Jeff Schuffert: Associate Director, USSSP

Tel: (202) 787-1621
Email: jschuffert@oceanleadership.org

In the winter of 2006 Jeff Schuffert came to Washington, D.C. to become the Associate Director of the U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) at Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI). Jeff is responsible for all aspects of U.S. participation in the expeditions and science advisory structure of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). He also manages the nomination and review processes for U.S. participation in the Antarctic Geological Drilling program (ANDRILL).

At the University of Dayton, Jeff initially pursued computer science studies, but his love of maps and travel attracted him to geology. After obtaining a geology degree, his work and graduate studies led him from Louisiana to California to Michigan. Along the way he discovered geochemistry while participating in a project that entailed SCUBA diving in the caves of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

In 1992, Jeff obtained his Ph.D. in earth sciences from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. After that he hit the road again as a post-doctoral researcher, first at the University of South Florida and then at Brown University. While at Brown, Jeff became involved in scientific ocean drilling and `eventually participated on ODP Leg 178 to the Antarctic Peninsula. These experiences led next to a position as the U.S. Liaison in the JOIDES Office while it was located at the University of Kiel’s Research Center for Marine Geosciences (GEOMAR) in Germany.

Once Jeff’s stint in the JOIDES Office ended, he moved to Japan and became involved in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. He first served as the Science Coordinator for the IODP interim Science Advisory Structure (iSAS) Office at the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) in Yokosuka, Japan. When IODP officially began in 2003, he became the Senior Science Coordinator for IODP Management International at Hokkaido University in Sapporo.

Now, Jeff enjoys life with his family in the suburban neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland.