Dr. Michael Perfit is Professor and Chair of Geological Sciences at the University of Florida where he has worked since 1982. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed technical papers and articles in professional scientific publications and has been a principal investigator on numerous research grants from the National Science Foundation and NOAA. He has participated on over 20 oceanographic research cruises and served as co-chief scientist on several more. While at the University of Florida he has received several awards for excellence in teaching at the University of Florida and was the Flint Term Professor in 1999-2000. He has also enjoyed adjunct academic appointments at the Australian National University, Cornell University, University of Tasmania, and the Institut du Physique du Globe, Paris.