In Memoriam: S. Mažeika Patricio Sulliván

S. Mažeika Patricio Sulliván

S. Mažeika P. Sulliván, Director of the Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science (BICEFS) and Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University, passed away on May 31, 2024, in McClellanville, South Carolina, at the age of 51.

Mažeika was a brilliant scientist, a valued colleague, a champion for headwaters, wetlands, and estuaries, and a leader in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the aquatic sciences.

Mažeika received a BA in anthropology and native American studies from Dartmouth College, a MS in biology, and a PhD in natural resources from the University of Vermont. He then served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Idaho, where he assisted the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe of northern Idaho on Native American water rights issues. He remained committed to the tribe and championed inclusion of Native Americans in research for the rest of his career. From 2008 to 2022, Mažeika was a professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) at The Ohio State University, and later director of the Ramsar-designated Schiermeier Olentangy Wetland Research Park from 2014 to 2022. In 2022, he became director of BICEFS at Clemson University, where he also led the Streams, Rivers, and Estuaries Lab.

Mažeika was a gifted scientist whose work focused on community and trophic ecology; water quality and quantity; land-water linkages in watershed, wetland, and coastal ecosystems; as well as integrated ecology, fluvial geomorphology, and biogeochemistry. He embraced approaches and activities that applied science to conservation, restoration, and policy.

His dedication to wetlands, headwaters, estuaries, and connectivity between aquatic and terrestrial systems was evident in both his science and his service. Mažeika used his expertise to influence policy in one of the seminal environmental issues of our time: shaping the Clean Water Act's definition of Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). The extent of the Clean Water Act's jurisdiction over streams and wetlands has become increasingly unclear, putting many waters that are critical to the physical, chemical, and biological condition of our nation's waters at risk of pollution and degradation. Various federal administrations and courts have attempted to clarify jurisdiction over these waters.

Mažeika's focus and vision were critical to the work of AFS and the Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies in shaping a science-based definition of WOTUS. His invaluable expertise and leadership set the foundation for research and policy over many years. Mažeika was a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters Panel (2013–2014). He coauthored articles regarding scientific concerns with the proposed Navigable Waters Protection Rule. In 2022, he contributed to an Amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding restrictions on WOTUS. He was a skilled science communicator who spoke eloquently and clearly to decision-makers on Capitol Hill through briefings and hearings on this topic. In 2023, Mažeika testified before the U.S. Senate regarding the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sackett versus EPA, which left most U.S. wetlands and streams unprotected by federal Clean Water Act safeguards. During the briefing, Sen. Carper referred to Mažeika's upbringing on a Vermont farm, highlighting a moment when Mažeika, polished and well-spoken, represented both current science as well as his deep agricultural roots.

On top of his professional accomplishments, Mažeika balanced being a doting father and loving husband. He enjoyed sports and outdoor activities with his children, passing along his love for nature to each of them and fostering a close-knit family bond. He is survived by his four spirited and fearless children, Adela, Joaquin, Santiago, and Gael, and his wife, Gabriela. Mažeika was a wonderful, supportive colleague and is truly missed.