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Sarah Oakes

Sarah Prior

Laboratory Manager
Grice Marine Laboratory
College of Charleston
205 Fort Johnson
Charleston, SC 29412

Phone: (843) 953-9174
Fax: (843) 953-9199
Email: oakessy@cofc.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Sarah Oakes joined the Grice Marine Laboratory in October of 2004. She graduated magna cum laude from Lander University with a B.S. in Biology. Prior to joining the lab. she worked for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources as the Laboratory Mananger of Marine Infectious Disease Laboratory conducting research in aquaculture and marine diseases. Since arriving at Grice, she has developed and implemented a number of policies, procedures, and projects including the expansion of the Grice website to include boating and safety.

The Lab Manager coordinates maintenance and/or renovations of Grice Marine Lab facilities and equipment that serves 12 full-time faculty, 50 graduate students and 150 undergraduate students. Manages the safety programs in laboratory, boat, workshop and biological safety to ensure compliance with safety regulations. Responsible for supervising two permanent staff members, the Marine Operations Manager and Laboratory Assistant. A complete list of job duties are listed below.

Job Functions:

  1. Serves as the health and safety officer for the marine lab.
    1. Develops and establishes safety protocols for the Grice Marine Lab.
    2. Monitors laboratories and personnel for compliance with safety regulations including routine safety testing.
    3. Trains students, student workers, faculty, and staff in lab and boating safety.
    4. Ensures laboratory and boating safety web page as needed.
    5. Coordinates waste disposal with College of Charleston staff.
    6. Conducts risk assessments and provides technical assistance to faculty staff and students as needed.
    7. Maintains required safety training.
  2. Maintains the laboratory’s facilities including 4 classrooms, 1 teaching lab, 1 computer lab, 2 aquatic animal holding rooms, 2 conference rooms, 24 dorm rooms, office and research space labs for 10 full-time faculty.  Serves as the liaison with CofC physical plant and IT department.
    1. Reports repair and maintenance problems to physical plant, monitors repair process to ensure successful completion of the work, and communicates progress to affected personnel.
    2. Makes recommendations to physical plant, IT and Director regarding facility needs.
    3. Reports and manages IT problems with cable network, telephones, wireless network, smart classrooms, conference facilities and computer lab.
    4. Maintains inventory of software required for teaching.
  3. Plan and execute renovations.
    1. Prepares budgets and detailed drawings and specifications of the necessary renovations.
    2. Coordinate with physical plant and procurement to hire contractors to complete renovations.
    3. Supervise contract agents to assure compliance of the renovations with appropriate specifications.
  4. Supervises staff including Marine Operations Manager, Lab Assistant, Grounds and Student Workers.
    1. Makes assignments, prioritizes workloads and monitors progress.
    2. Assist with marine operation as needed.
    3. Acts as safety contact for boating operations and emergency situations.
  5. Maintains an accurate inventory of capital equipment.
    1. Capital equipment is located and reported during inventory inspections.
    2. Develop protocol and policies related to equipment use including boats and trucks.
    3. Maintains a record of the movement of capital equipment.
    4. Equipment is maintained in an operational and available state for teaching and research functions.
    5. Microscopes are maintained in an operational state and inventoried at least once each year.
  6. Assist Marine Laboratory Director with surveys, grants, evaluations, reports, public and college relations and makes recommendations as needed.
  7. Serves as an institutional representative on various committees at the Hollings Marine Laboratory.
    1. Safety Committee.
    2. Seawater Systems and Productions Facilities Committee.
  8. Maintain the budget and order supplies and equipment associated with GML.
    1. College and State procurement procedures are followed.
  9. Serves as a liaison for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee inspections of GML.
    1. Monitors Grice facilities for compliance of all IACUC protocols.