Protecting Our Greatest Natural Resources
Oceans, tributaries and coastal land are critical to sustaining life, yet are highly susceptible to the stresses of human activity. Urban development and the shipping and fishing industries, for example, degrade the health of these natural resources. As sources of food, transportation, international commerce and recreation, their protection and preservation are imperative for our health and prosperity.
UConn’s Avery Point campus on the shore of Long Island Sound serves as the locus for research on the state’s coastal waterways, as well as academic programs in oceanography, marine biology and environmental science.
The marine sciences program attracts talented, dynamic researchers like Maria Andersson, a Swedish postdoctoral fellow, who came to UConn to work with preeminent researcher Robert Mason, professor of chemistry.
“Dr. Mason has an international reputation,” says Andersson. “I wanted to work with someone who is passionate about the kind of research I do.”
Andersson has conducted research from the Arctic to the Mediterranean. Most recently, she studied off the coast of Bermuda, where she measured the concentrations of mercury exchanged between the ocean surface and the atmosphere.
“Mercury is a naturally occurring mineral that can transform into a highly toxic substance,” Andersson explains. “Many predatory fish have high levels of mercury, which can be harmful to humans. I am trying to add to the body of knowledge about the global cycle of mercury.”
“The research we are doing through the Department of Marine Sciences is critical,” says Andersson. “We must save the oceans so we can ultimately save ourselves.”
