Baltimore, Md. (April 10, 2009) – For his pioneering research on the role of organic matter in the marine environment, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science researcher Dr. Rodger Harvey was awarded the University System of Maryland’s highest honor, the Regents’ Faculty Award for Excellence.
As a marine organic chemist, Dr. Harvey’s research focuses on identifying the sources and fate of organic carbon in the marine environment. Dr. Harvey uses individual chemical structures to identify the source of the carbon - be it from marine life living in the upper ocean, terrestrial runoff carried by rivers, or other sources - and how it is transported and preserved. His Arctic-based research improves our understanding of the carbon cycle and its links to global climate change.
“Dr. Harvey’s research has made a substantial impact on the way we understand environmental issues in Maryland and around the globe,” said UMCES President Dr. Donald F. Boesch. “Locally, his creativity has pioneered ways to accurately determine the age of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, helping resource managers better manage the fishery. Globally, his diligence has led to an improved understanding of how carbon moves through our ocean ecosystems, helping policymakers more firmly grasp how climate change is affecting the planet.”
In addition to his research, Dr. Harvey is also a large contributor to the function and direction of UMCES and to the University System of Maryland. He has chaired the UMCES Faculty Senate, been an engaged member of the USM Council of University System Faculty, and is a leader in the administration and execution of the multi-campus Graduate Program in Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Science.
“While Dr. Harvey is best known as a world-class researcher, he plays an equally important role in the daily lives of the faculty and students at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory,” said UMCES Chesapeake Biological Director Dr. Margaret Palmer. “His dedication to CBL and its students sets Rodger apart from his peers and make him an irreplaceable asset to the Solomons Island community.”
The Board of Regents Faculty Awards, established in 1995, publicly recognizes distinguished performance by educators and researchers within the University System of Maryland. Award categories include: Collaboration, mentoring, public service, teaching, research, scholarship and creative activity. Recipients are given $1,000 and a plaque of recognition for the honor during a ceremony at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Dr. Harvey is the fifth UMCES faculty member to be honored with the Regents’ award, joining Drs. Patricia Glibert, Ed Houde, Tom Malone and Diane Stoecker.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is the University System of Maryland’s premier environmental research institution. UMCES researchers are helping improve our scientific understanding of Maryland, the region and the world through its three laboratories – Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, and Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge – and the Maryland Sea Grant College in College Park.
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