Department of Biology NewsRelease

Navy, NSF Fund Research on Marine Life

  GREENSBORO – The U.S. Navy and National Science Foundation have awarded two grants and a contract totaling $615,000 to Dr. Dean Wendt, assistant professor of biology at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Dean Wendt

    Wendt has received a $319,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research, and a $31,000 contract from the Naval Surface Warfare Center for three-year studies of marine coatings and biofouling. The research will test the effectiveness of new ecologically-sound marine paints and coatings used in controlling or preventing biofouling, the accumulation of organisms on surfaces in marine environments. Biofouling on underwater surfaces such as boat hulls, pier pilings and power plant water intakes systems is an ongoing, costly problem which has been addressed with the use of toxic paints, often to the detriment of water quality and non-targeted organisms. Wendt’s findings will help speed the development of ecologically sound coatings for use by the Navy and industry.

    In addition, Wendt has received a three-year, $265,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for basic research on the larval forms of marine invertebrates. His research in this area seeks to determine the extent to which marine invertebrate larvae utilize dissolved organic compounds, such as sugars and amino acids.  Knowledge generated from this study is relevant to water quality issues and the aquaculture industry.

    Wendt joined the UNCG faculty in 2000. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University. ###

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