeochemical processes of our landscape, at this level of development (specifically in the realm of suburban sprawl) we will see a 30% and 50% reduction in forested land and cultivated farmland respectively. Additionally, 35% of the regions wetlands, 70% of tidal creeks and 60% of the shellfish beds may be affected. Not to mention that 50% of the area’s historic landmarks will be at risk of losing their rural attributes. There are many techniques to address and reduce the threats of sprawl including: the establishment of urban boundaries, regional urban service districts, creating growth zones, designating land to remain undeveloped, and large-lot zoning in rural areas (ten acres or more). Pubic outreach, advocacy and education, or the benefits of getting involved in local political processes to influence the direction of development can be equally effective. In our region, there are more than a handful of organizations and individuals who play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development. The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Lowcountry Open Land Trust, Friends of the Edisto, Charleston Earthforce, and the Charleston-Berkeley-Dorchester Council of Governments are a few of the more influential of these. MES students have collaborated with several of these organizations for Internship and Thesis opportunities and, in addition, have undertaken individual initiatives to encourage sustainability in our region. The Sustainable Charleston Initiative, which recognizes businesses that integrate and achieve fundamentals of sustainability and energy efficiency in their everyday activities and business procedures, and the MES programs’ involvement in the Urbanization and Southeastern Estuarine Systems program are a few noteworthy examples of MES involvement in the region. Several students are also active in Charleston Critical Mass, a bicycle advocacy group. Although all of the models, trends and predictions have our region slated for inevitable suburban sprawl, it is not unavoidable. Through multi-discipline tri-county efforts, we can influence the growth of our region and help shape the future of the lowcountry to preserve the unique characteristics of our area without impeding or compromising economic growth. The MES program and its students have played an important role in this vision thus far, and no doubt will continue to do so well into the future. By gaining insight and understanding the scope of these issues, we can make significant contributions to protecting the environment of the lowcountry in the face of adversity and pressure from any number of — David Lansbury sources. The MES News Page 2 From the Director November 2004 Greetings! I guess you might say that I’m the “New Kid on the Block”. Having grown up in the streets of New York (the Lower East Side of Manhattan), this statement might be fairly accurate. However, I have been at the College of Charleston for the past 30+ years and was one of the original “founding fathers” of the MES program when it was first started in the fall of 1994. I have the pleasure of succeeding Dr. Angela Halfacre Hitchcock who did an exceptional job serving as the MES director for the past five years. Dr. Halfacre Hitchcock, who is currently on sabbatical leave for the 2004-2005 academic year, hopes to return to the program in 2005-2006. Upon her return, she will resume teaching the Public Policy core and Wetlands Policy courses as well as other electives in the program. Hurry back Angela! We all miss you! This first semester as MES director has been a most enjoyable learning experience. I have certainly enjoyed meeting and interacting with both the newly admitted students as well as second year students in the program. I am already impressed as to the quality of students who are currently enrolled in the program, and truly amazed by the number of student activities and the level of community involvement provided by members of the MES Student Association (MESSA). I am committed to providing any assistance in support of student activities whenever possible. I am also committed to working towards improving the overall quality of what is already a very successful graduate degree program. This coming Spring semester the MES program is scheduled for an external review. An evaluation panel consisting of external reviewers from outside institutions will be on campus to evaluate the academic quality of the program that is now in its eleventh year. I will be calling upon faculty members and students to assist in the evaluation process. I hope that I will have your support when called upon. Details concerning the evaluation process will be provided at a later time. One of my initial goals as MES director is to decrease the number of students enrolled in core courses by offering multiple sections of these required courses or by offering these courses during both academic semesters. This hopefully will increase the level of student /faculty interaction, provide greater flexibility in course scheduling for students, and reduce some of the enrollment burden placed upon instructors teaching these