The School for Marine Science and Technology named announced Dr. Micheline Labrie to lead initiative
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The School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth announced Dr. Micheline (Michie) Labrie as the new Director of the Coastal Systems Program (CSP) following the sudden passing of Dr. Brian Howes in late 2022. A proud CSP/SMAST alumna, Michie earned her PhD in Coastal Systems Science in 2021, under the mentorship of Dr. Brian Howes and Dr. Miles Sundermeyer, focusing on quantifying oyster aquaculture mediated nitrogen removal from eutrophic MA estuaries. Following her doctorate, she collaborated with Dr. Howes to start up the Biodegradability Lab, a core SMAST facility established to test potentially biodegradable materials.
Recently appointed as Assistant Professor, Michie is committed to honoring Dr. Howes’s legacy and advancing the CSP mission of conducting applied research in coastal ecosystems to provide science-based management, restoration, and protection solutions to the communities of southeastern Massachusetts and the Commonwealth. Her leadership will continue to support the region’s coastal systems, which are vital to local economies, recreation, and human well-being. In this next phase, CSP, SMAST and UMass Dartmouth are well-positioned to lead the region in coastal resilience research.