Earlier this fall, Associate Professor of Marine Science Cassie Gurbisz, Ph.D, was named the Steven Muller Distinguished Professor of the Sciences for 2025-2028.
The Distinguished Professorship of the Sciences is granted for a three-year term and was created in 2000 by the late Steven Muller, benefactor and former Chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. The professorship honors a faculty member whose accomplishments are recognized as distinguished by peers in the field, and whose scholarly work informs opportunities for SMCM students.
“Dr. Gurbisz has shown outstanding academic leadership in recent years as both an accomplished scientist and as the marine science program’s point person for the ongoing construction of the College’s research vessel. We’re excited to see where her research takes her next,” said Provost and Dean of Faculty Katie Gantz.
Gurbisz specializes in coastal ecosystem ecology, which emphasizes holistic analysis of the environment. She aims to understand why shallow-water habitats change and how those changes affect nutrient and carbon cycling in estuaries. Much of her research takes place in the field, and she enjoys getting students out on the water to explore and develop practical hands-on skills.
