Dorton Named Coordinator for NC Sentinel Site Cooperative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Dorton, 910-962-2777

Posted Friday, September 26, 2014

The North Carolina Sentinel Site Cooperative welcomes Jennifer Dorton as the new coordinator for the program that leverages existing research and monitoring resources to ensure resilient coastal communities and ecosystems in the face of changing conditions.

The part-time position is funded through a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant Office and the Sentinel Site Program.

The North Carolina cooperative, known as NCSSC, has representation from several NOAA or NOAA-funded programs, including: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research; N.C. Division of Coastal Management; N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve; National Marine Fisheries Service’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort Laboratory; National Environmental Satellite, Data, and InformationService; National Climatic Data Center; National Weather Service’s Forecast Office in Newport/Morehead City; and North Carolina Sea Grant. The University of North Carolina Wilmington is also a partner.

“North Carolina Sea Grant is pleased to play a key role in expanding outreach for the cooperative,” notes John Fear, North Carolina Sea Grant deputy director and a member of the NCSSC core management team.

Since 2004, Jennifer has worked at UNCW on the NOAA-funded Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program, led the NOAA in the Carolinas efforts for five years, and been a valuable team member for North Carolina Sea Grant.

Dorton is a current member of the NCSSC Water Level Subcommittee and participated in the Research and Monitoring Coordination Workshop.

“Jennifer is well suited to this new role as coordinator and will be an asset to the Cooperative,” notes Rebecca Ellin, chair of the NCSSC and manager of the N.C. Coastal Reserve.

Located in Carteret County near the NOAA Beaufort Lab and multiple university marine labs, NCSSC focuses on issues of local, regional, and national significance that affect habitats and species managed by NOAA, as well as surrounding coastal communities.

Learn more about the national program at http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/sentinelsites and follow the N.C. link. Or contact Dorton at dortonj@uncw.edu.

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