Register here: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtdeGhpjotG9PFB42K1bs68I1v70ZHbVNx

Every year, the New York State Water Resources Institute (NYSWRI) at Cornell supports research that addresses critical water resource issues in New York State and the nation. The seminar will focus on ways in which robust science can support and influence on-ground water management and policy outcomes, and center collaborative and interdisciplinary work between academics, water resource scientists, educators, managers, and policymakers.

Abstract: 

In this talk, Matt Hare, Assistant Professor at the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell, and Chis Bowser, educator and environmental scientist at NYSDEC, will discuss their collaboration with the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) team to enhance oyster restoration in the Hudson River Estuary.  Sustainable connectivity between multiple oyster populations is necessary for healthy aquatic ecosystems. Matt’s work focuses on vital aspects of Oyster propagation like larval survivorship, dispersal, settlement patterns, and reproductive fitness. The project includes large-scale monitoring of oyster spat recruitment to provide baseline data, and employing novel techniques in exploring variations in oyster density under piers. Engaging students and citizens, this work also serves as a valuable tool for STEM education and community science, fostering a deeper understanding of the estuary's dynamics.

Speaker Bios:

Matt Hare joined the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University in 2007. He holds a BA in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic, an MS in Zoology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a PhD in Genetics from the University of Georgia. His expertise lies in evolutionary and conservation genetics, connecting field biology with DNA research for insights into population biology and evolutionary history. Specializing in aquatic population management, Matt employs genetic markers to study gene flow, hybridization, and genetic changes resulting from hatchery-based population supplementation. As a committed educator, he served on curriculum committees for environmental majors, chairing the ESS Curriculum Committee and later directing the Environmental Biology and Applied Ecology concentration within the cross-college E&S program. Matt, a member of graduate fields in Natural Resources, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and Zoology & Wildlife Conservation, is a Fellow in the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and part of the Cornell Center for Computational and Population Genomics.

Chris Bowser coordinates the education team at the NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. This team implements citizen-science programs like the Eel Project and student initiatives like the Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor. Bowser’s other experiences include serving as reforestation volunteer with the Peace Corps in West Africa, working as education director for the Sloop Clearwater, and teaching environmental science at Marist and Bard Colleges.