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Cheryl Hapke Named New Director of St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in Florida
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research geologist Cheryl J. Hapke is the new director of the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, one of three science centers of the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program. USGS Southeast Regional Director Jess D. Weaver announced Hapke’s selection in April 2015; she assumed the duties of center director on a full-time basis on June 28. “Cheryl is an outstanding choice,” said USGS Associate Director of Natural Hazards David Applegate. “She brings a unique set of experiences across multiple USGS science centers and programs, building extensive partnerships to tackle important coastal issues confronting our Nation. Her demonstrated ability to build cooperative projects will continue to be invaluable in her new role as center director.”
Hapke is a research geologist with expertise in coastal-erosion hazards within a variety of geomorphic environments, including rocky coasts, barrier islands, and carbonate systems. Her USGS career began 18 years ago at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California, where she studied coastal cliff erosion hazards and coastal landslide processes. In 2005, Hapke moved to the East Coast, where she collaborated with the National Park Service, first through the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center from an office at the University of Rhode Island, and then through the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (“USGS Woods Hole Science Center Welcomes Cheryl Hapke”). Her research focused on beach and bluff erosion hazards on various U.S. shores, including Fire Island, New York. In 2011, Hapke transferred to the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, and in October 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S. east coast. Hapke’s research on Sandy’s impacts on Fire Island has contributed significantly to the broad understanding of how barrier islands respond to and recover from major storms (“Field Investigations at Fire Island, New York, to Better Understand Hurricane Sandy’s Impacts and Support Studies of Coastal Resilience”). In the months after Sandy, Hapke served a 3-month detail to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), where she provided expertise in coastal science to numerous federal and New York State agencies as part of the National Disaster Recovery Framework.
“Cheryl’s career path, of working at all three USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program science centers, as well as with the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, gives her a unique and broad perspective of both USGS and the Coastal and Marine Geology Program goals, objectives, and roles within their respective regions,” said Southeast Regional Director Weaver. “Cheryl’s vision is one of unity and integration—from the community level in St. Petersburg to enhanced collaboration and resource-sharing across the multidiscipline science centers in the Southeast Region. Cheryl will be a tremendous addition to the Southeast Region Management Team as she welcomes the opportunity to build and strengthen integrated capabilities and coordinated research investment across both the Southeast Region and the three Coastal and Marine Geology Program science centers.” Hapke succeeds Richard (Dick) Poore, who recently retired after in St. Petersburg for nearly 4 years serving as Center Director.
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in this issue:
Expedition Explores Deep-Sea Areas near Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands Imaging Methane Seeps and Plumes on the U.S. Atlantic Margin
Fran Lightsom Receives Leadership and Innovation Award for Data Integration Jim Hein Receives DOI Distinguished Service Award Jim Jacobi Receives DOI Distinguished Service Award
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Home | Archived February 20, 2019 |