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2025 JOHN & BARBARA FERRERA OCEAN SCIENCE LECTURE SERIES

The John & Barbara Ferrera Ocean Science Lecture Series provides a forum for the community to learn about the important research underway at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and around the world.

This free series is available to the public, both in-person and virtually. Lectures are held on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. in the FAU Harbor Branch Johnson Marine Education Center Auditorium followed by a meet and greet with the speaker. Presentations will also be livestreamed and recorded.

Advanced registration is required to attend in-person, please click the button below to reserve your spot; this one-time registration will provide you with a pass for the entire season. The open-access livestream and lecture archive can also be accessed below, no username or password is needed; virtual attendees may register if they’d like to receive regular updates about the series.

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Please see the schedule below and for additional information contact the Ocean Discovery Visitors Center at 772-242-2293.

OSLS lecture series photo

2025 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Spring Series

  • Jan. 8
    FAU Harbor Branch: Celebrating Our Accomplishments and Looking Ahead
    Jim Sullivan, Ph.D.
  • Jan. 15
    An update on the FAU Harbor Branch Stranding and Population Assessment Team and their Work with Marine Mammals in Southeast Florida
    Steve Burton
  • Jan. 22
    Algal Blooms in Southern Florida: Current Trends and Future Directions
    Malcolm McFarland, Ph.D.
  • Jan. 29
    Exploration of Deep-Water Habitats off Puerto Rico for Biotechnology Potential
    Esther Guzman, Ph.D.
  • Feb. 5
    Striving for Sustainable Seagrasses in the Indian River Lagoon
    Rachel Brewton, Ph.D.
  • Feb. 12
    Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change: Combating misinformation about the ocean, weather, and climate change . . . and having a little fun
    Ellen Prager, Ph.D. and Dave Jones (Guest Lecture)
  • Feb. 19
    Unveiling the Hidden Role of Parasites in Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration
    Mike McCoy, Ph.D.
  • Feb. 26
    Seeds aren’t Only for Plants - Fish Farms Need Seedstock Too
    Paul Wills, Ph.D.
  • Mar. 5
    Coral Reef Connectivity and Conservation in a Changing Climate
    Ryan Eckert and Allison Klein (Graduate Student Lecture)
  • Mar. 12
    Exploring the Rich Natural Products Chemistry of Florida's Coastal Waters
    Amy Wright, Ph.D.
  • Mar. 19
    Ink-redible Investigations: What Sea Slugs, Cuttlefish, Whales, and Sharks all have in common
    Lauren Simonitis, Ph.D. (Guest Lecture)
  • Mar. 26
    Blue Energy in a Blue Economy
    Gabe Alsenas
2024 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Spring Series
  • Jan. 10
    The Quest for a Marine Sponge Cell Line: A Retrospective of Sponge Biotechnology at FAU Harbor Branch
    Shirley Pomponi, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Jan. 17
    Clam Culture in a Changing Environment
    Susan Laramore, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Jan. 24
    Stealing Sharks and Ravaging Rays? A Scientific Delve into their Impacts on Florida Fisheries
    Matt Ajemian, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Jan. 31
    A Bath Sponges Fable: Sponge Painting and the Lobster Season
    Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Feb. 7
    Coral Exploration, Conservation, and Restoration
    Joshua Voss, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Feb. 14
    Remembering Mark Littler and His Contributions to Marine Plants and Coral Reef Ecology
    Brian Lapointe, Ph.D. and M. Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Feb. 21
    Health and Disease in Bottlenose Dolphins Inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon
    Annie Page, DMV, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • Feb. 28
    Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery at FAU Harbor Branch
    Esther Guzmán, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • March 6
    Celebrating the Queen Conch: A Journey of Restoration with Caribbean Communities
    Megan Davis, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • April 3
    FAU’s New Environment School, ECOS: Building Bridges to Advance Research and Teaching
    Colin Polsky, Ph.D.
    WATCH
  • May 1
    Fishers Know More Than You
    Aaron Adams, Ph.D.
    WATCH
2023 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Spring Series
  • Jan. 18
    Saltwater Aquaculture Stories: From Sea Vegetables to Saving Queen Conch
    Megan Davis, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Jan. 25
    A Fight without Jaws: How Sponges Persist in a Changing Environment?
    Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch & FAU Wilkes Honors College
  • Feb. 1
    Spawning Induction of Bonefish to Improve Knowledge of Their Reproductive and Developmental Biology
    Sahar Mejri, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Feb. 8
    The Hidden World of Harmful Algae in the Indian River Lagoon
    Malcolm McFarland, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Feb. 15
    Exploring Nature's Bounty: The Wealth of Natural Products from the Sea
    Amy Wright, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Feb. 22
    In Search of Sea Ghosts and Unicorns – The Untold Stories of Beluga Whales and Narwhals
    Gregory O’Corry-Crowe, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • March 1
    Keeping the Sea Free of Debris: Educating our Community and Taking Action!
    Gabby Barbarite, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • March 8
    A Brief History of NASA’s Ocean Color Satellite Program
    Tim Moore, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • March 15
    Coastal Acidification: An Emerging Environmental Issue in the Indian River Lagoon
    M. Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., & Kristen Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
  • April 5
    Florida’s Algae Crisis: The Impacts of Nutrient Pollution
    Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • May 3
    The Many Fates of Plastic Debris in the Ocean
    Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
2022 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Spring Series
  • Feb. 23, 2022
    “The Return of Florida's Great Goliath Grouper – New Opportunities and Challenges”
    Matt Ajemian, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch and Angela Collins, Ph.D., Florida Sea Grant 
  • Mar. 2, 2022
    “19,000 Test Tubes: 37 Years of Microbial Research at Harbor Branch”
    Peter McCarthy, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Mar. 9, 2022
    “Zephyrus, Poseidon and Charybdis: An Ocean Tale” 
    Laurent Chérubin, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Mar. 16, 2022
    “Getting to the (Muddy) Bottom of It: The Harmful Algal Bloom Assessment of Lake Okeechobee (HALO)”
    Jordon Beckler, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Mar. 23, 2022
    “Looking Deeply: Deep Sea Discoveries and Adventures with the Johnson-Sea-Link Submersibles”
    John Reed, M.Sc., Shirley Pomponi, Ph.D., Amy Wright, Ph.D. and M. Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Mar. 30, 2022
    "From Clams to Corals: It’s a Long Story!"
    Dave Vaughan, Ph.D., Plant A Million Corals Foundation
  • Apr. 6, 2022
    "The Past, Present, and Future of our Coral Reef Ecosystems"
    Joshua Voss, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
  • Apr. 13, 2022
    "The ONR CubeSat”
    Mike Twardowski, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch 
  • Apr. 20, 2022
    "Celebrating 50 Years of Ocean Science for a Better World!"
    A panel discussion moderated by journalist Anthony Westbury with Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., Shirley Pomponi, Ph.D., John Reed, M.Sc. and Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
2021 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Spring Series
  • April 14, 2021
    Technologies for Monitoring and Sustaining our Oceans in the UN Ocean Decade
    Donna Kocak, L3Harris Technologies
  • May 5, 2021
    Wonders of Greenland: Holy Giant Iceberg!
    Ellen Prager, Ph.D., Marine scientist and author
  • June 16, 2021
    Update on Manatee Mortality Events in the Indian River Lagoon
    Martine deWit, Veterinarian, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  • July 14, 2021
    Exploring the Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System at FAU Harbor Branch
    Gabby Barbarite, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
2021 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Winter Series
  • Jan. 13, 2021
    Fish Culture Research at FAU Harbor Branch the Last 10 Years and the Future
    Paul Wills, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    • Feb. 10, 2021
      A Look into East Florida’s Nearshore Hardbottom Reefs
      Dan McCarthy, Ph.D., Jacksonville University and Karen Holloway-Adkins, Ph.D., East Coast Biologists, Inc.
      • Feb. 24, 2021
        The Marine Biotechnology Reference Collection: A New Web-based Resource for Research
        Shirley Pomponi, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
        Followed by a panel discussion with John Reed, M.Sc., Amy Wright, Ph.D., and Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    • Jan. 27, 2021
      The Deep Sea’s Treasure Trove—Marine Natural Products as Potential Cancer Therapeutics
      Esther Guzmán, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch

2020 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics - Fall Series
  • November 4, 2020
    NEEMO 23: Simulating Space Exploration in a Real-life Undersea Environment
    Shirley Pomponi, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    • December 2, 2020
      IRLON 2.0: Addressing Emerging Environmental Issues in the Indian River Lagoon
      Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
2020 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 8, 2020
    The Health of Our Oceans: Why You Should Care
    Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    • Jan. 22, 2020
      The Florida Center for Coastal and Human Health: Integrated Approaches to Addressing Harmful Algal Blooms
      Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., & Amy Wright, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
      • Feb. 5, 2020
        Discovering New Chemicals from the Sea: Can We Address the Antibiotic-Resistance Crisis?
