Two members of the N.H. Sea Grant College Program (NHSG) staff have been appointed to new leadership positions in addition to their ongoing roles within the program.
Steve Jones, who has served as NHSG assistant director for research since 2006, will now also serve as the program's associate director. In this role, he will focus on the integration of the research, extension and educational missions of the program in the areas of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, healthy coastal ecosystems, resilient communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development, and on the evaluation of these activities. Jones will lead interactions with the NHSG Policy Advisory Committee, the board that provides advice and oversight for all aspects of the management and operation of the program. He will also serve as the NHSG alternate to the Sea Grant Association, a non-profit organization that helps to set National Sea Grant College Program priorities at both the regional and national levels.
"I look forward to moving into all aspects of the N.H. Sea Grant Program and will look to enhance the integration of NHSG research with extension, education and communications," Jones said. "There are many critical regional issues we all face, and I look forward to working with other regional programs to look for collaborative opportunities to address these through extension and research. As well, there are many opportunities for NHSG educators and communications staff to collaborate on projects with their peers at UNH and other N.H. academic institutions."
Julia Peterson began her career at NHSG in 1993, most recently serving as an extension specialist working on climate and community initiatives. Peterson has been appointed to also serve as the extension program leader for NHSG. In this role, she will develop strategic priorities for NHSG extension activities and work to integrate the diverse extension and education initiatives for the program. Peterson will also serve as the NHSG liaison with UNH Cooperative Extension leadership.
"N.H. Sea Grant is fortunate to have an incredibly dedicated and talented staff," said Jonathan Pennock, NHSG director. "I am very grateful to Steve and Julia for their willingness to assume these important roles within our program and the national Sea Grant network. I am confident that with their leadership and our exceptional staff, N.H. Sea Grant will continue to support the development of scientific knowledge and extension of that knowledge to insure that it is available to address the most pressing issues in our coastal environments today and into the future."
