26 July 2007

We head out to the main islets of Yap, Western Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, to conduct a survey of their echinoderm resources. At least two new species will likely be collected. Further, a comprehensive survey will be presented to Yap to assist in developing a management plan for conserving the island's commercially valuable holothuroid stocks, now under increasing threat from developed foreign interests who regularly seek to profit from young Pacific-island nations' often unregulated resources.

4 April 2007

We respond in an e-letter to a newspiece in Science, pointing out the potential futility of building coastal "greenbelts" against future tsunamis in the absence of empirical studies supporting their efficacy.

23 March 2007

Kris Netchy and Alex Kerr, with colleagues at the University of Florida and Boston University, present a poster at the NSF PEET conference on systematics at the University of Georgia, Athens GA.

3 December 2006

Our work with coral-reef sea cucumbers is now followed on a new website Systema Aspidochirotidae. The site will eventually serve as a clearinghouse for information on holothuroid systematics for the global community of cuke taxonomists.

20 May 2006

We head out to the Central Philippines to Semper's type localities. Carl Semper in the 1860's described numerous species of holothuroids from the islands of Cebu and Bohol; many of these types have been lost or are in poor condition. We will resurvey the area and collect echinoderms in an effort to clarify the validity of his species.

13 April 2006

Our analysis challenges the widely reported notion that coastal forests mitigated death and damage from the catastrophic 2004 tsunami. Our paper runs counter to advice given by the United Nations Environment Program, non-government organisations, and other scientists that ‘green belts’ and buffer zones should be incorporated into reconstruction efforts to protect villages from future tsunamis. See reports by the Associated Press and New Scientist

20 December 2005

The University Magazine interviews alumni who have returned as new faculty members, including Alex. For story, click HERE

22 September 2005

Assisted with reef surveys in the northern, largely uninhabited Mariana Islands aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Elton Sette. Our adventures and misadventures are recorded on their MARAMP website

2 July 2005

Gustav Paulay (University of Florida) and I were awarded a PEET program grant from NSF to study the systematics and phylogenetics of coral-reef sea cucumbers. The funding will be used in part to support up to three graduate students and several undergraduate research assistants to work on the project.

18 March 2005

We published the first paper referencing Morphobank-hosted data. See the citation and data at their website.

12 January 2005

If all goes as planned, I will be joining the faculty at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory in September 2005. If you're interested in joining my lab, drop me a line (see "Contact" at left).