Our Resumés

Michael D. Scherer; President  mscherer@MarineResearchInc.com
B.S. in Fisheries Biology from Cornell University in 1969, M.S. in Fisheries Biology from University of Massachusetts in 1972, and Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology from University of Massachusetts in 1974. He joined MRI in 1974 and serves as Principal Investigator of the ichthyoplankton and fish studies section and is a specialist in the field of fish egg and larval studies. He was elected President January 1, 1993.

Richard C. Toner; Treasurer
B.S. from University of Southern California in 1956, M.S. from Oregon State University in 1961, and Ph.D. from Northeastern University in 1973. He served as a fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service between 1959 and 1962. In 1962 he became associated with Dr. G.C. Matthiessen in the Marine Research Foundation. In 1971 he continued with MRI as Vice President and Principal Investigator specializing in multi-disciplinary plankton studies. He served as President from 1979 through 1992 and became Treasurer and Quality Assurance Administrator in 1999.  He is a specialist in the interrelationships between nutrients, phytoplankton and zooplankton in marine and freshwater systems.

Joseph F. Battaglia; Senior Scientist, Director of Field Operations  jbattaglia@MarineResearchInc.com
Earned a B.S degree in 1984 from St. Mary's College of Maryland and M. S. degree in 1996 from the University of. Massachusetts in Dartmouth. Mr. Battaglia joined MRI in 1990 as a member of the ichthyoplankton study group with extensive experience in lobster research from employment with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. He functions as Principal Investigator for field sampling, laboratory analysis, data processing, computer graphics, and report preparation.  He is also MRI's lead SCUBA diver.

Edward J. Brown-Leger; Senior Scientist
Mr. Brown-Leger earned a B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts in 1972. He participated in the Boston University Marine Program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole; graduate course work included marine ecology, marine invertebrate zoology, and marine botany. Mr. Brown-Leger joined MRI's benthic studies group in 1974 and was appointed Principal Investigator for benthic studies in 1982.  He is also a specialist in fish stomach analyses.

Melissa Sweeny; Senior Scientist
Mindy earned a B. S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from the University of California Davis.  She is skilled in the identification and taxonomy of marine invertebrates and ichthyoplankton as well as a specialist in fish stomach analyses. She also maintains MRI's hydrographic instrumentation.  In addition to her work at MRI she is currently a graduate student in the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole studying marine mammals.

Domenique Gummow; Marine Biologist
Domenique earned a B. S. degree in Biology from The College Of William and Mary and a M. S. degree from the Boston University Marine Program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.  She worked for the B.U. ichthyology lab and assisted with the preparation of an ecological risk assessment of Johnston Atoll for the EPA. In addition to data analysis and report preparation she oversees the day to day operations of MRI's ichthyoplankton studies section.

Joseph Cavanaugh; Marine Biologist
Mr. Cavanaugh earned a B. A. degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a M. S. degree from the Boston University Marine Program.  He has studied whales, squid, diseases in the eastern oyster, and has extensive sea experience. He is currently a certified SCUBA diver and a member of the ichthyoplankton studies group.

David Lawrence; Marine Biologist
Dave earned a B. S. degree in Biology from Benedictine University and a M.A. from the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole.  He participates in the analysis of monitoring research, project oversight, and the preparation of Essential Fish Habitat and Environmental Impact Assessments.  In addition, Dave takes part in field study programs to monitor fishery resources, including trawl surveys, habitat suitability studies, and young-of-the-year recruitment assessments.

Elise Watson; Marine Biologist
Elise earned a B. S. in Biology from Eckerd College of St. Petersburg, FL and M.A. in Biology from the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole, MA.  She has studied ecology and age and growth biology of wrasses in Cape Cod and in the central Pacific.  At MRI Elise is a SCUBA diver and member of the ichthyoplankton studies group.  She also assists with report preparation, data analysis, and sample analysis.  

Herman Bosch; Senior Scientist
Dr. Bosch earned a B. A. degree from the University of California, Berkley, a M. S. degree from the University Of Hawaii, and a Ph.D. in biological oceanography from John Hopkins University.  He served as operations manager and vice president of the Penikese Island School in Woods Hole, studied tropical plankton in Micronesia, served as cargo operations supervisor for the petroleum industry, and helped develop fibre-optic oceanographic sensing equipment. He is a specialist in plankton research and taxonomic identification of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and ichthyoplankton.

George C. Matthiessen; Consultant

10-12 Research Assistants 
B.S. and M. S. in marine biology (typically). Joined MRI as a member of the phytoplankton, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, or benthic study groups. Assists the Principal Investigator in field sampling, laboratory analysis, data processing, and report preparation.