Claude Brown

Claude Brown was born in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from Paxon Jr./Sr. High School.. He obtained his B.S. degree from the University of Miami, Florida in 1980 with a major in biology and minor in chemistry. From 1980-1982, he worked as a temporary agricultural inspector for APHIS/PPQ at Miami International Airport and as a sanitarian for Dade County. He was employed at the University of Florida as a laboratory technician studying insect interactions and parasitology in the Department of Zoology (1982-1984) and as manager of the Health Center Teaching Laboratories for the medical professional colleges (1984-1988). In 1988, he returned to the University of Miami as a research assistant studying the effects of crude oils, jet fuels, and dispersants on mangrove physiology (1988-1990). At the same time he was employed as a laboratory analyst at the Virginia Key Wastewater Treatment Facility, Key Biscayne, Florida. From 1990-1997, he worked as a chemist with Florida LAKEWATCH, concurrently conducted graduate studies part-time from 1991-1997 in the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and obtained a Master of Science degree in 1997. Since then, he has been working as a Florida LAKEWATCH Regional Coordinator for the northeast Florida counties.