courses. This year we will be offering the Case Studies course both in the Fall and Spring semesters. We are hoping to initiate a similar course sequence for the seminar courses beginning next year. I am also hoping to increase the number of roster and adjunct faculty members teaching in the program (see new faculty section of newsletter) or serving on student committees. Increasing the number of active faculty members will increase the diversity of course offerings to meet student needs and interests. Finally I am looking for a “new home” to house the program. I am pursuing the acquisition of suitable new facilities on campus to relocate the MES program offices, as well as provide conference and study space for students enrolled in the program. Keep your fingers crossed. I would like to thank the students, faculty, and friends of the program for the support that you have already provided, and I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years to come. Good luck to all of our graduates. Please do not hesitate to contact me if problems arise. We are always open to suggestions that will continue to improve the quality of the program. The MES News Page 3 Dr. Sy Barron “Energy: It’s No Free Lunch” O n October 1, 2004, Dr. Sy Baron, former Associate Director at Brookhaven National Laboratory, came to the College of Charleston to present a lecture concerning energy policy: Energy: It’s No Free lunch. The lecture addressed conventional energy resources as well as fuel cells, wind, tidal, geothermal, and solar power. There were also many startling revelations about oil use in particular and the nature of American society's consumption. Dr. Baron suggests that we must learn to rely on more efficient cars and mass transit systems or we will soon deplete our resources. Americans consume 18 MBPD of oil, half of which is imported directly from the Middle East, which is home to 70% of the world’s oil reserves. Meanwhile, the US only has 3% of the world’s oil and natural gas reserves. These reserves only consist of the oil that is economically recoverable. However, the US does maintain 25% of the world’s coal resources. Regrettably, Americans consume 100 megatons of coal per year, far exceeding the use by other nations. These resources are used to fuel America’s 200 million vehicles out of the 700 million vehicles worldwide as well as to generate our electricity. A standard electric plant generates 1000 MW of electricity, which is only enough to serve 500,000 people. This leads to a problem of heavy pollution because of the waste material generated by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and to move a car. It is clear that a net energy analysis must be done in order to sustain future generations and ourselves. Dr. Baron also noted that the efficiency of these fossil fuels is far greater than those of alternative energy sources but nowhere near as environmentally friendly. Synthetic fuels such as gasohol, made of concentrated corn liquor, and methanol, which has only half the heating value of oil, create endothermic reactions which have a very poor efficiency rate. It takes over 18 years for the plants to regenerate to the point where one could reuse them for energy purposes. Wind powered energy plants create problems with visibility and can interfere with bird migration. There is one geothermal energy plant in California that produces 3000 MW, yet this is scarcely .5% of the U.S energy needs. Solar energy only generates .2 KW/meter squared, so there would need to be a massive amount of space to lay out enough solar panels to create a 1000 MW energy plant. Solar energy also has the problem of a 10-year payback for a 20-year plant. Hydroelectric power seemed to be the best form of energy with a 70% efficiency rating. This is a fundamental source of energy production within the U.S with 10 to 12% of U.S energy produced in hydroelectric energy plants. The lecture eventually led to a discussion on fuel cells and hybrid cars. The basic premise of fuel cells in cars is that chemical emissions from the car can be directly re-routed to create electrical energy. However, chemical emissions from cars generally consist of CO, H, and H2O, not CO2. Hydrogen is a major problem because it reacts with everything, it leaks out of the fuel cells, it burns too quickly, it is hard to store and to transport, and it also leads to endothermic reactions, which are inefficient. Hybrid cars, which run on both gas and electricity, are not selling well. Cars like the Honda Civic and the Toyota Prius can run 55 miles per gallon, yet they are not selling because they have no “sex appeal.” This led to a discussion on American consumerism and the belief that SUVs are a necessity in the mass market even though they often get less than 20 miles per gallon. The essence of the lecture is that there are problems with any form of energy production. Whether it is air or water pollution or inefficiency, these issues must be addressed. The question is whether a happy medium can be found where we can sustain a healthy environment while maintaining a healthy economy. The answer