Dr. Michael Piehler named interim executive director of UNC Coastal Studies Institute
Effective July 1, Dr. Michael Piehler assumed the role of interim executive director of the UNC Coastal Studies Institute (UNC CSI).
Piehler has been an integral part of the growth and success of UNC CSI, serving as the head of the estuarine ecology and human health research program since 2004. Piehler assumes the role following the retirement of Dr. Nancy White, who served 14 years as the founding executive director for UNC CSI.
Dr. Michael Poehler (Photos by Mary Lide Parker)
The UNC Coastal Studies Institute is a multi-university institute located in Wanchese and administered through East Carolina University.
ECU Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Dr. Ron Mitchelson selected Piehler as the interim executive director.
“Mike is an accomplished scholar with impressive leadership qualities,” Mitchelson said. “Dr. Piehler has been part of the CSI team for many years and that experience will be crucial in the upcoming year. I look forward to working with Mike as we grow key coastal programs at CSI.”
Dr. Michael Piehler prepares samples in the lab.
Piehler received his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering from UNC Chapel Hill, and since 1998 has been a member of the faculty at UNC Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Science. Piehler’s research occurs at the coastal land-water interface and is focused on quantifying the transport and transformation of nutrients. His research is funded by federal, state and regional sources and he serves on scientific advisory panels for governments, non-government organizations and industry.
Piehler is excited about this next stage in the growth and development of the institute. “I am honored to have been tapped by Provost Mitchelson to lead during this important period in the development of the Coastal Studies Institute. We have remarkable people and facilities, and I look forward to helping us excel,” said Piehler.
For more information, visit www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org.
-by John McCord, Coastal Studies Institute