FIU experts on toxic algae

A massive bloom of blue-green algae has hit four counties in Florida covering beaches along the Atlantic coast, damaging aquatic environments, impacting businesses and potentially causing health problems for the people and animals that come into contact with it. Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in Lee, Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.

FIU has the following experts available to discuss how algal blooms form, how they impact the environment, their potential human health impacts, and remediation.

Members of the FIU Media Relations team are available to assist in contacting experts:

• Evelyn S. Gonzalez, account manager for the College of Arts, Sciences & Education: 305-348-4493, esgonzal@fiu.edu
• Ayleen Barbel, account manager for the College of Arts, Science & Education: 305-348-4492, abarbel@fiu.edu
• JoAnn Adkins, director of communications for the College of Arts, Sciences & Education:  305-348-0398, jadkins@fiu.edu

Marine Sciences/Biology

Jose M. Eirin-Lopez
Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences
Center for Aquatic Chemistry and the Environment

Jose M. Eirin-Lopez is an assistant professor of marine sciences in the Department of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on the effects of natural and human-made marine pollution, including algae and blue-green algae, on plants and animals. Eirin-Lopez is a researcher with FIU’s Center for Aquatic Chemistry and the Environment, which brings together researchers from the fields of chemistry, ecology, engineering and computing, and public health to improve the understanding of environmental contamination in water resources and design remediation strategies. Eirin-Lopez can speak to the biology and physiology of blue-green algae, its impact on marine organisms, and its impact on human health. He has a Ph.D. from the University of A Coruna in Spain. Eirin-Lopez is fluent in Spanish.

305-919-4000
jeirinlo@fiu.edu

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Kathleen Rein
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Kathleen Rein is a professor in the FIU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Her research focuses on algal toxins.  As the director of FIU’s Advanced Research Cooperation in Environmental Health program, which was supported by a $6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Rein helped to address a wide array of issues related to harmful algal blooms. She can speak to potential routes of exposure to algal toxins, their persistence in the environment, and their effects on human and animal health. Rein has a Ph.D. from the University of Miami.

305-348-6682
reink@fiu.edu

Kevin O’Shea
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Kevin O’Shea is a professor in the FIU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Senior Associate Dean of the University Graduate School at FIU. He is a chemist with an interest in organic, environmental and analytical chemistry. His research is focused on the removal of harmful contaminants from water. His research projects have been funded from a variety of agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. O’Shea can speak to the biology of harmful algal blooms, associated toxins, and innovative water treatments. He has a Ph.D. from the University of California.

305-348-3968
osheak@fiu.edu

Law

Ryan B. Stoa
College of Law
College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Ryan B. Stoa holds a joint appointment with FIU’s College of Law and the College of Arts, Sciences & Education. He is the co-director of the International Water Group of the Institute for Water and the Environment. Stoa’s scholarly interests are in the fields of environmental and natural resources law, including water resources law, ocean and coastal law, energy law, international environmental law, local government law, and natural disaster law. He is the co-director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program at FIU and the co-founder of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Certificate.

305-919-4118
rstoa@fiu.edu

Hospitality and Tourism Management

Nancy Scanlon
Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Nancy Scanlon is an associate professor in the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at FIU. Her areas of expertise include sustainability, corporate social responsibility and lodging operations. Scanlon has authored papers on environmental operating practices in hotels and resorts, sustainable operating practices in Miami, Fla., and climate change adaptation for the hospitality industry. Scanlon can speak about the implications of toxic algal blooms to the tourism industry that is based on beach and water activities. Scanlon serves as vice-chair of the Sustainability Committee for the American Hotel & Lodging Association. She chairs the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association Sustainability Council. Scanlon has a Ph.D. in Urban Affairs & Public Policy from the University of Delaware.

305-919-4500
nscanlon@fiu.edu

Carolin Lusby
Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Carolin Lusby is an associate professor in the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at FIU. Her areas of expertise include tourism and the environment, tourism and impacts, and experiential learning through travel. She has published academic papers on ocean cruising, private and commercial cruising, sustainability in cruising, study abroad, understanding motivations and expectations of scuba divers, the Hispanic travel market, and other topics. She has also presented at academic conferences on a variety of topics, including ecotourism, community based tourism, recreational boating, and sustainability in tourism and hospitality. Prior to her career in academia, Lusby worked in the tourism industry where she found her passion for using tourism as a tool for personal transformation. Lusby can speak about marine tourism in general, the causes of the algae bloom and potential remediation. Lusby has a Ph.D. in Tourism Recreation and Sport Management from the University of Florida. She is fluent in German and French.

305-919-4500
clusby@fiu.edu