Amit
has a wide range of research interests including : (i) development of a
computer-based Decision Support System (DSS) that will allow managers and
scientists to efficiently and effectively retrieve spatially referenced
data from various location in a user-friendly environment, (ii) assessment
and monitoring of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean basin using the
AGRRA protocol, and (iii) building awareness and capacity for conservation
through educational courses and seminars to inform stakeholders about GIS
and coral reef monitoring activities.
Prior
to joining NCORE, Amit served as the project coordinator for the Atlantic
and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program (2003). His primary
responsibilities included coordinating personnel and equipment matters for
regional Caribbean coral reef assessments, producing posters and
educational materials for conferences, and designing reef classifications
using GIS. Additionally, he led coral reef community assessments in the
Florida Keys and Eastern Puerto Rico sponsored by NOAA Program VII,
General Coral Reef Conservation, NOAA Fisheries – Office of Protected
Research, and the Ocean Research and Education Foundation. He has also
served as a GIS assistant for two NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service
projects; 1) Remote sensing and GIS analysis of seagrasses in coastal
North Carolina (1998) and 2) GIS analysis of the effectiveness of marine
protected areas on reef fish in the Florida Keys (2002). His thesis work
concentrated on developing a simple GIS-based approach for applying the
AGRRA methodology to reefs around the Caribbean. While a graduate student
with the University of Miami – Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science, he served as a teaching assistant for various classes in the
Division of Marine Science and Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries at
the University of Miami.
In
2000, Amit received his BA degree in Environmental Studies (marine biology
concentration) from Denison University in Granville, Ohio. In December
2003, he completed his MA degree in the Division of Marine Affairs and
Policy, University of Miami- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Science.
Amit is an AAUS authorized scientific diver for the University of Miami
and continues to provide field and logistical support for several studies
in Biscayne National Park and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
