ROBERT W. HOWARTH

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
E311 Corson Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853 USA

 

Education

B.A., Amherst College (Magna cum laude), 1974

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Biological Oceanography, 1979

Professional Experience

    1993-Present

  1. David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology &Environmental Biology, Cornell University.

    2. 2005-Present

  2. Director, Agricultural Ecosystems Program, Cornell University.

    3. 2000-Present

  3. Adjunct Senior Scientist, Ecosystems Center, MBL, Woods Hole. MA

    4. 1983-Present

  4. Founding Editor, Biogeochemistry (Editor-in-Chief, 1983-2004).

    5. 2000-2001

  5. Senior Scientist and Oceans Program Director, Environmental Defense.

    6. 1995-2000

  6. Director, Program in Biogeochemistry & Environmental Change, Cornell.

    7. 1999

  7. Visiting Fellow, National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, University of California at Santa Barbara.

    8. 1993-2000

  8. Adjunct Prof., Dept. of Soils, Crops, & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell.

    9. 1995-1997

  9. Director of Grad. Studies, Field of Ecology & Evolutionary Biol., Cornell.

    10. 1992-1995

  10. Senior Fellow, and coordinator for the Initiative in Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Sciences, Center for the Environment, Cornell.

    11. 1990-1993

  11. Professor, Section of Ecology & Systematics, Cornell.

    12. 1985-1990

  12. Associate Professor, Section of Ecology & Systematics, Cornell.

    13. 1982-1992

  13. Adjunct Professor of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island.

    14. 1987-1988

  14. Director, Ecosystems Research Center (EPA Center of Excellence), Cornell.

    15. 1985

  15. Visiting Scientist, Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY.

    16. 1983-1985

  16. Associate Scientist, Ecosystems Center, Marine Biol. Lab, Woods Hole.

    17. 1980-1983

  17. Assistant Scientist, Ecosystems Center, Marine Biol. Lab, Woods Hole.

    18. 1982

  18. Visiting Ecologist, Inst. of Ecol. & Genetics, Århus University, Denmark.

    19. 1980-1984

  19. Adjunct Assoc. Marine Scientist, Univ. of Georgia Marine Institute.

    20. 1979

  20. Noyes Postdoctoral Fellow, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole.

Research Interests

Biogeochemistry; interactions of element cycles; global and regional nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycles; aquatic ecosystem biology; controls and consequences of eutrophication in estuaries; biotic, physical, and geochemical controls on nitrogen fixation; influence of land-use and climate change on export of substances from land to waters; sediment biogeochemistry, particularly in seagrass ecosystems; best management practices for reducing environmental harm from agriculture; environmental management and the effects of pollutants on aquatic ecosystems, particularly oil pollution in the oceans; interactions between ecosystem processes and community structure; application of science to sustaining the biosphere

 

Professional Societies and Organizations

  1. American Institute of Biological Sciences
  2. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
  3. Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation
    4.   
  4. Ecological Society of America
  5. International Water Association

National and International Committees and Activities

    2007 - 2009

  1. President, Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (president-elect and board member of the predecessor organization, the Estuarine Research Federation, from 2005 to 2007).

    2. 2007-present

  2. Chair, International SCOPE Biofuels Project (Int. Council of Science).

    3. 2005-2010

  3. Representative from the State of New York to the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the Chesapeake Bay Program.

    4. 2006-2007

  4. Member, Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Advisory Panel, US EPA.

    5. 2006-present

  5. Member, Oversight Board, North American Nitrogen Center.

    6. 2005-present

  6. Member, Steering Committee, N2007 International N Symposium, Brazil.

    7. 2004-present

  7. Member, Biogeochemical Cycling Rapid Response Team, Ecological Society of America.

    8. 2003-present

  8. Editor, book series on Environmental Management, Springer.

    9. 2003-present

  9. Member, Coast and Oceans Working Group, the Heinz Center.

    10. 2003-2006

  10. Director, North American Regional Center, International Nitrogen Initiative.

    11. 2002-2006

  11. Member, Executive Committee and Scientific Advisory Committee, International Nitrogen Initiative (International Council on Science).

