A tip of the Secchi disk to Walter Boynton and Michael Kemp, veteran researchers with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, who were recently honored by their peers for their work in advancing understanding of water bodies like the Chesapeake Bay.

The pair received the Odum Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation at its annual meeting in Portland, OR. The award recognizes their individual as well as their collective research over the last 30 years.  Boynton, at right, and Kemp, below, produced more than 50 joint, peer-reviewed publications over that time, according to the university.

The recognition even drew the notice of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who issued a press release congratulating the pair and said their work has helped provide the scientific foundation efforts to restore the bay.

"Their work is a perfect example of how sound science leads to sound policy," said Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin.

Boynton, in particular, has not been shy about sharing his scientific insights with policy makers. Only a year ago, on the 25th anniversary of the bay restoration effort, he joined with other bay scientists and advocates in publicly calling on state and federal officials to get more aggressive about cleaning up the bay, saying the traditional voluntary cooperative approach has not worked.  

(Photos by permission of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)