Science Panel
The Science Panel's expertise and advice are critical to the Puget Sound Partnerships efforts to develop a comprehensive plan to restore Puget Sound. The following nine members, appointed by the Leadership Council, were chosen from the top scientists in Washington State.
For questions about the Science Panel, contact Tammy Owings, Special Assistant, 360.725.5463.
>> Learn more about Science Panel Meetings.
Chair: Joel Baker, University of Washington Tacoma (UWT)
Term: 4 years 11/10/11
For more than 20 years, Baker has led water and air quality assessments in a variety of complex ecosystems, including the Great Lakes, the Hudson River and Chesapeake Bay. Baker is the UWT's chair in environmental science, where he is leading UWT's research, advising the Port and City of Tacoma and other local groups, and serves as science director for the Center for Urban Waters.
Vice-chair: Jan Newton, University of Washington (UW)
Term: 4 years 11/10/11
As principal oceanographer at UW’s Applied Physics Laboratory, Newton provides oversight of an observational and modeling study of hypoxia in Hood Canal. Newton also is an assistant professor at UW’s School of Oceanography, where she works with faculty and students to develop and conduct research on biological oceanography of Pacific Northwest coastal and inland waters.
Guy Gelfenbaum, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Term: 2 years 11/10/09
An oceanographer with USGS since 1989, Gelfenbaum has experience in ecosystem dynamics, large-scale coastal change, sediment transport of catastrophic geologic hazards and sediment dynamics of coastal systems. Currently he is USGS’s project chief of coastal habitats for Puget Sound.
Robert Johnston, U.S. Navy
Term: 2 years 11/10/09
A senior scientist with the Navy’s Marine Environmental Support Office, Johnston specializes in providing technical assistance to marine pollution and ecological risk assessment issues for Navy activities, including investigating the risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) released from sunken ships and evaluating the risk of constructing artificial reefs with former warships.
Timothy Quinn, Washington Department of Widlife (WDFW)
Term: 3 years 11/10/10
Chief scientist of the WDFW’s habitat program since 1999, Quinn also is a member of The Evergreen State College’s adjunct faculty, where he teaches in the Master’s in Environmental Studies program. Quinn recently served on the Science Working Group that came up with scientific underpinnings and a technical framework for the development of the Puget Sound Partnership.
Frank Shipley, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Term: 2 years 11/10/09
Shipley has worked as a biologist in the USGS Western Region since 2003. Before that he was the director of USGS’s Western Fisheries Research Center for eight years. Prior to that he spent twelve years in Texas working in science of the Gulf Coast as Director of the Galveston Bay National Estuary Program and environmental water quality specialist for the Texas Water Commission.
John Stark, Washington State University (WSU)
Term: 3 years 11/10/10
Stark is a professor/scientist in the Department of Entomology at WSU’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center. His research interests include ecotoxicology of pesticides and other toxicants in aquatic and agricultural ecosystems, as well as developing risk assessment for aquatic organisms inhabiting rivers and streams in the Pacific Northwest.
Usha Varanasi, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Term: 4 years 11/10/11
Science and research director of NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center since 1994, Varanasi also is an affiliate professor of chemistry at the University of Washington. Recently, Varanasi represented NOAA as a special science adviser to the Puget Sound Partnership, providing direction and resources to develop “Sound Science.”
Katharine Wellman, Northern Economics, Inc.
Term: 3 years 11/10/10
Wellman has 20 years of experience as a social scientist in the marine estuarine environment. Currently a marine environmental economist with Northern Economics, Inc., Wellman has also held positions at NOAA and Battelle Memorial Institute.