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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Marine researchers and other interested parties are invited to sit in on public presentations by four finalists for the position of Oregon Sea Grant director at Oregon State University between now and early April.

Finalists were drawn from a nationwide search for a successor to Robert Malouf, who is retiring after nearly 17 years at the helm of the OSU-based marine research, outreach and education program.

Each of the four candidates will spend two days in interviews and public presentations. On the first day, each will give a presentation to discuss his or her five-year vision for Sea Grant. The presentations, including question-and-answer sessions, will take place the OSU campus in Corvallis, and transmitted via polycom to the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

On the second day of their visits, the candidates will travel to the HMSC for technical presentations. The HMSC seminars will be transmitted to the campus. Both presentations will be recorded.

In addition, each candidate will take part in an open forum at each location to meet people and take questions. All sessions are open to university students, faculty and staff and other interested parties.

The candidates, and their schedules, are:

Michael Harte, a professor in the OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at OSU, director of the college's Marine Resource Management Program and an Oregon Sea Grant Extension specialist since 2005.

* Vision Presentation - Monday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m., Burt Hall 193, OSU

* HMSC Open Forum - Tuesday, Feb 26, 1:30 - 3 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* Technical Presentation - Tuesday, Feb. 26, 3:30 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* OSU Open Forum - Wednesday, Feb 27, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Memorial Union 208, OSU

James Berkson, associate professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech, and program leader for the Recruiting, Training and Research Unit at Virginia Tech, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service.

* Vision Presentation - Monday, March 3, 3:30 p.m., Burt Hall 193, OSU

* HMSC Open Forum - Tuesday, March 4, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* Technical Presentation - Tuesday, March 4, 3:30 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* OSU Open Forum - Wednesday, March 5, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Memorial Union 208, OSU

Stephen Brandt, director of the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. He holds adjunct professorships at the School of Natural Resources and in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan.

* Vision Presentation - Monday, March 17, 3:30 p.m., Burt Hall 193, OSU

* HMSC Open Forum - Tuesday, March 18, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* Technical Presentation - Tuesday, March 18, 3:30 p.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* OSU Open Forum - Wednesday, March 19, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., Memorial Union 208, OSU

Patricia Burke, manager of the Marine Resources Program for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife since 2002 and ODFW representative on the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council in the Governor’s marine cabinet.

* Vision Presentation - Wednesday, April 2, 3:30 p.m., Burt Hall 193, OSU

* Open Forum - Thursday, April 3, 9 - 10:30 a.m., Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* Technical Presentation - Thursday, April 3, 11 a.m. Guin Library Seminar Room, HMSC

* Open Forum - Friday, April 4, 1 - 2:30 p.m., JPLC Journey Room Memorial Union, OSU

Questions about the candidate selection process may be directed to Rich Holdren

Now in its 40th year, Oregon Sea Grant is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program. Oregon Sea Grant distributes more than $2 million biennially in NOAA research funds to Oregon scientists and conducts marine outreach via a network of Sea Grant Extension specialists, on campus and in communities along the Oregon coast.

For more information see http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu.