Director of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Margaret Leinen parts with FAU to explore uncharted waters

July 30, 2013

Margaret Leinen, Executive Director of FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is leaving FAU for a position at University of California San Diego. Photo courtesy of FAU. — Margaret Leinen, Executive Director of FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is leaving FAU for a position at University of California San Diego. Photo courtesy of FAU.

Director of FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Associate Provost of Marine and Environmental Initiatives, Margaret Leinen is set to leave to her home in Fort Pierce, and teaching position at FAU.

Leinen will be leaving FAU two years and eight months after she accepted her position as Executive Director of FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, to accept a job at UC San Diego as vice chancellor for Marine Sciences, director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and dean of the School of Marine Sciences.

“I will be leaving FAU Harbor Branch knowing that the future of the institute is secure,” Leinen said in a recent press release.

FAU’s Interim President Dennis J. Crudele, released a statement on July 26 regarding Leinen’s recent decision.

“There is no doubt that the experience leading FAU Harbor Branch has prepared her well to continue her important work in ocean science and environmental issues with one of the world’s leading centers for global science research.”

Prior to the news of Leinen’s transfer, two administrators and two associate provosts also announced their departure from FAU in the past year.

FAU has not announced Leinen’s replacement as of publication time.

While at FAU, Leinen has led the institute to study climate change and has also testified before Congress on the topic.

During Leinen’s tenure at Harbor Branch, she was elected to the presidency of the American Geophysical Union; she will serve the company through 2018.

In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil leak disaster, Leinen was named vice chair of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, for a 10-year involvement in a $500 million research program funded by BP.

As well, Leinen founded the Climate Response Fund, a discussion-based non-profit organization based on climate engineering research. She also served at the National Science Foundation as director for geosciences and coordinator of environmental oversight and education where she worked internationally identifying new areas of research.

Her research focused primarily on paleo-climatography and paleo-oceanography.

“Dr. Leinen’s experience leading innovation and creating collaborative programs make her the right choice for Scripps and a key campus partner in implementing UC San Diego’s strategic plan” stated UC San Diego’s Chancellor, Pradeep K. Kholsa in an announcement on July 25.

Leinen is set to begin her new job at UC San Diego in October 2013.