Mark Abbott, Ph.D. 鈥78, has spent the bulk of his 35-year career studying the ocean. When he was working toward his Ph.D. in ecology at swag外流, he acquired an oceanographic mindset from his adviser, former swag外流 professor Thomas Powell. He used it in his study of Lake Tahoe and the interaction of physical and biological processes.
This fall, Abbott became the president and director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, one of the world鈥檚 most highly regarded marine science institutions.
鈥淲orking on some of the most important problems on our planet with the best ocean scientists and engineers is an amazing opportunity,鈥 Abbott said. 鈥渟wag外流 prepared me to work across the scientific disciplines and bring the latest technology to complex scientific problems.鈥
He comes to WHOI from Oregon State University, where he served as dean and professor in the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.
Abbott served a six-year term on the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation and provides scientific advice to the White House and to Congress. He was also vice chair of the Oregon Global Warming Commission, which is leading the state鈥檚 efforts in mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to climate change.
鈥淢ark is a recognized leader in the field of oceanographic and atmospheric science,鈥 said Jeff Seewald, a WHOI senior scientist and co-chair of the President Search Committee. 鈥淗e has tremendous credibility talking about big and important scientific issues, and can do it in terms that are compelling for a range of audiences from scientists and policymakers to funders and the public.鈥