New dean of School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences named

Submitted by LJ Evans
Phone: (907) 474-6479
07/09/04

Oceanographer Denis Wiesenburg has been named dean of the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. He comes to UAF from the University of Southern Mississippi where he has been professor of marine science and department chair for the past decade.

Wiesenburg received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Duke University in 1970, his master’s in oceanography from Old Dominion University in 1975 and his Ph.D. in oceanography from Texas A&M in 1980. His training as a chemist took him to Mississippi in 1981 where he began his scientific career as an oceanographer with the Naval Ocean Research and Development Activity at the John C. Stennis Space Center and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Southern Mississippi. He then served as an associate research scientist in the geochemical and environmental research group with Texas A&M University. In 1994 he returned to the University of Southern Mississippi where he has since served as department chair of marine science with administrative responsibilities for the USM facility at the Stennis Space Center.

"I am confident Denis will provide the leadership to sustain and build upon our strengths in the aquatic sciences," said Provost Paul Reichardt. "He understands the collaboration needed to oversee the broad range of activities conducted by programs within marine and freshwater sciences as well as their importance to Alaska and the Arctic." Wiesenburg assumed his duties at UAF July 1, 2004.

The dean of SFOS supervises academic programs offering a bachelor’s degree in fisheries, master’s and Ph.D. degrees in fisheries, oceanography and marine biology and interdisciplinary degrees in seafood science and sustainable harvest technology. This position currently administers an annual budget of more than $20 million and oversees 80 research and support staff, 130 graduate students and 55 faculty members. Wiesenburg is responsible for continuing the program of distinction in fisheries and fisheries oceanography as defined in UAF’s academic development plan, as well as overseeing operations of the research vessel Alpha Helix. He is also responsible for promoting collaboration among the six units of SFOS, which includes the Institute of Marine Science, the fisheries division, the Fishery Industrial Technology Center, the Global Undersea Research Unit, Alaska Sea Grant and the Marine Advisory Program.

Note to editors: A high resolution digital photograph of Wiesenburg is available for download at http://www.uaf.edu/files/news/download/releasephotos/wiesenburg.jpg.

Contact: UAF Interim Public Information Officer LJ Evans at (907) 474-7778 or lj.evans@uaf.edu; Denis Wiesenburg, (907) 474-6824 or wiesenburg@sfos.uaf.edu.