CT River Lecture Series Spring 2025 Descriptions

New Research on the behavior of Atlantic Sturgeon aggregating in the CT River with Hannes Baumann

Atlantic Sturgeon are large, iconic fish that roamed the earth along with dinosaurs, but in human times became critically endangered due to overfishing and habitat degradation. This talk will share some of the recent research from CT DEEP and UCONN, which shows that sturgeons of all sizes and ages like to swim up the Connecticut River in summer.

Hannes Baumann lives in Groton, CT, where he works as an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut’s Department of Marine Sciences. There, he has led the Evolutionary Fish Ecology Lab since 2014, which investigates coastal marine fishes and uses a variety of methods from experiments to field studies and modeling. The overall goal is to better understand the ongoing changes in local fish communities and how fish species may be able to cope with ocean warming, acidification, and oxygen loss. This work directly involves and greatly benefits from Baumann’s long-standing collaboration with many dedicated researchers at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Fathoming the Ocean – A Deep Dive into Our Relationship with the Sea with Helen Rozwadowski

Discover the ocean’s history as you’ve never heard it before, one that reveals the ocean’s role in shaping human history and culture, and our ongoing relationship with the sea. Dr. Rozwadowski will examine how curiosity has driven technological, cultural, and environmental changes, emphasizing our interconnectedness with the vast waters that cover much of the Earth.

Dr. Rozwadowski is a professor of History and founder of the Maritime Studies program at the University of Connecticut, Avery Point. Her book, Vast Expanses: A History of the Oceans (2018), demonstrates that human relationships with the ocean began in evolutionary times and have tightened dramatically since. She has lectured widely in the United States and abroad, has been a guest researcher at the University of Oslo, and is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships.

The Most Important Fish in the Sea with Jacob Steinberg

Menhaden is a keystone species, serving as a vital food source for various fish, marine mammals, and birds. Filmmaker Jacob Steinberg will present his current work, a film illustrating the critical importance of menhaden.

Jacob Steinberg is an Emmy Award nominated cinematographer. An expedition leader, wilderness medic, and mountaineer, he has travelled worldwide. For over a decade, Jacob has worked as a guide and expedition leader in Peru, documenting subject matters including wildlife conservation, indigenous culture, and natural history.
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Atmospheric CO2 and the Global-to-Regional Climate with John Jasper

Highly studied, much debated, yet skepticism persists in the general population about the reality and causes of changes in climatic activity. Focusing on the last century, Dr. Jasper will give clarity to the effects on the health of our Southeastern Connecticut coastal environments.

John Jasper, Ph.D. resides in Niantic, Connecticut and holds a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is the Chief Scientific Officer of Molecular Isotope Technologies, LLC.
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