Regents Align Skidaway Institute of Oceanography with UGA

Atlanta — January 8, 2013

The Board of Regents approved today aligning the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) with the University of Georgia (UGA).

“The new alignment between the institute and the university will streamline operations and enhance the research efforts of both SkIO and UGA’s excellent marine and coastal programs,” said Houston Davis, the University System’s chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor.

Davis said that the change is part of Chancellor Hank Huckaby’s efforts to streamline the University System of Georgia’s operations. He said that the change will become effective July 1, 2013.

The Institute has 65 employees who conduct cutting-edge oceanographic research on both a regional and global scale. The Institute also provides research-based educational opportunities to students from other University System institutions and from around the world.

The University of Georgia has a staff of about 20 who provide classes for as many as 18,000 students from elementary to high school each year at Skidaway. The university also has a site on Sapelo Island for site-based research and instruction of undergraduate and graduate college students in its marine program.

“In addition to enhancing research conducted by UGA, this change provides a synergistic environment that is sure to benefit both Georgia Tech and Savannah State University who also conduct important coastal research at Skidaway,” added Davis.

The Georgia General Assembly chartered Skidaway in 1967 after philanthropist Robert Roebling donated the land to the state. The Institute operated as a stand-alone institution for four years before coming under the responsibility of the University System.

Glider-robots!

We had a real nice story on the front page of this morning’s Savannah Morning News. A big thanks to Mary Landers and her editors!

Skidaway scientist Dana Savidge promoted

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography researcher Dana Savidge has been promoted to associate professor.

Dr. Dana Savidge

A physical oceanographer, Savidge joined Skidaway Institute in 2003 as an assistant professor. Savidge studies Gulf Stream variability and ocean circulation, with projects on the continental shelves of Cape Hatteras, Georgia, and Antarctica. One key component of Savidge’s research is a shore-based radar system that measures surface ocean currents as far as 125 miles off the Georgia coast.

Savidge earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from Hanover College (Indiana) and her master’s degree in geophysics from Georgia Tech. Her doctorate in marine sciences is from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Cruisin’ with new grad students

The class of new graduate students in the joint Skidaway Institute-Georgia Tech program went on their first, two-day, research cruise this week. The weather was a little windy so we didn’t stay off-shore very long. On Monday, we took water samples in the Savannah River and cruised offshore to the sea bouy, about 3 miles. Then we headed south, along the coast to the entrance channel to Wassaw Sound. Since we were so close to home, we came on back to the Skidaway dock and tied up to spend the night. I took as many pictures as I needed on Monday, so I bade them farewell and stayed on dry land on Tuesday, while they gathered more samples in the Wilmington River and Wassaw Sound. Here is a small photo album.

The "Gumby" survival suit.

Going under a draw bridge on the ICW.

Taking sample water from the CDT array.

Working in the wet lab.

Watching the CDT data.

Recovering a CDT array.

We were not alone.

Collecting more samples.