Long-time JU professor receives Marine Science Pioneer Award

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dr. Quinton White, who taught for almost fifty years at Jacksonville University, will be honored with the university’s Marine Science Pioneer Award Thursday evening.

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Action News Jax Shanila Kabir caught up with Dr. White, known as “Mr. Science of Northeast Florida,” who said his biggest accomplishment is the legacy he leaves in Jacksonville, Florida.

On top of teaching for almost five decades at Jacksonville University, Dr. Quinton White was also the founding executive director of the school’s marine science research department back in 2010.

“I think I made people aware of the environment and I’ve made people appreciate the St. Johns River a little bit more,” said Dr. White.

Past honorees of the Marine Science Pioneer Award include Dr. Robert Ballard, the professor of Oceanography who discovered where the Titanic sank. Meanwhile. the award’s latest recipient Dr. White said his main message is for people to cut down on our plastic use.

“Oftentimes, people think they don’t make a difference and yet we do. It’s not the big things, it’s the little things. It’s not taking a straw at a restaurant, it’s not picking up a plastic bag and taking your cloth bag and reusing it,” said Dr. White.

Dr. White retired from Jacksonville University in August, however, he said he is still heavily involved in work with the St. John’s River. He calls it a resilient river and it deserves better treatment.

“It does a lot of things right despite the abuse we give it. I hope we get people to pay better attention to what they’re doing.”

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