Celebrating Our Faculty and Staff

On Thursday, October 21, 2021, at a SoMAS Strategic Planning Event at The Waterview in Port Jefferson, we honored the careers of 8 faculty and staff. A scenic sunset view of Long Island Sound was a fitting way to celebrate Bonnie Stephens, Anne McElroy, Bruce Brownawell, Glenn Lopez, Kirk Cochran, Jeff Levinton, Bob Wilson, and Malcolm Bowman. With opening and closing remarks by Dean Paul Shepson and Tom Wilson serving as Master of Ceremonies, it was a great evening, planned by Kim Knoll, Paul Shepson, Henry Bokuniewicz, Josephine Aller, and Bob Cerrato.

Each honoree was “lightly roasted” by friends and colleagues, and then the honoree had a chance to say a few words before receiving a hand-crafted gift created from local driftwood by SoMAS Alum Andy Matthews from Long Island Creations.

Frank Roethel, Kaitlin Giglio, and Chuck Nittrouer honored Bonnie Stephens, who received a blue crab.
Subham Dasgupta honored his PhD advisor Anne McElroy, who received a map of Long Island.
P. Lee Ferguson honored his PhD advisor Bruce Brownawell, who received a black seabass
Nick Fisher honored Glenn Lopez, who received a fluke.
Bob Aller honored Kirk Cochran, who received a cephalopod.
Peter Petraitis honored his PhD advisor Jeff Levinton, who received an American lobster
Malcolm Bowman honored Bob Wilson, who received a bluefish, accepted on his behalf by Kaitlin Giglio.
Tom Wilson honored Malcolm Bowman, who received a snapper (Pagrus auratus), a fish native to New Zealand.