remains to be seen. For more information concerning this lecture or any questions you may have please contact Dr. Baron at [email protected] — Adam Sine MES Student Fall Thesis and Internship Presentations Congratulations to All of the Students who have Successfully Completed their Defenses this Fall Nick Boeschen — Thesis: “Forecasting the Potential Effects of a Proposed South Carolina Blue Crab Trap License Moratorium and Limited Entry System” Committee Members: Professor Marcela Rabi; Dr. John Creed; Dr. Frank Hefner; Dr. Ray Rhodes Krista Bunker — Thesis: “A Hydrologic Assessment of Two Detention Pond Watersheds in an Urban Coastal Landscape” Committee Members; Dr. Marianne Burke; Dr. Timothy Callahan; Dr. Dan Hitchcock: Dr. Alan Lewitus Julia Byrd — Thesis: “The Effect of Beach Nourishment on Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nesting in South Carolina” Committee Members; Dr. Robert Van Dolah; Dr. Michael Katuna; Ms. Sally Murphy: Mr. Alan Shirey Katherina Diemer — Thesis: “Impoundments on Headwater Streams: Do Small Ponds Have a Large Cumulative Effect on Water Quality and Species Distribution?” Committee Members: Dr. Brian Scholtens; Dr. Tim Callahan; Dr. Lauren Kolowith; Dr. Paul Marino Sarah Habrun — Thesis: “Investigation of a Novel Epiphytic cyanobacterium Associated with Reservoirs Affected by Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy” Committee Members: Dr. Alan Lewitus; Mr. Jason Kempton; Dr. Allan Strand; Dr. Susan Wilde Scott Harder — Thesis: “Hydrology and Water Budget of a First Order Forested Coastal Plain Watershed, South Carolina” Committee Members: Dr. Devendra Amatya; Dr. Timothy Callahan; Dr. Jon Hakkila; Dr. Carl Trettin Joe Dukes — Internship: “College of Charleston Greenhouse Gas Audit and Environmental Education in the Lowcountry: A Portfolio" Committee Members: Kirk Anne Taylor (project supervisor); Dr. James Neff (primary advisor); Dr. John Creed; Dr. Maxwell Shaw The MES News Page 4 M egan Terebus grew up in a small, university Rhode Island’s supply system sufficiently planned for times of town named Indiana located just outside Pitts- drought. Unfortunately, she found that it was a poorly burgh, Pennsylvania. She received her undergraduate planned, retroactive system that left citizens' well being in degree in Environmental Science from Allegheny Col- question. While working on this thesis, she was also a part lege in Meadville, Pennsylvania. During the 1970s, Alle- of the drought planning task force that monitored and issued gheny College was one of the first schools in the country alerts when water was in short supply. Through her hard to offer a degree in Environmental Science. While there, work and dedication, she was able to help the State Senate of she worked as an undergraduate psychological counselor Rhode Island revise their current drought planning system. for students involved in crisis and non-crisis situations. Her thesis is still available on Brown University’s Center After receiving her degree, she for Environmental Studies homepage. worked with the American Farmland January 2003, Professor Terebus New Faculty movedInback Trust for a brief period but soon realto Charleston on a full time ized the importance of a broad-based basis. She is currently working with the Spotlight: education beyond the limited specifics Coastal Conservation League. When the of scientific data observation. She Megan Terebus spring semester begins, she will be teaching became interested in the infrastrucEnvironmental and Community Ethics, and ture of communities and the impact she warns, “There will be a lot of reading as of environmental policy. well as an independent project.” The class will focus on perProfessor Terebus moved to Charleston, SC, in sonal environmental philosophy, and students will be asked 1998, but after two years of living here, she decided it to consider where we are as individuals and as a community was time to get her graduate degree. In 2000, she en- and how can we make positive changes. As a teacher, she tered a program at Brown University where she did a hopes to help integrate the MES program into the commucomparative analysis of transportation and energy con- nity while facilitating student outreach. She has a very high sumption in Rhode Island. She also received a fellowship regard for the MES program and sees it as a valuable, unfrom The Watson Institute for International tapped resource for the Charleston community. She loves Studies that gave her the opportunity to travel to the her job, but during her free time, she can be found doing Dominican Republic to study the possibility of a devel- anything but sitting still. Hiking, cycling, spinning classes, and oping country directly transitioning into a sustainable reading are a few of her favorite activities. She also finds society and bypassing the process of rapid industrializa- time to enjoy swimming while teaching swimming and fitness tion. Yet another noteworthy opportunity allowed her swimming classes to adults. When asked if she has any advice to study the conflict over mining rights in Arizona be- for students, she suggests, "Don’t be too quick to settle tween the Navajo and Hopi Indians. Her master's thesis down. Go out and explore the world before you decide you focused on water management and questioned whether want to work specifically on one thing for a lifetime.” D r. Briget Doyle received a BS in Hydrogeology ently working with GIS systems to create a comprehensive from Western Michigan University as well as a map of former manufactured gas plants and is also conductbachelor’s in Geological Engineering from the Univer- ing research in North Carolina on potential impacts of dam sity of Missouri at Rolla. She went on to receive a failure. Masters and PhD in Geological Engineering from Rolla. Prior to joining our MES program, Dr. Doyle worked as She researched engineering geology of Jefferson City, a visiting professor at Hope College, Michigan teaching Missouri as her Master’s Thesis and GIS and physical geology. Dr. Doyle’s atfor her PhD she studied seismically traction to Charleston, SC began years induced landslides in the western ago with family vacations to our charming New Faculty New Madrid seismic zone. Her city. She is now very excited to be workresearch expertise is engineering ing and living in Charleston permanently. Spotlight: geology as applied to natural hazThe Charleston region is an ideal place for Dr. Briget ards. Dr. Doyle to continue her studies of natuDr. Doyle, who started off as ral hazards such as: landslides, flooding, Doyle chemistry undergrad, took a geoland erosion. She hopes to develop a ogy course on a whim and has now strong natural hazards program emphasizfound her passion in geological engineering. Geology ing mitigation techniques. Because the MES program is allows her to “play in the dirt” and work outdoors while highly interdisciplinary, Dr. Doyle would like to offer an the engineering aspect is more like putting together entry-level engineering geology class that will help students pieces of a puzzle. She incorporates GIS in much of her understand the basic concepts and language involved in geowork and is currently co-teaching a GIS course with Dr. logical engineering. Students should be on the look out for Levine. The diverse applications of geological engineer- upcoming classes offered by Dr. Doyle, as her expertise will ing allow Dr. Doyle’s work to be varied. She is pres- surely be an exciting addition to our MES program. Page 5 The MES News MES Students Participate in ASHRAE Student Activities Night O n October 12th several MES students along with Program Director, Dr. Michael Katuna attended this month's American Society of Heating Refrigeration and AirConditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) meeting to participate in Student Activities Night. Students put together an informative display board highlighting some of the programs and activities that MES students are involved with around the community. Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) were also present and displayed several design projects featuring energy efficient building concepts. Both student chapters individually addressed the members of the Charleston ASHRAE Chapter and talked about the main components of their respective programs. The Charleston ASHRAE President, Chris Crane, was very pleased with the efforts of both chapters and encouraged continued academic efforts toward sustainability. The MES Program established an ASHRAE Student Chapter several years ago when the College of Charleston's "Green Building" was being retrofitted using energy-efficient initiatives. ASHRAE meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month and students from the MES program attend the meetings to enjoy wonderful dinners along with informative presentations on energyefficient design and airpurification standards. The MES Program is working to set up a tours at the Center for Sustainability and the Charleston Civic Design Center for when SCAD student members visit Charleston. There are also efforts being made to organize an MES trip to Savannah and tour the SCAD campus to see some of their innovative building designs. For questions regarding ASHRAE student membership, please contact Jonathan Hopkins, Angela Jones or Sarah Falkowski. Fall 2004 Highlights August August 23rd 9:00 a.m. MES Orientation August 28th 8:00 p.m.-??? MES Welcome Back Party September September 17th 9:00 a.m. Adopt-A- Highway September 18th 9:00 a.m. Beach Sweep September 25th 9:00 a.m. Reef Sweep October October 2nd Oyster Roast!!! November November 19th 10:30 a.m. Adopt-A- Highway November 5th — 7th MESSA Camping Trip: Colleton State Park December December 3rd 8:30 a.m. MESSA Habitat for Humanity December 16th Holiday Party and Fall Graduation Celebration December 19th Midyear Commencement The MES News Page 6 MESSA Activities T he Fall semester has kept members of the Master of Environmental Studies Student Association (MESSA) busy! The officers welcomed back the second year students as well as introduced the first year students with a 1980’s theme party on Saturday, August 28th. Everyone dressed up in vintage gear and had a great time! MESSA members