        Peter McCarthy, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
        • Feb. 19, 2020
          Why Razing Rays Won’t Save Our Bays
          Matt Ajemian, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
          • March 4, 2020
            For the Love of Conch
            Megan Davis, Ph.D., & Laura Issac-Norton, FAU Harbor Branch
          • Feb. 26, 2020
            Fishing for Science
            Aaron Adams Ph.D., & Paul Wills, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
            **LIVE STREAM IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS LECTURE**
        • Feb. 12, 2020
          Mid-Series Break – No Lecture
      • Jan. 29, 2020
        Chasing Nutrients and Coral Reef Decline at Looe Key, Florida Keys: A Four Decade Quest
        Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
2019 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 9, 2019
    Jim Sullivan, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Harbor Branch: Looking Forward
  • Jan. 16, 2019
    Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch & Wilkes Honors College
    Plastic Marine Debris and the Ocean Carbon Cycle
  • Jan. 23, 2019
    Amy Wright, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Natural Products: Double Edged Swords?
  • Jan. 30, 2019
    Gabby Barbarite, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Mission Ocean Discovery: An Overview of Outreach at FAU Harbor Branch
  • Feb. 6, 2019
    Nick Dickens, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    DNAngling – Molecular Identification of Fish in the Indian River Lagoon 
  • Feb. 13, 2019
    Megan Davis, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Ocean Entrées: Eat your Sea Vegetables! 
  • Feb. 20, 2019
    M. Dennis Hanisak, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    The Junior Scientists Program: Research by the Next Generation to Preserve Our Natural Resources for All Generations
  • Feb. 27, 2019
    Jon Moore, Ph.D., FAU Wilkes Honors College 
    Investigating the Deep Pelagic Animals in the Northern Gulf of Mexico after the BP Oil Spill 
  • March 6, 2019
    Tim Moore, Ph.D., University of New Hampshire
    Using Remote Sensing Technologies to Detect Harmful Algal Blooms
  • March 13, 2019
    Jordon Beckler, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Extending Soil Conservation to the Sea: Marine Sediments as the Next Frontier! 
  • March 20, 2019
    Bill Baxley, FAU Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center 
    Power from the Gulf Stream - The Potential and the Challenges
  • April 17, 2019
    Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., FAU Biological Sciences
    Sharks Are Snowbirds, Too: Seasonal Migration of Blacktip Sharks along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard
  • December 4, 2019
    Ellen Prager, Ph.D.
    Galápagos Wonders
2019 FAU HBOI Distinguished Speakers
  • April 1, 2019
    Margaret Leinen, Ph.D., Director, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Vice Chancellor of Marine Science, University of California-San Diego
    Oceanography in the next decade: where will new ways to study the ocean lead us?
2018 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • December 5, 2018
    Aaron Adams, Ph.D., FAU Harbor Branch
    Multiple Perspectives Are Needed for Effective Conservation
  • October 24, 2018
    Jim Sullivan, Ph.D, Executive Director, FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
    2018 Status of South Florida Harmful Algal Blooms
  • October 10, 2018
    Duane De Freese, Ph.D, FAU Harbor Branch
    Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan – Looking Ahead to 2030
  • September 19, 2018
    Dr. Leesa Souto, FAU Harbor Branch
    The Indian River Lagoon Health Update
  • Jan. 10, 2018
    Anton Post, FAU Harbor Branch
    Translational Ocean Science at FAU Harbor Branch
  • Jan. 17, 2018
    Megan Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
    Ocean Entreés: The New Food Source to Feed the World
  • Jan. 24, 2018
    Aaron Adams, FAU Harbor Branch 
    Linking Fish, Habitats, and Conservation
  • Jan. 31, 2018
    Shirley Pomponi, FAU Harbor Branch
    Cuba's Forbidden Depths: Permission Granted!
