New Jersey lab director chosen to lead Southern Miss’ GCRL

OCEAN SPRINGS — The University of Southern Mississippi has named Rutgers University professor Eric Powell as the new director of USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs.

The Sun Herald reports Powell teaches at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory at Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Science in New Jersey.

He had served as director of the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory from 1996 to 2010.

Powell will begin his job at the GCRL in September. He replaces Bill Hawkins, who retired in June 2011 after serving as GCRL director since March 2008.