Dr. Kirk Havens received his Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from Old Dominion University in Biology and Oceanography. He received a Doctorate from George Mason University in Environmental Science and Public Policy. He is the Director of the Coastal Watersheds Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. His research has spanned topics as diverse as hormonal activity in blue crabs to tracking black bears and panthers using helicopters and thermal imaging equipment. His work was featured in the French film "In the Wild." He is host of the television public service program "Chesapeake BayWatch with Dr. Kirk Havens" ( http://ccrm.vims.edu/education/ches_baywatch/index.html ) and "A Healthy Bay for Healthy Kids: Cooking with Virginia's First Lady" ( http://www.vims.edu/newsandevents/topstories/archives/2006/healthy_bay_kids.php ). He is presently working on projects involving invasive plant species and indicators of aquatic and wetland health for the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, adaptive and ecosystem based management in restoration activities in both the Chesapeake Bay and the Albemarle-Pamlico estuary, and the impact of derelict blue crab traps in the Chesapeake Bay ( http://ccrm.vims.edu/marine_debris_removal/index.html ). His research interests include terrestrial and wetlands ecology, natural resource public policy, adaptive management, and law. He is the author of numerous scientific papers involving wetlands, marshes and ecological systems. He is the Virginia Gubernatorial appointee to STAC and serves on the Executive Board of the North Carolina Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee, as well as its Policy Board. In addition, he is the immediate past president of the 50,000 member American Canoe Association, on the Board of Directors of the Peninsulas Emergency Medical Services Council and Chair of the King & Queen County Wetlands Board. He lives in rural King and Queen County, Virginia with his wife, Karla, and their 7 year old son Kade.