Jason Box, Ph.D.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jason Box, Ph.D., an internationally renowned climate scientist and Arctic expert, has been appointed vice president for ocean intelligence and global exploration and professor of climatology and oceanography in the Halmos College of Arts & Sciences at Nova Southeastern University.
Box will provide strategic leadership of the university’s NSU Ocean initiative to advance ocean and climate science, foster new ocean technologies, and partner with industry and community partners to advance the blue economy.
He will report to NSU President and Chief Executive Officer Harry K. Moon, M.D., collaborate with faculty, researchers, and students, and develop affiliations with industry and government leaders to make Fort Lauderdale a world center for oceanography, marine science, and climate preparedness. NSU plans to launch a global research vessel through the refurbishment of the research vessel (R/V) Lana Rose, the world’s only ice-armored, self-sustaining vessel capable of conducting research, education, and exploration from Greenland to the Galapagos Islands.
“Jason’s appointment, his leadership of our NSU Ocean strategic initiatives, and our commitment to launch a world-class global research vessel represent a major step toward our long-term vision for NSU Ocean,” Moon said. “We are building something distinctive here in South Florida, an internationally recognized center for ocean science, climate dynamics, experiential education, marine innovation, and the blue economy.
“We will bring together the best minds across disciplines to better understand our oceans, strengthen coastal resilience, prepare for a changing climate, and develop solutions that improve the health of our planet. This is a long-term commitment I believe can establish NSU Ocean and South Florida among the world’s leading centers for ocean research, education, and innovation.”
The R/V Lana Rose is a floating research classroom for global exploration. Designed for expeditionary missions lasting more than 60 days, the vessel has a nautical range to sail from Greenland to the Galápagos Islands on a single fuel load, connecting polar ice sheets, tropical reefs and some of the planet’s most important ocean ecosystems in one voyage. One of only a handful of research vessels in the world equipped with a helicopter landing pad, the R/V Lana Rose will feature onboard freshwater production, helicopter fueling operations, advanced laboratories, and infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence, robotics, media production, and multidisciplinary research in some of the world’s most remote environments.
“NSU already has an exceptional scientific foundation,” Box said. “The opportunity now is to connect that foundation to the world on one campus and one research vessel—the R/V Lana Rose—so leading researchers, students, and partners advance ocean science in ways that create insight and market opportunity. Together, we can make NSU among the world’s leading centers for ocean research.”
This expansion of NSU’s global ocean enterprise will extend the university’s scientific presence in globally significant regions, including Greenland, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and the Galápagos Islands.
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- Jason Box, Ph.D.
CONTACT: Pashen Black Nova Southeastern Univeristy [email protected]
