I've just returned from Cambridge, where we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Joint Program.   We heard lectures from Joint Program alumni, many of whom talked about their interdisciplinary research.  

One thing about the lectures sticks out to me: with one exception, they were about biology or were biologically motivated.  It really is a good time to be a biologist!

Dianne Newman added to JCBO

Prof. Dianne Newman, the Wilson Professor of Biology and Geobiology  in the Departments of Biology and Earth and Planetary Science at MIT, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, will be joining JCBO effective October 1, 2008. She replaces Jonathan King, who has been the Biology Department's representative for many years.  Please take the time to drop a note to Jon King, to thank him for his valuable service.

From Prof. Newman's website:

Our laboratory is interested in the co-evolution of life and Earth. Specifically, we take an interdisciplinary approach to studying the molecular mechanisms that underlie putatively ancient forms of metabolism. By understanding the way extant organisms function at the molecular level, we hope eventually to gain insights into the evolution of ancient metabolic and biomineralization pathways, interpret the chemical signatures of early life found in the geologic record, and understand how multicellular bacterial communities survive in the context of anaerobic infection.

Prof. Newman will be visiting the WHOI on Nov. 20, 2008 to give the Biology Department seminar.  I'll arrange for lunch with the graduate students.  Let's welcome Dianne to the Joint Program by turning out in large numbers!

Exam Prep Help

As I mentioned earlier, second-year students are starting to study for the comprehensive exam. To help them, I've asked the scientific staff to contribute to a list of papers, books, and other resources that they think are important for the students to be familiar with.  I'll post it here when it's complete.

Now, I don't think anyone on the scientific staff has actually taken the comprehensive exam (at least not in its current form).  But you, post-generals students, you have!  Please help your fellow students by commenting on this post and identifying the papers, books, web pages, etc., that you found most helpful while studying for the comprehensive exam.  I'm sure the second-year students will appreciate your help, and I'll bet the scientific staff will discover something new too.

New JCBO Chair

Effective immediately, the new chair of JCBO is WHOI Senior Scientist Simon Thorrold (pictured here).  All requests for extensions, course substitutions, etc., should be sent to him. Simon is replacing Ed DeLong (MIT, CEE) who has done a great job leading the Joint Program in Biological Oceanography during the past three years.  

Here's a brief biography of our new chair, clipped from a 2004 Oceanus article:

Born in New Zealand, Simon Thorrold received his B.S. from the University of Auckland, and Ph.D. from James Cook University, North Queensland, Australia.  He traveled far across the Pacific and North America, to the Caribbean Marine Research Center and Old Dominion University, Virginia.  He came to WHOI in 2001... Using geochemical markers, he traces dispersal, migration, and population dynamics of marine invertebrates and fish... With much of his work in the South Pacific and Caribbean, Simon has been on many cruises, logging 1000 hours of scuba diving and 800 hours in tropical environs.

Please join me in thanking both Ed DeLong for his valuable service to the Joint Program and Simon Thorrold for agreeing to take the helm.