  • Feb. 7, 2018
    Jim Sullivan, FAU Harbor Branch
    Harmful Algal Bloom Dynamics in Southeast Florida and the Indian River Lagoon
  • Feb. 14, 2018
    Greg O'Corry-Crowe, FAU Harbor Branch 
    The Saga of the Steller Sea Lion in The Aleutian Islands
  • Feb. 21, 2018
    Julie Huber, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    Microbes, Fluids, and Rocks: Life Beneath the Seafloor
  • Feb. 28, 2018
    Aran Mooney, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    Listening to Noisy Coral Reefs and What They Can Tell Us
  • March 7, 2018
    M. Dennis Hanisak, FAU Harbor Branch 
    Seagrass: The "Lungs" of the Indian River Lagoon
  • March 14, 2018
    Esther Guzmán, FAU Harbor Branch 
    Treasures from the Deep Sea - Marine Natural Products as Potential Cancer Therapeutics
  • March 21, 2018
    Joshua Voss, FAU Harbor Branch
    Southeast Florida's Coral Reefs: The Fine Line Between Survival and Devastation
  • March 28, 2018
    Don Anderson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    New Applications of Autonomous Biosensors in Harmful Algal Bloom (Red Tide) Research and Monitoring
2017 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 11, 2017
    Anton Post, FAU Harbor Branch
    Climate Change Adaptation, from Marine Microbes to Coastal Communities
  • Jan. 18, 2017
    Shirley Pomponi, FAU Harbor Branch
    Deep Discoveries: Exploring the Mariana Trench
  • Jan. 25, 2017
    Matt Ajemian, FAU Harbor Branch
    Sharks with Spectators
  • Feb. 1, 2017
    Steve Burton, FAU Harbor Branch
    The Importance of Marine Mammal Stranding Response 
  • Feb. 8, 2017
    R. Grant Gilmore, Estuarine, Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc.
    The Indian River Lagoon: Back to the Future
  • Feb. 15, 2017
    Adam Schaefer, FAU Harbor Branch
    Wildlife Epidemiology and Public Health: What Marine Species Can Tell Us about Our Shared Environment
  • Feb. 22, 2017
    Heidi Pagán, FAU Harbor Branch
    The CetOMICS Initiative: Using Molecular Biology to Study the Health of Florida’s Dolphins and Whales
  • March 1, 2017
    Megan Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
    Ocean Entreés: Cooking with a Caribbean Flair
  • March 8, 2017
    Peter McCarthy, FAU Harbor Branch
    The Unexplored World of Microbial Diversity in the IRL Watershed
  • March 15, 2017
    Jim Sullivan, FAU Harbor Branch
    Harmful Algal Blooms in the Indian River Lagoon
  • March 22, 2017
    J.M. Adovasio, FAU Harbor Branch
    Early Human Populations in the New World: A Biased Perspective
  • March 29, 2017
    Annie Page-Karjian, FAU Harbor Branch
    Marine Wildlife Rehabilitation: Principles, Benefits, and Goals
  • April 5, 2017
    M. Dennis Hanisak, FAU Harbor Branch 
    The Indian River Lagoon: “You Can Observe a Lot by Just Watching”
  • May 10, 2017
    Aaron Adams, FAU Harbor Branch
    Conservation of a Prehistoric Fish through Field Research and Aquaculture *Only 7 p.m.*
  • June 28, 2017
    Jeff Beal, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
    Restoration of Aquatic Habitats along Florida's East Coast: the Projects, Partners, and Prosperity *Only 7 p.m.*
  • July 19, 2017
    Maribeth Abrams & Panel Discussion
    Lionfish: The Reef Assassin *Only 7 p.m.*
  • July 19, 2017
    Oscar Schofield, Rutgers University's Center of Ocean Observing Leadership
    Dawn in the Age of Robotic Oceanography on a Changing Ocean Planet *Only 4 p.m.*
  • December 13, 2017
    Dennis Hanisak, FAU Harbor Branch
    The Exploring Pulley Ridge: The Deepest Mesophotic Coral Reef on the U.S. Continental Shelf *Only 4 p.m.*
2016 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 6, 2016
    Megan Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
    Ocean Entrees with a Twist: Shrimp Culture and Culinary Showcase
  • Jan. 13, 2016
    Paul Wills, Susan Laramore, and Dennis Hanisak,  FAU Harbor Branch
    IMTA and the Future of Aquaculture in the United States
  • Jan. 20, 2016
    Laurent Cherbuin, FAU Harbor Branch
    Frontal, Wake Eddy, Topography Control and Ecological Constraints of Fish Spawning Habitat
  • Jan. 27, 2016
     Jan Rines, University of Rhode Island
    Exploring the Dazzling Diversity of Microscopic Life in the Sea
  • Feb. 3, 2016
    Amy Wright, FAU Harbor Branch
    Cures for Malaria, Tuberculosis, Alzheimer's? An Update on Natural Products Discovery at HBOI
  • Feb. 10, 2016
    Marty Riche, FAU Harbor Branch, and Angela Caporelli, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
    Aquaculture in Africa: Empowerment through Food Security and Economic Development
  • Feb. 17, 2016
    James McClintock, University of Alabama at Birmingham
    From Penguins to Plankton -  The Impacts of Climate Change on Antarctic Marine Communities
  • Feb. 24, 2016
    Greg O'Corry-Crowe, FAU Harbor Branch