helped beautify Charleston on four separate occasions already this semester! Litter was pickedup along a section of Route 61 through participation in the Adopt-a-Highway program on September 10th and November 19th. Beach Sweep is a national campaign to clean up waterfront areas. MESSA participated on September 18th downtown at Waterfront Park. The very next weekend, MESSA was back out there cleaning up again - this time on Morris Island as part of Reef Sweep. Members collaborated with students from the Marine Biology Masters Program. The Annual MES Oyster Roast was a hit on Saturday, October 2nd. Faculty and students enjoyed a beautiful day at Dixie Plantation while they munched on oysters and socialized. The South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Project (SCORE) is an ongoing water quality activity for many MESSA members. In fact, MESSA’s participation has been recognized by the Office of the President of the United States. A representative of President Bush presented MESSA with an award on Friday, November 19th at an 8:30 am media event. MESSA’s annual fall camping trip took place this year at Colleton State Park on November 5-7. Several first year students joined a group of seasoned second years for the weekend. Smores and kayaking were enjoyed by all! Habitat for Humanity is something near and dear to many members of MESSA. The next volunteer date is Friday, December 3rd at 8:30 am. That same day, it will be time for election of new officers! Nominations have been pouring in for next year’s positions. Stay tuned to find out who will be representing MESSA in 2005. Just after finals, and right before winter break, is time for the Holiday Party! Slated for Thursday, December 16th at the Blacklock House on Bull Street, the Holiday Party is a celebration to honor the December graduates and is shared with other students and faculty. Thanks to all of our MESSA officers for their help and support Page 7 The MES News D r. Courtney Murren is originally from southwestern Connecticut. She received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA where she majored in biological sciences and minored in French. After receiving her degree, she went on to get her PhD at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT where she studied with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She then went on to do a post-doc in the Department of Botany at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the Department of Biology at the University of Maryland. During her most recent post-doctoral position, she has worked at the University of Maryland in College Park. There she is studying Mimulus guttatus. This flowering plant is commonly know as the monkey flower and is a member of the snapdragon family. It is a native species of California and Ore- New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Courtney Murren D r. Dan Hitchcock is originally from Hendersonville, TN, a suburb of Nashville. He has always enjoyed the outdoors and our natural environment: camping, hiking, fishing, and canoeing. Dr. Hitchcock became specifically interested in water quality while living in the Florida Keys during a break from his undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. When the Exxon Valdez oil spill happened in Alaska, he became impassioned about his potential role in the protection and improvement of environmental quality. While working as a research technician at the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, a barrier island off of the Georgia coast, he became particularly interested in coastal environmental quality. He also had fantastic role models in environmental studies, including Dr. David Etnier and Dr. Stuart Pimm at the University of Tennessee, and Dr. Bernie Patten and the late Dr. Eugene Odum at the University of Georgia. Dr. Hitchcock received his B.S. in zoology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and both his M.S. in environmental health and Ph.D. in biological and agricultural engineering from the University of Georgia. “Through each degree, I learned to describe the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems, to find ways to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems, and to design ways to improve the quality of aquatic ecosystems, respectively.” Dr. Hitchcock's interests focus primarily on water-related resources and on any mechanism for improving their quality, whether it be research or education/outreach. In the past, he has studied natural treatment systems for water quality improvement including constructed wetlands and phytoremediation. Currently he works as the Coastal Environmental Quality Specialist for the SC Sea Grant Extension Program. This is a joint program with Clemson University and the SC Sea Grant Consor- New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Dan Hitchcock gon and is commonly found growing in rocky environments. Dr. Murren is interested in how species exist and develop outside of their natural range, and she has been using Mimulus guttatus as a case study. She hopes to continue this research in Charleston. Dr. Murren