Meet the Lab

  • Professor and Lead of Physical Oceanography Laboratory: Alex Soloviev, Ph.D.

  • Senior Ocean Engineer: Terry Thompson

  • Captain/Divemaster: Brian Ettinger, M.S. (Field-Work Support)

  • Program Coordinator: Luba Solonenko

 

Alex Soloviev, Ph.D.

Professor and Lead of Physical Oceanography Laboratory

Alex Soloviev is a Professor at the Nova Southeastern University Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Dania Beach, FL since 1996. He teaches graduate courses including Concepts of Physical Oceanography and Biophysical Interactions in the Ocean. Dr. Soloviev is also an Affiliated Faculty at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School Alfred Glassell Jr. SUSTAIN Laboratory. He was previously a Visiting Scientist at the University of Hawaii and University of Hamburg and a Scientist in the two leading institutions of the former Soviet Academy of Sciences, P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology and A.M. Oboukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics.

Dr. Soloviev participated in several major oceanographic and air-sea interaction experiments (POLYMODE, JASIN, FGGE, TOGA COARE, GASEX) and is the author and co-author of more than 70 research articles published in peer-reviewed journals. He is the inventor or co-inventor on five patents. Recently, in co-authorship with Prof. Roger Lukas from the University of Hawaii, he wrote a monograph "The Near-Surface Layer of the Ocean: Structure, Dynamics, and Applications", published by Springer.

Dr. Soloviev is a naturalized US citizen. He has been PI and co-PI on a number of research projects funded by the US Federal Government and private industries.

Email: soloviev@nova.edu

Terry Thompson

Senior Ocean Engineer

Terry worked at Nova Southeastern University’s Charles and Hamilton Foreman Oceanographic Center from 1985 to 1992 where he designed, built, and operated microcomputer-based instrumentation to record gravity wave high resolution directional spectra. After leaving NSU, he spent a decade in Houston, Texas as a partner in a geochemical consulting firm providing surface geochemistry services for oil exploration and environmental assessment. For the next 11 years he was an independent subsea controls contractor specializing in subsea well completion riser controls and subsea well production controls for two major oil companies. The final three years before his retirement in 2016 were spent in Nigeria as the Principal Subsea Controls Engineer for the operations of a major oil company in Africa. Terry left retirement to return to the NSU Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography in 2019.

Email: tthomps1@nova.edu

Brian Ettinger

Captain/Divemaster

Brian Ettinger, M.S. has been working with the Oceanographic Center since 1996 when he came to NSU’s Oceanographic Center to complete his Master’s Degree in Marine Biology.  The focus of his study was abundance and diversity of coral reef fishes and reef associated fishes of Broward County, FL.  While at the Oceanographic Center Brian Ettinger became the first AAUS scientific diver during the Oceanographic Center’s process of becoming an AAUS facility.  Brian Ettinger participated in many benthic survey projects involving coral and fish survey and census projects.  Brian Ettinger worked full time with the National Coral Reef Institute as a scientific diver and worked as a scientific diver/field services technician with the Physical Oceanography Lab.  Brian Ettinger is a Licensed Captain (OUPV) and a Diving Instructor for PADI, SSI and PDIC.  He is also an First Aid/CPR instructor with Divers Alert Network, PADI and the American Red Cross.  In addition to the recreational diver agencies, Brian Ettinger has completed the Diver Training Program at the U.S. EPA Diver Training Facility in Gulf Breeze, FL and a Diver Medical Technician at Hyperbarics International in Key Largo, FL.  He has also served as a Dive Team Coordinator and Training Officer for the Hollywood Fire Rescue Dive Team where he is a Fire Lieutenant/ Paramedic. Currently Brian works part time with a local commercial diving company where he is exposed to many different areas of diving.  Brian Ettinger’s B.A. is in Biology Concentrating in Marine Science and was completed at Boston University through the Boston University Marine Program (BUMP).  He has worked at the New England Aquarium as well as taught marine science courses and scientific diving courses at Seacamp Association and Newfound Harbor Marine Institute in Big Pine Key, FL.

Email: ettinger@nova.edu

Luba Solonenko

Program Coordinator

Luba Solonenko is the Program Coordinator at the Physical Oceanography Lab. She acquired her Bachelor's of Science in Telecommunications-News with a Minor in Leadership from the University of Florida in 2012. During her time at UF she volunteered at WUFT-TV, the PBS-affiliate news station located on the UF campus and held various positions including studio camera operator, reporter, and anchor. She also interned at NBC Miami in the fall of 2011, shadowing local reporters and gaining insight into large market news operations. Following college she worked as a reporter for KTVH, an NBC-affiliate news station located in Helena, Montana and covered stories such as interim legislative meetings at the state's Capitol and county commission meetings. Luba is a member of the National Academy of Television, Arts, and Sciences (NATAS) for the Northwest Chapter through her past work at KTVH. From 2014 to 2024 she served as a judge for various regional NATAS Emmy Awards.

Email: lsolonenko@nova.edu

 

Former Students:

  • Alfredo Quezada - Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida

  • Atsushi Fujimura, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor, University of Guam, Mangialo, Guam

  • Breanna Vanderplow, Ph.D. - Physical Scientist, Service Delivery of Ocean Prediction supporting NOAA IOOS, Integrated Systems Solutions, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • Bryan Hamilton - Molecular Biologist, A-TEK, Miami, Florida

  • Cayla Dean, Ph.D. - Outreach Specialist/Coastal Scientist, NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 

  • Christopher Maingot - DD/RSS Field Specialist, Weatherford, Houston, Texas

  • Georgia Parks - Staff Professional, Antea Group, Austin, Texas

  • Jenny Ostroff (Fenton) - Florida Fisheries Bioloigst, NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Saint Petersburg, Florida

  • John Kluge, Ph.D. - Library Assessment and Data Analyst, Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida

  • Katherine Moore - Lab manager, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida

  • Kathryn Howe, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Scholar, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama

  • Kathy Burge (Young) - Assistant Professor of Research, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

  • Megan Miller - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

  • Mikayla Craven - Laboratory Associate, Quantigen Biosciences in Fishers, Indiana

  • Naoko Kurata, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Researcher, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

PO Lab has collaborated with:

  • Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada

  • German Aerospace Center (DLR)

  • University of Hamburg, Germany

  • University of Hawaii

  • University of Miami, RSMAS, Florida

  • University of Rhode Island

  • Seoul National University, Korea

 

Last revision 8/28/24.