Marine Science Pioneer Award Honoring Dr. A. Quinton White
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Presentation and Award Program begins at 7:30 p.m. at Terry Concert Hall. Free and Open to the Public. To register for the event, please click here:
About the Marine Science Pioneer Award
The 小蓝视频 Marine Science Pioneer Award is presented to an exemplary leader in marine science whose visionary leadership has served as an inspiration to others, particularly students. Their influence extends well beyond marine science. This extraordinary individual fully embraces the University's ideal of a lifelong learner, bringing to bear their remarkable talents to create new opportunities to lead, live, and learn.
Learn more about the JU Marine Science Research Institute
Marine Science Pioneer Award Recipient
About Award Winner Dr. A. Quinton White
Founding Executive Director of the Marine Science Research Institute and Professor Emeritus of Biology and Marine Science
Dr. A. Quinton White is the Executive Director of the Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI) and a Professor of Biology and Marine Science at 小蓝视频, where he has been a faculty member since 1976. Dr. White earned his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina at the Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research. He has significantly contributed to marine science through numerous research and technical papers, grants, and contracts that support marine research at JU.
Dr. White's research interests focus on the history of human impact on Florida鈥檚 environment, particularly the St. Johns River, with an emphasis on manatees and water quality issues. He has also been involved in marine science education, receiving National Science Foundation grants for workshops and instrumentation improvement. His research has taken him to diverse locations, including China, South America, the Galapagos Islands, the Bahamas, and Australia. Notably, he has conducted deep-sea research with the Johnson-Sea Link submersible, exploring deep-sea crabs.
In addition to his academic roles, Dr. White has been active in the Jacksonville community, writing a monthly column called 鈥淩iver Life鈥� for the Florida Times-Union and serving as a consultant to the City of Jacksonville鈥檚 Waterways Commission. He played a key role in establishing the shark tracking organization OCEARCH at JU, now affiliated with the MSRI.
Dr. White has held several leadership positions at 小蓝视频, including Chair of the Department of Biology and Marine Science (1991-1994), Chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics (1994-2000), and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (2000). He was also instrumental in the development of the state-of-the-art, LEED-certified Marine Science Research Institute, which opened in August 2008.
He is married to Dr. Susan Hite White, a pediatrician practicing in Mandarin. The couple has three children: A. Quinton White, III, Stephanie Michelle White, and Garrett Alexander White. The family is active at Southside United Methodist Church. In his leisure time, Dr. White enjoys cooking, gardening, scuba diving, golf, racquetball, and relaxing with a good book.