Re: LSU coastal scientist dies suddenly
LSU Mourns Passing of Coastal Expert Greg Stone
02/18/2011 12:26 PM
BATON ROUGE ? The LSU community mourns the passing of Greg Stone, James P. Morgan Distinguished Professor in Coastal Studies, director of the WAVCIS program and internationally renowned coastal researcher. Stone passed away on Thursday, Feb. 17. A memorial service will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Monday, Feb. 21, at 12 p.m.
Stone was a highly respected member of the LSU School of the Coast and Environment Faculty who served as director of the Coastal Studies Institute, or CSI, and taught plus advised graduate students in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences. He received a bachelor?s degree with honors from the University of Ulster (Ireland), a master?s degree from the University of West Florida and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1990.
After serving as a research associate and visiting professor at the University of W. Florida, Stone accepted a position in the Department of Geography and Anthropology at LSU. In 1997, he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences and became a member of the Coastal Studies Institute. His interest in the oceanic processes that drive changes in coasts of different types made him a perfect fit for CSI and its 50 year history of similar research work.
Stone quickly established himself as an internationally respected coastal scientist who produced cutting-edge research and attracted millions of dollars of research support to LSU. As part of his research, he and the CSI Field Support Group developed a series of offshore instrumented stations to monitor wind, waves and currents that impact the Louisiana coast.
The Wave-Current Information System, or WAVCIS, stations produce data that may be accessed on the Internet and used by coastal scientists, industry, state agencies, sports fishermen and others. This program, a product of Stone?s vision, has received international recognition for its technical innovation and scientific value.
In addition to being an outstanding researcher, Stone was an excellent teacher and advisor of graduate students. His classes provided students with a sound quantitative understanding of coastal change, and he prepared his graduate students for life after LSU by assigning them significant research problems, supporting them through graduation, and providing knowledgeable supervision.
?Greg always projected a genuine sense of happiness and feeling of accomplishment when he talked about his students and they loved working for him in the educational environment he created,? said Harry Roberts, LSU Boyd Professor and long-time colleague of Stone?s. ?He was a valued colleague to his peers at LSU and around the world. He will be sincerely missed as an excellent coastal researcher and friend.?
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that contributions be made to the LSU Foundation to honor and memorialize Stone. Checks may be mailed to the LSU Foundation at 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, La. 70808.
Online gifts may be made at
https://www.lsufoundation.org/contribute.php. Complete the donor information, then select ?Yes? for ?Is this a memorial or honorarium contribution?? In the fields below, please specify Gregory Stone is being honored and if you would like family members to be notified about the gift. Alternatively, select ?Coastal Studies Institute Development? from the drop down menu under School of Coast & Environment and indicate the gift is to be directed to Coastal Studies Institute on behalf of Stone.
http://www.lsu.edu/ur/ocur/lsunews/MediaCenter/News/2011/02/item25180.html
