The College of William and Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science has a new associate dean for research and advisory services effective June 1.
Mark Luckenbach will replace Roger Mann, who will return to a faculty position after serving in the position for almost a decade.
“[Luckenbach] brings considerable administrative experience from his 20-plus years as Director of VIMS’ Eastern Shore Lab, as well as expertise in marine research and service on numerous scientific and advisory boards at the state, regional, and national levels,” said VIMS Director John Wells in a news release announcing the change.
Luckenbach will carry out administration duties for VIMS’ research and advisory service activities. The release said scientific guidance from VIMS informs decision-making pertaining to Virginia’s living marine resources and to the management of its surface waters, sand dunes, tidal and non-tidal wetlands and state-owned bottomlands. He will also work with Associate Dean of Academic Studies Linda Schaffner to coordinate programs with the School of Marine Science at VIMS.
The move comes about 28 years after Luckenbach initially joined VIMS faculty. He has been the director of the Eastern Shore Laboratory in Wachapreague since 1992, according to the release. In his career as a marine ecologist, he focused on population dynamics and restoration of oysters, clams, scallops and other bottom-dwelling organisms.
Though much of his work has focused on Virginia’s coastal bays and the Chesapeake Bay, he has also done extensive research on oyster populations in China and Japan.
He currently serves on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee to the Chesapeake bay Program and on a panel convened by the American Association for the Advancement of Science that analyzes research about the effects of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill.
Luckenbach received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in zoology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. His Ph.D. in Biology came from the University of South Carolina.
