September 26, 2023 — Dr. Robert Leaf, Interim Director of the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Ocean Science and Engineering (SOSE) works to enhance a healthy ecosystem for the Gulf of Mexico blue economy through research and collaborations with the State of Mississippi and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
Leaf is an associate professor and joined SOSE in 2012. He teaches graduate-level courses on quantitative fisheries management, statistics, and data analysis and computer programming. Leaf oversees all the undergraduate and graduate programs for the SOSE, along with a certification program for Uncrewed Maritime Systems (UMS).
“We think of fisheries as an experiment where the resilience of the stock to exploitation can be evaluated every year. Studying this can allow us to maximize the opportunities for harvest while ensuring sustainability” said Leaf.
Leaf is excited about the undergraduate and graduate degrees offered by the SOSE, especially the Marine Biology program, which is rapidly growing.