Lee Karp-Boss Associate Professor 345 Aubert Hall Phone: (207) 581-­4305 Fax: (207) 581-­4388 Email: lee.karp-boss@maine.edu

I am a phytoplankton ecologist, interested in understanding how physical processes are affecting phytoplankton distributions and species composition. My research focuses primarily on phytoplankton-flow interaction at the scale of individual phytoplankton cells and chains. Fluid motions at this scale affect a variety of functions of phytoplankton including mass transport and encounter-based processes. An intriguing question is how the morphology and mechanical properties of a phytoplankter affect the hydrodynamic environment that it encounters.

Understanding physical-biological interactions in the plankton, over a broad continuum of scales, requires simultaneous, high resolution measurements of both physical and biological fields. The use of high resolution optical measurements as an indicator of the distributions and composition of phytoplankton and their by products is a promising tool.

A second area of research interest focuses on the understanding of optical signatures of phytoplankton (and phytoplankton byproducts). I am currently involved in a study that examines the scattering characteristics of different phytoplankton taxonomic groups. Another project focuses on the relationship between light attenuation and particulate organic material in coastal environments.

•	Ph.D. 1998 Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
•	M.Sc. 1991 Ecology and Oceanography, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
•	B.Sc. 1989 Biology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

•	Associate Professor, University of Maine, Orono
•	Research Assistant Professor, University of Maine, Orono
•	Research Assistant, Hebrew University
•	Research Assistant, University of Washington
•	Teaching Assistant, University of Washington
•	Research Associate (Post Doc.), University of Washington (Dr. P. Jumars)
•	Research Associate (Post Doc.), Oregon State University (Dr. P. Wheeler)

•	1993 Fellowship, American Association of University Women Fellowship
•	1992 Meirbaum Fellowship