The slight chill in the air, the hints of changing leaf colors, and the dozens of new faces around MSRC all herald the fall semester. New students, faculty and staff have converged here on South Campus from as far away as Argentina, Russia and China as MSRC initiates its 38th academic year.
Eighteen new Ph. D. students and 7 new master’s students round out the incoming class of graduate students. Professor Anne McElroy – new to her post as MSRC’s Graduate Program Director – said that she was impressed by the new students and how quickly they have adapted to graduate life. McElroy’s many responsibilities for starting the semester include coordinating student funding and assigning teaching assistantships. McElroy noted, “We are in really good shape funding-wise. All of the students are fully funded either through research or teaching assistantships.”
Santiago Salinas is a new master’s student from Argentina who came to study with Professor Stephan Munch. Salinas did undergraduate research studying the behavioral ecology of an estuarine fish. This work stimulated his interest in aquatic systems and he is looking forward to future work in evolutionary ecology and fisheries with Dr. Munch. Salinas noted two highlights of MSRC so far; “absolutely very friendly people and really interesting research that can be applied in many different ways.”
This fall also marks the second year of MSRC’s new undergraduate programs in Marine Sciences and Marine Vertebrate Biology. While the number of students in each program keeps increasing as the students declare their majors, enrollment currently includes 63 Marine Sciences majors and 58 Marine Vertebrate Biology Majors. These students join over 100 other undergraduates in the 2 previous established programs in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Environmental Studies.
MSCR Dean and Director David Conniver said, “MSRC is very pleased that our community is growing with the addition new undergraduate and graduate students. We welcome all into the MSRC family.”