also has a broad range of interests outside of her academic studies. She loves hiking, cooking, wine tasting, and taking care of her yard. She also enjoys playing with her cats and reading. While searching for program information, Dr. Murren became interested in the MES program at the College of Charleston. Eventually this led to Dr. Michael Katuna asking her to teach the Case Studies in Environmental Sciences with Professor Lindeke Mills in the Spring Semester of 2005. She is also teaching Plant Ecology in the Department of Biology. She is excited about the interdisciplinary aspects the MES program offers its students and cannot wait to begin teaching and guiding students through their graduate school careers. When asked if she had any advice for her future students, she simply stated, “Follow what you are passionate about…keep your energy and work for what you care about.” tium. There his job provides a wide variety of stakeholders with education and outreach regarding environmental quality issues, including, but not limited to, nonpoint source pollution prevention, stormwater management, and protecting our coastal waters from eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. He previously held a post-doctoral associate/research hydrologist position with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station’s Center for Forested Wetlands Research in Charleston, SC. He was stationed at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, SC, where he conducted research on the phytoremediation of tritium-contaminated groundwater. His colleagues at the Center for Forested Wetlands Research encouraged him to pursue an adjunct faculty appointment with the MES program. Unfortunately, Dr. Hitchcock will not be teaching in the Spring 2005 semester. However, he says, “I am always eager and willing to guest lecture if the opportunity presents itself...I hope to be an energetic and engaging resource for the MES program. My door is always open, and I am easily accessible by email at [email protected]”. His goal is to provide the program with a diverse background in ecology and engineering, including a more technical approach to addressing environmental issues. Outside of class, Dr. Hitchcock can be found with his wife, Dr. Angela Halfacre Hitchcock, who is also associated with the MES program as its former Director. They are both avid kayakers and birdwatchers. “I’m also a huge fan of music, and I love going to shows, listening to music, and playing guitar. I also enjoy hiking, camping, biking, and photography.” When asked if he could offer any advice for the student, Dr. Hitchcock stated, “First, I think students should work very diligently to perfect their communications skills through discussions, presentations, and writing. Second, students should always stay aware of issues and be active in their community. Finally, students should have an open mind and be willing to explore any opportunity for growth and development. I would encourage students to be involved in as many activities as possible (within reason, of course), because one never knows what might be right around the corner that could pique your interest, provoke your passion, and guide you along your career path.” 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award The South Carolina Oyster Restoration and Enhancement Program (SCORE) is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. This program recycles shucked oyster shells and bags them in wire mesh containers for distribution to various creeks and estuaries along the state’s coast. These ‘artificial reefs’ provide substrate for oyster larvae to attach and grow, building new living reefs of oysters. MESSA participates in this program by monitoring the water quality at one of the 100 constructed reef sites. Volunteers from MESSA visit the Bowen’s Island reef each week to measure such variables as water and air temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen. This data is entered and submitted to SC DNR online so they can track these variables throughout the year and evaluate the health of the reefs. SCORE was honored with the 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award at the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration held in Charleston, November 17-20 this year. This recognition is one of the nation’s highest environmental awards as it comes directly from the President and was presented by Timothy Keeney, Deputy Assistant Director for Oceans and Atmosphere at NOAA. The award recognizes public and private collaborations that have been effective towards improving coastal environments. MESSA volunteers are part of a group of 2,000 people that participated in this community based restoration program and have been instrumental in improving oyster habitat in South Carolina. Good work and congratulations MESSA volunteers! MES PROGRAM College of Charleston 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 Phone: (843) 953-2000 Fax: (843) 953-2001 We’re on the Web www.cofc.edu/~environ NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage P-A-I-D Permit No.149 Charleston, SC