Dr. Cornwell Receives UMCES President’s Award (USA)

Dr. Jeffrey Cornwell, a professor at the Horn Point Laboratory and an expert in sediments, water quality, and wetlands, has been honored by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science with the President’s Award for Excellence in Application of Science.

Dr. Cornwell was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of nutrient cycling in the Chesapeake Bay, including his leadership in advising the Maryland Port Authority on the impacts of dredging, the role of oysters in removing nutrients from the water column, and the impact of sedimentation at Conowingo Dam.

“Jeff Cornwell brings a long history of applying sound science to managing Maryland’s natural resources,” said Don Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. “His contributions to the understanding of nutrient cycling in the Chesapeake Bay and its implications for restoration efforts has helped state agencies chart a course to a healthier Bay.”

In the last decade, his lab has worked on problems related to the placement of dredged materials, assessing the nutrient effects of dredging and the use of dredged materials in restoration of Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay. His advice in the field of sediment geochemistry has assisted the Maryland Port Administration with its dredging program efforts, helping the port to maintain safe, navigable channels.

His work has included gathering the first data in the Chesapeake Bay on navigation channel sediment nutrient fluxes, monitoring the geochemical changes created in wetlands, predicting nutrient releases during dredged material placement, and assisting with nutrient management best practices for dredged material management projects.

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Press Release, May 13, 2014