Professor of marine biology-biochemistry at University of Delaware, Charles Epifanio ’66 took the helm as Sea Grant director and dean of the College of Marine Studies (CMS) in January.
Epifanio has been a member of the CMS faculty since 1971, serving as director of its marine biology-biochemistry program and associate dean. In 2002, he became the first recipient of the university’s Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring and Advising Award at the master’s degree level.
As associate director, Epifanio plays a lead role in coordinating Delaware Sea Grant’s research efforts, which include 15 projects relating to ecosystems, environmental technologies and engineering, biotechnology, and marine commerce and transportation. These projects range from developing a coastal ocean observing system to advance real-time forecasting of weather and wave conditions, to exploring the molecular biology of the horseshoe crab in a quest to develop an artificial bait that fishermen can use instead of the horseshoe crab in the eel and whelk fisheries.
His responsibilities are to ensure that the program includes research that is the highest scientific quality, responsive to local needs, and made available to local users through professional outreach specialists.
“One of my goals is to attract the best scientists possible to the program and provide those scientists with the financial resources to do their job well,” says Epifanio. “Balancing this goal with the very important outreach activities of the program [is] my biggest challenge.”
He credits Lafayette for the formal education that prepared him for postgraduate education in science. He obtained his doctorate in zoology from Duke University.
“I think that I benefited greatly from the great economic diversity of the student body during my era,” he notes. “This helped me greatly in developing the interpersonal skills and social confidence necessary for success in any area of professional life….even science!”
Bernard Fried, Kreider Professor Emeritus of Biology, had a major influence in Epifanio’s decision to become a scientist.
“His excitement and obvious enjoyment in practicing his trade was contagious,” says Epifanio.