ANNAPOLIS (November 14, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley on Tuesday congratulated Drs. Walter Boynton and Michael Kemp of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science for receiving Odum Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). The award recognizes both the individual accomplishments and the combined contributions the two scientists have made over the last 30 years.
“Drs. Kemp and Boyton have spent a lifetime seeking a greater understanding of coastal ecosystems like the Chesapeake Bay,” said Governor O’Malley. “Their contributions have not only helped advance the work of other scientists internationally, but also helped provide the scientific foundation for the State of Maryland’s efforts to restore our own Chesapeake Bay.”
Throughout their career, Drs. Boynton and Kemp have demonstrated outstanding abilities to identify and tackle difficult questions and provide insightful analyses of a wide range of issues including eutrophication, oxygen depletion, nutrient budgeting, and food web structure. They have developed approaches and tools for addressing real world questions that are widely used today.
In addition to their scientific achievements, Drs. Boynton and Kemp have consistently displayed a commitment to putting science to work. Their interactions with and contributions to the coastal management community in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond have been of immense value. They have served on scientific advisory committees, helped develop and cultivate robust environmental monitoring programs, and effectively interacted with the public and media to advance the use and respect of science in addressing estuarine issues.
“Walter and Michael’s involvement with the Bay restoration community has helped ensure that comprehensive science has always been the cornerstone of the State’s Chesapeake Bay restoration programs,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin. “Their work is a perfect example of how sound science leads to sound public policy.”
In their more than 30 years of collaboration, they have been jointly awarded at least 35 grants and contracts and produced more than 50 joint peer-reviewed publications together. Dr. Kemp began his career with the UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons in 1977, before moving to the UMCES Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge a year later. Dr. Boyton has worked at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory since 1980.
The researchers were presented the award on November 2 in Portland, Oregon.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science is the University System of Maryland’s environmental research institution. UMCES researchers are helping improve our scientific understanding of Maryland, the region and the world through its three laboratories –Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, and Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge – and the Maryland Sea Grant College.
Founded in 1971, CERF is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing human understanding and appreciation of estuaries and coasts. Membership consists of approximately 1,650 academic researchers, public-sector managers, teachers, consultants and students.
Source: Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources