Evelyn Gaiser, the lead Principal Investigator for the Florida Coastal Everglades (FCE) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program, has been appointed executive director of Florida International University (FIU) School of Environment, Arts and Society (SEAS) and associate dean in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Gaiser has served as the interim executive director of SEAS since July 2014, during which time she helped advance key initiatives in SEAS including the launch of the International Center for Tropical Botany and a new partnership with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In that capacity, Gaiser was featured prominently on the national stage when she accompanied President Barack Obama on a visit to the Everglades on Earth Day 2015. The visit followed a successful trip to Washington, DC, during which she and a group of fellow scientists briefed White House officials and Congressional leaders on issues related to sea level rise, the Everglades, and other matters.