    Resilience in Polar Ecosystems: Adaptation to a Changing World
  • March 2, 2016
    Jim Sullivan, FAU Harbor Branch
    Phytoplankton Form and Function in the Turbulent Ocean
  • March 9, 2016
    Mike Twardowski, FAU Harbor Branch
    Remarkable Technologies Used to Explore the Ocean
  • March 16, 2016
    Joshua Voss, FAU Harbor Branch
    Linking Exploration to Conservation in the Northwest Gulf of Mexico
  • April 13, 2016
    Jason Hallstrom, Florida Atlantic University
    River, Rooms, and Wrists: The Future of Sensing at Scale *Only 7 p.m.*
  • May 11, 2016
    John Trefry, Florida Institute of Technology
    Running Amuck: Our Six-Decade Legacy to the Indian River Lagoon *Only 7 p.m.*
  • June 2016
    NO LECTURE
  • July 2016
    NO LECTURE
  • August 2016
    NO LECTURE
  • November 2, 2016
    Specialty License Plate Talks Part 1  (15 minutes each)
    1. Imaging Clouds in the Water Column - Preliminary Results from Controlled Environment- Anni Vuorenkoski Dalgleish
    2. Cost-effective and Non-intrusive Larval Fish Growth Monitoring- Bing Ouyang
    3. Reproductive Patterns of Cultured and Wild Sunray Venus Clams in Florida West Coast Waters- Susan Laramore
  • November 30, 2016
    Specialty License Plate Talks Part 2
    1. Ventilation Rates of the Indian River Lagoon through its Inlets- Laurent Chérubin
    2. Ecology and Biochemistry of Harmful Algal Blooms- Brian Lapointe
    3. Analysis of Sediments in the IRL for Herbicides- Amy Wright
    4. Photo-identification - Dolphin Census and Spatiotemporal Trends- Elizabeth Titcomb
    5. Project CLOUD- Joshua Voss 
  • December 7, 2016
    Jon Waterhouse, Oregon Health and Science University
    Indigenous Knowledge and Modern science - Should We Connect? Can We Connect?
2015 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 7, 2015
    Dr. Megan Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
    Discover: From Estuaries to the Deep Blue Ocean
  • Jan. 14, 2015
    Dr. Shirley Pomponi, FAU Harbor Branch
    Telepresence and Robotics: New Paradigms for "Virtual" Ocean Exploration?
  • Jan. 21, 2015
    Bill Bellville, Nature Writer and Documentary Filmmaker
    The Peace of Blue: Water Journeys
  • Jan. 28, 2015
    Dr. Esther Guzmán, FAU Harbor Branch
    Drugs from the Sea: Marine Natural Products as Potential Treatments for Pancreatic Cancer
  • Feb. 4, 2015
    John Englander, Oceanographer and Author
    Melting Ice, Rising Seas, Shifting Shorelines: The New Reality
  • Feb. 11, 2015
    Dr. Brian Lapointe & Laura Herren, FAU Harbor Branch
    Determining Sources and History of Eutrophication on Coral Reefs at the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
  • Feb. 18, 2015
    Dr. Jon Moore and Dr. Sue Richardson, FAU Honors College
    The Manatee Project at Harbor Branch: Insights into Manatee Behavior and Student Involvement in the Project
  • Feb. 25, 2015
    Dr. Mark Hay, Georgia Institute of Technology
    Ecosystem Tipping Points, Chemical Ecology and the Death Spiral of Coral Reefs 
  • March 4, 2015
    SPRING BREAK - NO LECTURE
  • March 11, 2015
    Dr. Dennis Hanisak, Kristen Davis and Ben Metzger, FAU Harbor Branch
    Indian River Lagoon Observatory: Phase 2 - Expanding Real-time Observations for Everyone 
  • April 22, 2015
    Rear Admiral Jonathan W. White, Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy and Director of Space and Maritime Domain Awareness 
    The U.S. Navy and an Ever Changing Earth
  • May 27, 2015
    Bill Baxley, Chief Engineer for the Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center
    Power from the Gulf Stream for South Florida? The Environment and the Engineering
  • October 21, 2015
    Dr. Daniel C. Flynn, FAU Vice President for Research 
    Cancer, Personalized Medicine and Ocean-derived Drugs 
  • November 18, 2015
    Dr. Valerie Paul, Dr. Chris Freeman and Dr. Eve Galimany, Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce  
    Studying the IRL: How Little Animals Can Help the Health of the Lagoon 
  • December 9, 2015
    Dr. Jon Bell, Director of the Hallstrom Planetarium at Indian River State College
    The Celestial Sea 
2014 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 15, 2014
    Dr. Megan Davis, FAU Harbor Branch
    Our Global Estuary: Lessons Learned for the Indian River Lagoon
  • Jan. 22, 2014
    Dr. Dennis Hanisak, FAU Harbor Branch
    Indian River Lagoon Observatory: Real-time Observations for Everyone
  • Jan. 29, 2014
    Dr. Candy Feller & Dr. Donna Devlin, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and FAU Harbor Branch
    Mangroves and Salt Marshes in Flux: What We See with Changing Climate
  • Feb. 5, 2014
    Dr. Joshua Voss & Jeff Beal, FAU Harbor Branch and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
    Black and Blue: What Happens When You Mix Freshwater Discharge and a Coastal Coral Reef?
  • Feb. 12, 2014
    Dr. Brian Lapointe & Marie Tarnowski, FAU Harbor Branch
    The Indian River Lagoon as a Bioreactor: New Perspectives on Sewage Pollution
  • Feb. 19, 2014
    Dr. Grant Gilmore, Estuarine, Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc.
    Global Centers of Biodiversity
  • Feb. 26, 2014
    Dr. Peter McCarthy, FAU Harbor Branch
    Bacteria in the Indian River Lagoon: Indicators of Health
  • Feb. 27, 2014
    A special lecture presented by the Friends of Harbor Branch.
    Dr. Andy Hemmings, Mercyhurst University
    Understanding Old Vero Man, with An Overview of HBOI's Ancient DNA Lab by Greg O'Corry-Crowe
  • March 5, 2014
    Dr. Mingshun Jiang, FAU Harbor Branch
    Modeling Iron Cycle and Primary Productivity in the Antarctic Peninsula, Drake Passage and Scotia Sea
  • April 16, 2014
    Greg Braun, Sustainable Ecosystems International
    Bird Diversity in the Indian River Lagoon – From Anhingas and Avocets to Warblers and Willets 
  • May 7, 2014
    Dr. Charles Yarish, University of Connecticut
    Cultivation of Seaweeds in Northeast America for Food, Feeds, and Fertilizer
  • June 11, 2014
    Dr. Zack Jud, Florida International University
    Lionfish in Florida: The New Normal? What We've Learned Since Lionfish Arrived on Florida's Shores 
  • June 18, 2014
    Dr. Jeanette Wyneken, Florida Atlantic University
    The Science of Tracking Little Loggerhead Turtles on the High Seas 
  • October 22, 2014
    Marc Virgilio, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
    Managing Spoil Islands of the Indian River Lagoon  
  • November 19, 2014
    Julie Albert, Marine Resources Council
    North Atlantic Right Whales: How You Can Help Save Them 
  • December 10, 2014
    Dr. Ellen Prager, Marine Scientist and Author
    Dive Into the Story: Ocean Science Fun For All Ages
2013 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 16, 2013
    Shirley Pomponi, FAU HBOI 
    The History of Undersea Exploration in the U.S.: Heroes & Highlights
  • Jan. 23, 2013
    Paul Wills, FAU HBOI 
    Developing Sustainable Land-Based Aquaculture:  Harbor Branch's Prototype IMTA System
  • Jan. 30, 2013
    Rita Colwell, University of Maryland College Park & Johns Hopkins University 
    Climate, Oceans and Infectious Diseases: The Cholera Paradigm
  • Feb. 6, 2013
    Sir Peter Crane, Yale University 
    The Interconnectedness of Natural and Human Systems:  From Global Change to the Indian River 
  • Feb. 13, 2013
    John Scarpa, FAU HBOI
    Clam Culture and Climate Change in Florida
  • Feb. 20, 2013
    Clay Cook, FAU HBOI 
    Ocean Acidification - The Other CO2 Problem
  • Feb. 27, 2013
    Amy Wright, FAU HBOI 
    Natural Products:  Aren't They Great?
  • March 6, 2013
    Andy Clark, Link Foundation/Dennis Hanisak, FAU HBOI 
    "An Opportunity to Develop Your Genius": A Homecoming Celebrating 60 Years of the Link Foundation and 40 Years of the Summer Interns at Harbor Branch
  • March 13, 2013
    Marilyn Mazzoil, FAU HBOI 
    Days of Our Lives:  Dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon
  • March 20, 2013
    Bob Howarth, Cornell University 
    Can We Save the Coasts from Nutrient Pollution?
