7:45 a.m., Nov. 25, 2009----Victor Klemas, professor emeritus of marine studies in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE), was awarded the Science Prize of the Republic of Lithuania on Nov. 19. The honor recognized his lifetime achievements in applying remote sensing and other advanced techniques to study coastal ecosystems.

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Klemas has also been active in helping Lithuania's Klaipeda University to develop advanced coastal oceanography programs by teaching Fulbright courses and inviting other U.S. scientists to do the same. With colleagues from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, Klemas has also been a key organizer of the U.S./European Union Baltic Sea symposia, which have attracted speakers and participants from more than 20 countries.

The award ceremony took place at the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences in the country's capital city, Vilnius, and was attended by cabinet ministers and university presidents. Also awarded the prize were scientists in medicine and linguistics from Harvard University and the University of Illinois, respectively.

U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Anne E. Derse expressed her gratitude to Klemas for strengthening international ties by collaborating with local scientists and working hard to advance the marine sciences at Baltic Sea universities.

Klemas' future plans include several environmental projects in the Baltic Sea and using prize money associated with the award to establish a scholarship for students majoring in the marine sciences.

Klemas received a doctorate in optical physics from the University of Braunschweig in Germany and joined the UD faculty in 1971. He directed UD's Applied Ocean Science Program from 1981-98, and he has co-directed UD's Center for Remote Sensing for more than 30 years.

For more about CEOE, visit the college Web site.