Workshop Leaders

Dr. Marc Frischer
Professor of Marine Sciences,
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah, GA

Dr. Frischer is Professor of Marine Sciences at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, holds a research appointment at the University of Bergen in Norway, and is an adjunct professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Georgia, and Savannah State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Florida in 1994 in Marine Sciences specializing in Marine Microbiology. Prior to joining the faculty of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in 1996 he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and worked as an industrial biochemist for the Sigma Chemical Company. Frischer's research focuses on the role of microbial diversity in marine environments and the development and application of the tools of molecular biology in plankton ecology. His research has taken him from the tropics to the poles. Frischer has authored over 70 publications, holds two US patents, and speaks extensively on his research. Frischer is a member of several scientific societies, sits on several sciences and environmental policy advisory boards, and recently completed a term as the division chair of environmental microbiology for the American Society of Microbiology. In addition to his involvement in the Rivers to Reef program, Frischer teaches Oceanography and Marine Microbial Ecology and participates regularly in educator training workshops in Georgia.

Dr. Michael Mahan
Associate Professor of Education,
   Chair of Division of Education
Gordon College, Barnesville, GA

Dr. Mahan attended Ball State University, and earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology Education 1976, Master of Arts in 1986 and an Ed. D in Biology Education in 1986. After a varied career as an academic advisor, he returned to high school teaching in New Jersey in 2001, and later returned to university teaching, at Kean University in 2003, as an Assistant Professor of Science Education. He has taught Science and Mathematics methods courses as well as Introductory Biology. In 2006 he accepted a position in Savannah Georgia as Assistant Professor and Department Head of Middle Grade and Secondary Education at Armstrong-Atlantic State Universtiy. He has reviewed grants for NASA, Educational Technology for the State of Georgia. He is currently on the Journal Review team of the National Biology Teachers' Association. He submitted a grant for $1,300,000.00 to the National Science Foundation for the Robert Noyce Program. Dr. Mahan has many presentations and publications in science education, and is currently a Board of Examiners member for the PSC in Georgia.

Kim Morris-Zarneke
Manager of Education Programs
Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA

Kim is the Manager of Education Programs for the Georgia Aquarium and responsible for curriculum developments, partnerships, professional development, and assessment. Kim has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Minor in Environmental Science from State University of New York at Geneseo and Masters of Science in Biology-Aquarium Science from the University of Maryland. In addition has taken continuing education course in conservation education and has received a certificate in Distance Learning and Environmental Education. Prior to joining the Aquarium in July 2005, Kim worked with the Department of Natural Resources - Environmental Protection Division's Adopt-A-Stream program training citizens, teachers and students in water quality monitoring and coordinating the annual Rivers Alive water way cleanup program. Kim also worked at Zoo Atlanta as their Distance Learning Manager and the National Aquarium in Baltimore as their Conservation Coordinator.
For the last ten years Kim has served on the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia's Board and Advisory Board guiding this professional organization as a leader in environmental education for the State of Georgia. Current Kim is serving as Co-chair of the Advanced Training for Environmental Education in Georgia Project which provides training to formal and non formal educator about environmental education. Kim has also been a member of GAME for the last five years, serving on the 2008 NMEA conference committee.

Cathy Sakas
Education Coordinator
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Savannah, GA

Cathy serves as Education Coordinator of NOAA Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary coming aboard in October 1998. In that capacity she creates educational programs and products for use in the classroom as well as conducts workshops to help educators better prepare to teach ocean science in their classrooms. Her favorite workshops are the Rivers to Reefs Educators Workshops of course and the remotely operated vehicle or ROV building workshops for students and teachers. She serves on Southeastern US Implementation Team of the North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Plan and on many local, regional and national boards. So far her favorite jobs at Gray's Reef besides her regular education duties have involved being a NOAA scientific diver and a certified pilot of a one-person submersible called DeepWorker 2000. In September 2001 she became an Aquanaut spending nine days in the underwater habitat called Aquarius with three other scientists and two technical staff. Cathy holds a B.S. in Biology and an M.ED. in Science from Armstrong-Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia. In past roles she produced and hosted two nature documentary series for Georgia Public Broadcasting called Coastal Naturalist as well as writing and co-producing a one hour special called Secret Seashores which profiles Georgia's barrier islands. She also hosted and served as the consulting naturalist for 66 shows on Turner South's series called The Natural South. Each of her programs has won multiple regional Emmy and Telly Awards.