Dr. Brian Helmuth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, the Marine Science Program and the School of the Environment at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.  Helmuth’s research explores the effects of climate and climate change on the physiology and ecology of marine organisms. Specifically, he uses thermal engineering techniques, including a combination of field work, remote sensing and mathematical modeling, to forecast the impacts of climate change on coastal marine animals such as mussels and seastars. He uses similar techniques to examine the impacts of temperature and water flow on corals. A major goal of this approach is to predict where the effects of climate change are likely to be the most severe, a method of “ecological triage”. To date his work has centered primarily on tropical coral reefs in Florida, the Caribbean and Central America, and on temperate rocky intertidal systems in the United States and Europe, but recent work in his lab has expanded to include salt marsh ecosystems throughout the continental U.S.  Helmuth’s work has shown some surprising results, and has suggested that our expectations of where to look for the effects of climate change in nature can be more complex than previously anticipated. His work suggests that unless we know where and when to look for impacts of climate change, many early impacts could go unnoticed.  Helmuth received his PhD in 1997 from the University of Washington in Seattle, and spent two years as a post-doctoral research associate at
Stanford from 1997-1999.  Since 1999 he has served on the faculty at USC.  Helmuth is a Fellow of the Aldo Leopold Leadership program, and in 2003 was named Marine Educator of the Year by the South Carolina Marine Educators Association.  He has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and is regularly invited to speak at Universities and meetings throughout the world.
Helmuth's publications can be found at:

John Adams Hodge is a practicing Registered Professional Geologist  (P.G.),
environmental and aviation attorney, and is an ATP rated pilot, having flown over 18,000 hours mostly in Boeing and Airbus aircraft for a major airline. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina where he taught a graduate course in Environmental Regulations and Planning. His professional interests include coastal geology, planetary geology, environmental assessment and remediation, brownfields redevelopment, RCRA & CERCLA matters, wetlands law, and various facets of aviation safety and regulation. He has appeared before numerous state and federal agencies, and US State and Federal trial and appellate courts in
environmental and aviation matters. He was a co-principal investigator in the Lake Murray B-25 Flag Expedition which recovered a sunken World War II bomber. He is a frequent lecturer on environmental topics and was also selected by NASA and serves as a Solar System Ambassador, lecturing on topics in planetary science.

   
 EDUCATION

Birkbeck College, University of London, Certificate in Planetary Geology, 2006
University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1983
University of South Carolina, M.S., 1981
Marine Science/Geology
Duke University, B.S., 1977
Geology

Airline Transport Pilot, B-737, 757, 767, A-320
Flight Engineer, Turbojet
Certified Flight Instructor, Single & Multi-engine, Instrument
Advanced Ground Instructor
Seaplane and Glider ratings