MARIA BROWN

Recognized with Stewardship Award

The Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve Citizens Advisory Committee awarded Sayville High School Science Research Teacher, Maria Brown, The South Shore Estuary Reserve Stewardship Award recently aboard the Lauren Kristy. 

During the presentation, Ms. Brown was awarded special citations from Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone for environmental stewardship in the Town of Babylon as well as a Letter of Recognition from Dowling College for her contribution to the advancement of science education and research in the marine sciences.

Many significant contributions earned Ms. Brown this recognition:

• Through the stewardship actions that improve the estuary, Ms. Brown has supervised research activities conducted by her students who provide important information for protecting and preserving the estuary.  Student research helped to formulate the Green's Creek Watershed Action Plan. 
• Additionally, students have worked with numerous agencies and non-governmental organizations including Great South Bay Audubon Society, Dowling College, The Nature Conservency, Peconic Baykeeper, Town of Islip Planning Department, Town of Babylon Department of Environmental Conservation, Suffolk County Department of Parks & Services, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 
• Recently, students have been working on projects related to sea level rise using geospatial mapping software to identify changes at the Green's Creek Tidal Wetland Complex over a 30-year period. 
• A grant received by Ms. Brown and Great South Bay Audubon in the amount of $2500.00 has provided the funding for a 16-month study to monitor Green's Creek for nutrient and coliform loading.  This research was sponsored by Audubon, New York and recently presented by Sarah Monastero at Connetquot State Park for Great South Bay Audubon members. 
• Her students are conducting genetic research at the high school's Molecular Ecology Laboratory on the Atlantic Horseshoe crab to determine whether the Long Island populations are uniquely different than populations in Delaware and Chesapeak Bays. 
• Ms. Brown recently received a $2,000.00 grant from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to continue the genetics research which was presented at the International Horseshoe Crab Conference in Hong Kong in collaboration with Dowling College and Brookhaven National Laboratory last June. This project was completed by students Kathreen and Susan Mangaluz.