  • March 27, 2013
    Megan Davis, FAU HBOI 
    Ocean Entrees: Seafood and Sea Vegetables
  • April 3, 2013
    Susan Laramore & Amber Garr, FAU HBOI 
    After the Spill...The Impact of Deep Water Horizon on Gulf of Mexico Fisheries
  • April 22, 2013
    SPECIAL EARTH DAY LECTURE!
    Dr. Joe MacInnis
  • May 1, 2013
    Deirdre R. Meldrum, Arizona State University 
    Oceanomics and Sensorbots
  • June 5, 2013
    Jeff Beal, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Emily Dark, Antioch University
    Lionfish Are Invading the Indian River Lagoon
  • August 28, 2013
    Niclas Engene, Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce 
    What's My Name Again? How Better Taxonomy Can Aid In Understanding Harmful Algal Bloom
  • September 18, 2013
    Jennifer Sneed, Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce 
    Unsung Heroes of the Sea: The Importance of Marine Bacteria in Ecological Interactions
2012 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 18, 2012
    Sue Skemp, Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center, FAU 
    Ocean Renewable Energy: Harnessing the Power of the Sea
  • Jan. 25, 2012
    John R. Delaney, University of Washington
    Understanding the Planetary Life Support System: Next-Generation Science in the Ocean Basins
  • Feb. 1, 2012
    Larry Taylor, HBOI-FAU 
    Saving the Gentle Giants – Manatee Protection Sensors for Flood Control Gates and Navigation Locks
  • Feb. 8, 2012
    Lori Morris, St. Johns River Water Management District 
    Seagrass Monitoring in the Indian River Lagoon – No Such Thing as Status Quo
  • Feb. 15, 2012
     Fraser Dalgleish, HBOI-FAU 
    Undersea Gliding in the Gulf: Harbor Branch’s Latest Winged Robots’ Recent Mission to Explore Gulf of Mexico Waters
  • Feb. 29, 2012
    Greg O’Corry-Crowe, HBOI-FAU 
    Challenges Facing Marine Mammals in a Changing Arctic
  • March 7, 2012
    Joshua Voss, HBOI-FAU 
    Everything’s Coming Up Corals! Research and Exploration in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
  • March 14, 2012
    Kenneth Ford, Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition 
    Human-Centered Computing
  • March 21, 2012
    Sara Edge and Clay Cook, HBOI-FAU  
    Oil, Dispersants, and Ecosystem Health
  • March 28, 2012
    Esther Guzmán, HBOI-FAU  
    Sunken Treasure: Marine Drug Discovery for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
  • April 11, 2012
    Karen Osborn, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 
    A Glimpse into the Pelagic Abyss: Discovery, Observation, and Evolution of Midwater Invertebrates
  • May 23, 2012
    Jon Moore, FAU Wilkes Honors College  
    The Other Side of Harbor Branch: Conservation on the Scrub Ridge
  • June 13, 2012
    Edmund Gerstein, FAU 
    Of Manatees and Men
  • July 25, 2012
    Marc Virgilio, Florida Department of Environmental Protection  
    Managing Lagoon Spoil Islands for Public Use and the Coastal Ecosystem
  • August 8, 2012
    Steve Traxler, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
    Climate Change: Evidence It Is Happening in Florida and How Does This Effect Local Conservation
  • September 19, 2012
    Troy Rice, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program  
    The Indian River Lagoon: An Estuary of National Significance
  • October 10, 2012
    Richard Aronson, Florida Institute of Technology  
    Climate Change and the Future of the Antarctic Marine Fauna
  • November 7, 2012
    M. Dennis Hanisak, HBOI-FAU
    Seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon: It’s Not Easy Being Green! (Kermit’s Lament)
2011 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 12, 2011
    Fraser Dalgleish      
    Sensing the Future for Ocean Exploration: The Latest in Advanced Optical Sensors and Persistent Presence Platforms
  • Jan. 19, 2011
    Jim Masterson 
    Friends in Low Places: Galapagos 2010 Adventure with the Friends of Harbor Branch
  • Jan. 26, 2011
    John Scarpa & Shirley Pomponi  
    From the Indian River Lagoon to the Red Sea
  • Feb. 2, 2011
    Lori Morris, St. Johns River Water Management District 
    Seagrass Monitoring in the Indian River Lagoon – No Such Thing as Status Quo
  • Feb. 9, 2011
    Megan Davis & Marty Riche 
    Know Your Seafood: Aquaculture Myth Busters
  • Feb. 16, 2011
    Brian Lapointe  
    Secrets of the Sargasso Sea
  • Feb. 23, 2011
    Dennis Hanisak - Shifting Baselines
    Water Quality In the Central Indian River Lagoon
  • March 2, 2011
    John Reed  
    Deep Water Coral Reefs: Oases of the Ocean: Recent  Discoveries and Conservation
  • March 9, 2011
    Lee Frey  
    Exploring the Peru-Chile Trench
  • March 16, 2011
    Shirley Pomponi  
    Exploring Inner Space
  • April 13, 2011
    Margaret Leinen, HBOI Executive Director  
    Our Changing Oceans
  • May 25, 2011
    Al & Patricia Dove, Georgia Aquarium  
    Motions in the Ocean
  • June 8, 2011
    Bob Hickerson, Maria Andreu and Pamela Schofield  
    Lionfish, A Perfect Invader?
