National Academy of Sciences elects SMAST professor

Kevin Stokesbury, Professor of Fisheries Oceanography at UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST), has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on the Assessment and Advancement of Science in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) Environmental Studies Program. BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program develops, funds, and manages rigorous scientific research specifically to inform policy decisions on the development of energy and mineral resources, according to BOEM’s website.

The news of Dr. Stokesbury’s appointment was shared last week by a letter from Dr. Catherine E. Woteki, Chair of the Division on Earth and Life Studies, on behalf of Dr. Marcia McNutt, Chairman of the National Research Council. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit organization created in 1863 to help advise the nation on science, technology, and matters that pose societal challenges. It is a division of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Members are elected in recognition of outstanding achievements. These leading experts help the academy conduct studies, workshops, symposia, and other activities in the areas of science, policymaking, engineering, and healthcare, according to their website.

About Dr. Kevin Stokesbury

Kevin Stokesbury earned his PhD in Marine Ecology at the Universite Laval in 1994. He joined SMAST as a faculty member in 2000 and has served as chair for the Department of Fisheries Oceanography. His groundbreaking research using advanced underwater video technology has been pivotal in the revival of the scallop industry, helping the city of New Bedford maintain its position as the nation’s No.1 fishing port for more than a decade.