Congratulations to Jeremy Testa, who will be presented with the Graduate of Distinction - Incipiens Quercu (young oak) Award by his undergraduate university – the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF).
During ESF’s 2015 December Commencement ceremony Dr. Testa will become the first recipient of the award, which honors a recent ESF graduate who exemplifies ESF's commitment to environmental stewardship.
Dr. Testa, who graduated from ESF with a bachelor of science in environmental and forest biology in 2003. He then joined UMCES’ Horn Point Laboratory where he completed his MS and PhD degrees. Jeremy joined the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory as an assistant professor in July 2013.
Dr. Tom Miller, Director of CBL, said “Jeremy is an exceptionally capable young scientist. Not only he has been successful in getting competitively funded grants from national agencies, but he has also developed close working relationships with state and local governments. He exemplifies all that a CBL scientist should be.”
Research by Dr. Testa’s lab (right) focuses on interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes in coastal and estuarine ecosystems and examines how human actions may be impacting these environments. By combining computer models, lab and field experiments, and historical data analysis, Testa’s research seeks solutions to complex environmental problems. His research has helped reveal how large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay affects oxygen levels, and, in conjunction with his collaborators, Testa is developing a dynamic modeling system to predict the impacts big storms have on the behavior and health of shallow bodies of water, focusing on Maryland’s Chincoteague Bay.
“Testa's involvement in a leadership role in the Atlantic Estuaries Research Society as well as chairing sessions at the Association for the Science of Limnology and Oceanography and the Coastal and Estuarine Research Foundation is indicative of his recognized expertise among his colleagues,” states the December 8th announcement from ESF. “He continues to show his dedication to outreach and science education through mentoring graduate, undergraduate and high school students, donating his time to teaching short-courses for high school teachers and judging science fairs.”
Dr. Testa’s high caliber of research, application of science to management efforts, and ability to communicate scientific information in and beyond the classroom exemplifies his excellence in environmental stewardship. The faculty, staff, and students of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory wish to congratulate Dr. Testa for ESF’s recognition of his many achievements.
