Scientists all over the world will now recognize Chancellor James Leutze’s name and learn about his commitment to environmental conservation. Biology professor Robert George made this possible by naming an entire genus-a group of related species-after the chancellor. “[Leutze] impressed me [with] his dedication to the conservation of our natural resources,” George said. Even before coming to UNCW, Leutze created the “Globe Watch Program,” which is a television program focused on international issues. George praised the program for its “contribution to international understanding.”

Leutze has offered support to environmental groups and increased awareness about many environmental issues while at UNCW. He has also supported efforts to designate about 25 percent of the campus as a conservation area. “During his 11-year tenure, there has been a history of strong support for programs such as . . . the building of the new Center for Marine Science at Myrtle Grove and the environmental science program,” said Mark Lanier, special assistant to the chancellor. The genus named for the chancellor, Leutziniscus, as well as several other newly identified organisms belonging to other families are described in George’s article in the Journal of Natural History. One organism, Leutziniscus jebamoni, was named for George’s mother, Jebamoni Roberts. The organisms are all isopods-small crustaceans related to shrimp-and were found off the coast of North Carolina at a depth of about one-mile. George said the organisms living at the bottom of the ocean are largely unknown and live in great numbers. “The deep sea, even in our own backyard, tends to be undiscovered, unexplored,” he said. George studies the deep-sea coral reefs such as the Oculina Reef system, which is a continuous reef 23 miles from shore that reaches toward the coast of Florida. As a marine conservation biologist, he is very concerned about the effects of global warming and fishing on these areas and is working to get the government to make it a protected area. This is one of the reasons George decided to honor Leutze’s efforts to protect the environment. In the early 1990s, Leutze began a series of documentaries that focused on the Carolina coast, Lanier said. The first of these documentaries sparked the origination of the Cape Fear River Research Program, which researches ways to preserve and protect the Cape Fear River. Leutze’s fourth documentary, “Paving the American Dream,” was his first to air on public television from Maryland to Florida in addition to being shown on UNC-TV, Lanier said. The program addressed the conflict of meeting the needs of urban growth while protecting the environment. The documentary won four awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, including the Award of Excellence for Documentary. Lanier said Leutze’s next project is a documentary focusing on the issue of water scarcity.