Faculty & Staff

As of July 1, 2008 Dr. A. Quinton White, is the Executive Director of the new Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI). Dr. White has left his post as Dean and turned over that role to Interim Dean, Dr. Douglas Hazzard. Pati Kalaitzis will remain Dr. White's Administrative Associate.

“Dr. White welcomes this new challenge and the opportunity to focus on his academic field and the waterways and wildlife of Northeast Florida,” said Romesburg. “Building the new MSRI is the top priority for the University’s Board of Trustees.  His charge will be to raise funds, break ground on the state-of-the-art facility, develop premier programs and pursue grants and contracts.”

According to White, preserving Jacksonville’s waterways through advocacy and education is the primary focus of the new institute. JU is partnering with several agencies to accomplish this, including St. Johns Riverkeeper, a privately-funded advocacy group, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, that will each have offices within the new building.

“This has been a dream of mine for 30 years, to have something like this on the river,” said White of the new MSRI, a 30,000-square-foot building to be constructed on JU’s riverfront. “Not only will it attract more students, it will become a signature program for the University.”

White, one of the area’s foremost marine biologists, has been at JU for more than 30 years. He came to JU in 1976, after completing his doctorate at the University of South Carolina. White served as chair of the Department of Biology and Marine Science and the Division of Science and Mathematics before taking over as interim dean of Arts and Sciences in 2000 and becoming dean in 2001.

White established JU’s major in marine science and is recognized as an expert in the field of marine biology. He often serves as a consultant to local, state and national policy makers and is also the founding director of Jacksonville’s Manatee Research Center.

FACULTY

Daniel A. McCarthy, Ph. D. Director, Marine Science Program, Assistant Professor of Biology & Marine Science

Lee Ann J. Clements, Ph.D. Professor of Biology and Marine Science

Ray Oldakowski, Ph.D. Professor of Geography,Director, Social Science Research Center

John N. Heine Research Associate

Lucinda B. Sonnenberg, Ph.D. Director Millar Wilson Laboratory for Chemical Research, Research Associate Professor of Chemistry

Nisse Goldberg, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biology and Marine Science

Hassan Pordeli, Ph.D. Professor of Economics

Roby Borg, Ph.D. Professor of Economics

Alex Waters Pre-College Program Director, Duval County Public Schools

Gerard Pinto, Ph. D. Associate Research Scientist