    12. 2002-2005

  12. Coordinating Lead Author, chapter on responses to nutrient pollution, the Millenium Assessment.
    Member, Editorial Board, Ecosystems.

    13. 2002-2004

  13. Member, Advisory Committee, N2004 International N Symposium, China.

    14. 2002-2003

  14. Coordinator and lead author, Working Group to Develop a Federal Interagency Research Plan for Coastal Nutrient Pollution.

    15. 2001-2002

  15. Consultant on coastal nutrient pollution, the Pew Oceans Commission.

    16. 2000-2003

  16. Member, US Committee for SCOPE, National Academy of Sciences.
    Member, Scientific Advisory Board, National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis, University of California at Santa Barbara.
    Member, Committee to Evaluate the Water Programs of the US Army Corps of Engineers, National Academy of Sciences.
    Co-Chair, International SCOPE Project on Nitrogen Transport and Transformations: A Regional and Global Analysis, SCOPE, ICSU.
    Member, Advisory Committee, N2001 Symposium, Potomac, MD.

    17. 1998-2001

  17. Member, National Climate Change Assessment (Coastal Marine Sector).
    Chair, Committee on Causes and Management of Coastal Eutrophication, National Academy of Sciences.

    18. 2000

  18. Chair, Panel on Coastal Nitrogen Pollution, Ecological Society of America.

    19. 1996-1998

  19. Member, Board of Scientific Counselors, U.S. EPA

    20. 1997

  20. Member, Panel on Non-Point Source Pollution, Ecological Soc. of America.

    21. 1996

  21. Member, Panel on Human Alteration of the N Cycle, Ecol. Soc. of America.

    22. 1994-1995

  22. Member, Panel on Nitrogen Cycling in China, Committee on Scholarly Communication with China, National Academy of Sciences.

    23. 1995

  23. Chair, Working group on Scientific Studies in Pristine Areas, National Academy of Sciences.

    24. 1994-1997

  24. Member, Steering Committee, Sustainable Biosphere Initiative, ESA.

    25. 1994

  25. Member, Committee on High-Priority Science to Meet National Coastal Needs, National Academy of Sciences.

    26. 1992-1998

  26. Member, Committee on Ethics, Am. Soc. of Limnol. & Oceanography.

    27. 1994-1998

  27. Member, Education Committee, Bermuda Biological Station for Research.

    28. 1990-1993

  28. Member, Committee on Opportunities to Improve Wastewater Management for Urban Coastal Areas, National Academy of Sciences.

    29. 1991-1995

  29. Member, Advisory Committee for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, U.S. Geological Survey.

    30. 1989-1992

  30. Member, Committee on the Coastal Ocean, National Academy of Sciences.

    31. 1989-1994

  31. Member, Editorial Board, Ecological Applications, ESA.

    32. 1991-1993

  32. Member, Governing Board, Estuarine Research Federation.
    Member, U. S. National Committee for SCOPE, National Academy of Sciences.
    33. Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, the International SCOPE Sulphur Project (Moscow, USSR).

    1989-1990

  33. Member, Panel on Fluxes of Trace Gases and Nutrients to and from Terrestrial Ecosystems, Committee on Global Change, National Academy of Sciences.

    34. 1986-1988

  34. Member, Public Affairs Committee, Am. Soc. of Limnol. & Oceanography.

    35. 1981-1984

  35. Member, Panel on Ecological Effects, Committee on Fate and Effects of Oil in the Sea, National Academy of Sciences.

 

