John Marra

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

EDUCATION:
• Doctor of Philosophy, Dalhousie University 1977 (Biological Oceanography)
• BS, Oregon State University 1968 (Zoology)

MEMBERSHIPS/AWARDS:
• Associate Editor, Web-Lectures (Fundamental Oceanography) for the American Society of Limnology & Oceanography 2010
• Member, Web Lecture Committee, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography 2009
• Co-Chair, Phytoplankton Group, Group for Aquatic Productivity, Eilat, Israel, 30 Mar-10 Apr 2008
• Co-Chair, Special Session, 'Marine Aquaculture: What are the Burning Environmental Issues and Solutions'. Ocean Sciences Meeting, March 2-8, 2008, Orlando, Florida 2008
• Member, Program Committee, New York Marine Sciences Consortium. Also, Brooklyn College representative to the Consortium 2008
• Associate Editor, Deep-Sea Research I 2007
• Chair, Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Protection Working Group 36: Ecosystem Aspects of Offshore Mariculture, sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Organization, UN 2007
• Exceptional Achievement Medal, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2001
• Office of Earth Science 'Terra' Award, National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2000

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Photosynthesis in the ocean. Marine phytoplankton, the microscopic marine plants that live in the uppermost, lighted, layer in the ocean, are subject to wind, waves, solar radiation and various kinds of motion and mixing. Marra is interested in how these various physical processes regulate photosynthesis and the growth of these marine plants, which, like trees, contribute significantly to the atmosphere's oxygen and also take up atmospheric carbon dioxide.

HOME PAGE
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/pub/Faculty_Details5.jsp?faculty=662