image: Dr. Peter Mumby is the 2011 recipient of the Rosenstiel Award, one of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciencel’s top honors. Mumby, a British marine ecologist and professor at Australia’s University of Queensland, is the 37th recipient of the award for his studies of the benefits and limitations of conservation strategies for coral reefs. view more
Credit: P. Mumby
Virginia Key, FL – March 14, 2011 -- The University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is proud to announce that Dr. Peter Mumby is the 2011 recipient of The Rosenstiel Award, one of the School's top honors. Mumby, a British marine ecologist and professor at Australia's University of Queensland, is the 37th recipient of the Rosenstiel Award. His goal is to understand the benefits and limitations of conservation strategies for coral reefs.
Mumby began his career in 1992 as a Science Coordinator at the Coral Cay Conservation in Belize designing marine reserves, before moving on to the University of Sheffield where he received his Ph.D. in coral reef remote sensing. Afterwards, he took on two research fellowships at University of Newcastle and the University of Exeter in that respected order, before his current work at Queensland. Now, Mumby is in the middle of a prestigious five-year Australian Research Council Laureate fellowship. His worked has been published 85 journal articles, seven book chapters, and two books, including several first-author papers in Science and Nature.
Mumby and colleagues have studied the impacts of marine reserves on Caribbean reefs and discovered that the direct effects of protecting fish can have profound indirect effects on the ecosystem. His findings have helped provide insight into the consequences of conserving herbivorous fishes, reducing nutrient runoff, conserving mangroves, and restoring urchin populations. Mumby's research has influenced conservation policy, contributing to the implementation of a ban on herbivore exploitation in Belize and the identification of a marine park at Conception Island in the Bahamas.
"Professor Mumby is a leading figure in coral reef science, whose work spans the fields of remote sensing, connectivity, ecology, and climate change. It is extremely rare for someone to have made such lasting contributions to such a broad range of fields at such an early stage in their career. Pete's engaging personality and keen sense of humor belie great intelligence, dedication, and drive. With the future of coral reefs currently hanging in the balance, it's good to know that scientists like Professor Mumby have dedicated themselves to finding ways to help these ecosystems persist and thrive over the next few decades," says Dr. Andrew Baker, an Associate Professor at the Rosenstiel School who nominated Mumby.
A dinner to celebrate and acknowledge Mumby's achievements will be held on April 6 at the Rosenstiel School.
About the Rosenstiel Award
The Rosenstiel Award honors scientists who, in the past decade, have made significant and growing impacts in their field. It is an award targeted for researchers that are already making outstanding scientific contributions in their early to mid-career stages.
The Rosenstiel Award, created through an endowment from the Rosenstiel Foundation, recognizes outstanding scientists for their contributions to marine science and in oceanographically relevant areas of atmospheric science with a $10,000 prize. It is awarded annually to one individual on a rotating basis for achievements in six broad disciplinary areas: marine geology and geophysics; meteorology and physical oceanography; marine and atmospheric chemistry; marine biology and fisheries; applied marine physics; and marine affairs. This year's award to Mumby falls within the discipline of marine biology and fisheries.
About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School
The University of Miami is the largest private research institution in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940s, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu.