Stephen Jones has been named the assistant director for research of the NH Sea Grant College Program. Jones is a research associate professor of natural resources and marine sciences and director of the UNH Center for Marine Biology.

Jones assumed the part-time position on Jan. 1. As the assistant director, he’ll be a member of the NH Sea Grant management team and will be responsible for coordinating Sea Grant’s program of research support for marine scientists throughout the state. “Steve brings a strong record of research accomplishments to the position,” said NH Sea Grant Director Jonathan Pennock. “Those accomplishments have earned him the respect of researchers in the state and the region and will greatly strengthen the research component of our program.”

Jones received a Ph.D. in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin in 1983 and joined the UNH faculty in 1987. His current research focuses on the movement and persistence of bacteria and toxic chemicals in the estuaries and coastal waters of northern New England.

Jones is looking forward to helping to manage Sea Grant’s research activities, in both basic and applied sciences. “I’ve long funded my research through competitions for external funding,” Jones said, “so it will be a welcome challenge to be on the other side and work to maintain a strong research program at NH Sea Grant.”

In addition to Sea Grant’s diverse research projects, Jones said, he is impressed with the program’s strong extension and education components. He is involved with a number of regional groups and has a keen interest in making research results accessible to resource managers and to the public. In 2004, he received a Visionary Award from the Gulf of Maine Council for his research in the gulf.

“We’re particularly exited about the regional collaborations and perspectives that Steve brings to NH Sea Grant,” Pennock said. “Such collaborations will be especially important to the management of our coastal resources in the coming years.”

The NH Sea Grant College Program provides support, leadership and expertise for university-based marine research, extension and education. A component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and based at the University of New Hampshire, it’s one of more than 30 Sea Grant programs throughout the nation promoting the understanding, wise use and stewardship of coastal resources. – Kirsten Weir, NH Sea Grant Science Writer