  • July 20, 2011
    Vincent Encomio, Florida Oceanographic Society  
    Oyster Restoration Efforts on the Treasure Coast
  • August 24, 2011
    George Burgess, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida  
    We Hardly Knew Ye: The Decline of Atlantic Sawfishes
  • September 7, 2011
    David Pawson, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution  
    A Distant Mirror: Deep-Sea Research Onboard the Albatross 100 Years Ago
  • October 12, 2011
    Ellen Prager, Earth2Ocean, Inc.  
    Sex, Drugs, and Slime: The Oceans' Oddest Creatures and Why They Matter
  • November 16, 2011
    Harbor Branch Turns 40: Our History and Future Coming Together
  • December 7, 2011
    Sarah Frias-Torres, Ocean Research & Conservation Association 
    The Secret Life of Goliath Groupers
2010 Ocean Science Lecture Series topics
  • Jan. 13, 2010
    Dr. Amy Wrigh t
    Florida Biotech: HBOI's Role in the New "Life Sciences Cluster"
  • Jan. 20, 2010
    Dr. Shirley Pomponi 
    Drugs from the Sea: Sponges as Chemical Factories
  • Jan. 27, 2010
    Dr. Susan Laramore  
    Oysters Got the Blues: Emerging Bivalve Disease and Climate Variability
  • Feb. 3, 2010
    Steve McCulloch 
    The Status of Marine Mammals in the IRL and a Stranding Center Reborn
  • Feb. 10, 2010
    Dr. Brian Lapointe 
    Reefs, Wreckers, and Shipwreckers in the Florida Keys
  • Feb. 17, 2010
    Dr. Joshua Voss 
    A Decade of Demise? Charting the Past, and Future, of Florida's Coral Reefs
  • March 3, 2010
    Dr. Tammy Frank 
    Ocean Exploration and Deep-sea Research: Trials, Tribulations and Discoveries
  • March 10, 2010
    Dr. Paul Hargraves 
    The Life that Lives on Us
  • March 17, 2010
    Dr. Dennis Hanisak  
    Algae? This Is a Color?
  • March 24, 2010
    Dr. Sara Edge 
  • Using Ecological Genomics to Measure the Impacts of Global Climate Change on Reef Building Corals
  • April 7, 2010
    Dr. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D. 
    Global Earth Observation and Climate Change
  • May 5, 2010
    Various Presenters
    Semester By The Sea: Training the Next Generation
  • June 23, 2010
    Mark and Diane Littler, Smithsonian Institution 
    Trials and Tribulations of Collecting Algae in Panama
  • July 21, 2010
    Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences  
    Seeing the World through a Shark's Eyes, and Other Sensory Systems of Elasmobranchs
  • September 22, 2010
    Tammy Frank, Dennis Hanisak, John Reed, and Amy Wright
    A Quick Look beneath the Surface: The Florida Shelf Edge Exploration (FLoSEE)
  • November 17, 2010
    John Trefry, Ph.D., Florida Institute of Technology 
    Arctic Meltdown
  • December 15, 2010
    Students of MOA
    The Marine & Oceanographic Academy: Ocean Discovery with the Next Generation
Additional Information
Florida Atlantic's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute engages with the community through the Ocean Discovery Visitors Center and the Ocean Science Lecture Series. Harbor Branch’s research and outreach programs translate marine science in order to provide solutions that improve economies and quality of life for coastal communities.
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Address
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Florida Atlantic University
5600 US 1 North
Fort Pierce, FL 34946