National and International Committees

  1. Member, US Committee for SCOPE, National Academy of Sciences, 2000-2003.
  2. Co-Coordinating Lead Author, Chapter on Nutrient Pollution, The Millennium Assessment, 2002-present
  3. Member, Executive Committee and Science Advisory Committee, International Nitrogen Initiative (a joint SCOPE/IGBP/ICSU effort), 2002-present
  4. Member, Science and Policy Advisory Committee for N2004 International Nitrogen Symposium, Nanjing China, 2002-present.
  5. Member, Committee to Assess the Water Projects of the US Army Corps of Engineers, National Academy of Sciences, 2000-2002.
  6. Co-chair, International SCOPE Project on Nitrogen Transport and Transformations: A Regional and Global Analysis, SCOPE, International Council of Scientific Unions, 1992­2002.
  7. Member, Search Committee to hire a Professor of Biogeochemistry, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden, 2002.
  8. Member, Science Advisory Board, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1999-2002.
  9. Member, Science Advisory Committee for N2001 International Nitrogen Symposium, Potomac, MD, 1999-2001.
  10. Member, Carbon and Nitrogen Synthesis Group, State of the Nation's Ecosystems, the H. John Heinz III Center, Washington, DC, 2000
  11. Chair, Panel on Coastal Nitrogen Pollution, Ecological Society of America, 2000
  12. Member, National Climate Change Assessment Team (Coastal Marine Sector), 1998­2001
  13. Chair, Committee on Causes and Management of Coastal Eutrophication, National Academy of Sciences, 1998-2000
  14. Member, Panel on Non-Point Source Pollution, Ecological Society of America, 1997
  15. Member, Board of Scientific Counselors, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1996-1998
  16. Member, Panel on Human Alteration of the N Cycle, Ecological Society of America, 1996
  17. Member of the organizing committee, project on "Atmospheric Deposition and the Eutrophication of Estuaries," Sustainable Biosphere Initiative, Ecological Society of America, 1996
  18. Member of outside evaluation committee of the Global Change & Terrestrial Ecosystems (GCTE) core project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), and observer at the 6th meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee, Bariloche, Argentina, 1995
  19. Chair, Working group on Scientific Studies in Pristine Areas, National Academy of Sciences, 1995
  20. Member, Education Committee, the Bermuda Biological Station for Research, 1994-1998
  21. Member, Steering Committee, Sustainable Biosphere Initiative, Ecological Society of America, 1994-1997
  22. Member, Panel on Nitrogen Cycling in China, Committee on Scholarly Communication with China, National Academy of Sciences, 1994-1995
  23. Member, Committee on High-Priority Science to Meet National Coastal Needs, National Academy of Sciences, 1994
  24. Member, Committee on Ethics, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, 1992-1998
  25. Member of Scientific Steering Committee, The Planetary Coral Reef Foundation, Belize, 1992-1993
  26. Member, Committee on Opportunities to Improve Wastewater Management for Urban Coastal Areas, National Academy of Sciences, 1990-1993
  27. Member, Advisory Committee for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (Hudson River basin), U.S. Geological Survey, 1991-1995
  28. Member, Governing Board, Estuarine Research Federation, 1991-1993
  29. Member, Committee on the Coastal Ocean, National Academy of Sciences, 1989-1992
  30. Member, Panel on Fluxes of Trace Gases and Nutrients to and from Terrestrial Ecosystems, Committee on Global Change, National Academy of Sciences, 1989-1990
  31. Member, U. S. National Committee for SCOPE, National Academy of Sciences, 1988-1990
  32. Member of the Program Committee for a Symposium on "Science, Universities, and the Environment" sponsored by Cornell University, the University of California at Davis, and the University of Illinois, 1987
  33. Member, Public Affairs Committee, American Society of Limnology & Oceanography, 1986-1988
  34. Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, the International SCOPE Sulphur Project (Moscow, USSR), SCOPE, International Council of Scientific Unions, 1985-1991
  35. Member, Panel on Ecological Effects, Committee on Fate and Effects of Oil in the Sea, National Academy of Sciences, 1981-1984

 

Contributor to the Following Reports from the National Research Council

  1. National Research Council. 1985. Oil in the Sea. National Academy Press, Washington, DC
  2. National Research Council. 1983. Managing Wastewater in Coastal Urban Areas. National Academy Press, Washington, DC
  3. National Research Council. 1994. Priorities for Coastal Ecosystem Science. National Academy Press, Washington, DC
  4. National Research Council. 2000. Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution. National Academy Press, Washington, DC