Author: megansam@ufl.edu

Dear Friends and Colleagues,   Field data collection has always been central to coastal sciences and engineering. Coastal systems are highly complex, making field observations essential to understanding the processes that drive them and to developing effective, sustainable solutions. Fieldwork also connects researchers directly with the environments they study and with the communities most affected by […]

By Megan Sam When Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Florida’s Gulf Coast in 2024, they dramatically reshaped the shoreline, creating two new openings in barrier islands just 29 miles apart. One storm reopened Midnight Pass, restoring a long-lost tidal connection between the Gulf of America and Little Sarasota Bay. The other carved Milton Pass through […]

By Megan Sam University of Florida (UF) researchers recently completed a countywide septic vulnerability assessment that adds new environmental data to Jacksonville’s existing prioritization framework for sewer expansion. The findings can help guide future planning and development decisions across Duval County. Researchers also used an optimization tool to identify where sewer infrastructure investments could have […]

By Sharon Ryan As Gulf Coast communities confront stronger storms, increased flood risk and chronic erosion, researchers at the University of Florida (UF) and University of Texas (UT) at Austin are testing a new idea: coastal defenses that not only block waves but also help rebuild the ecosystems that protect shorelines naturally.   A joint UF-UT […]

By Megan Sam Amid a stream of discouraging environmental headlines, there are also stories that point to what can be achieved when science, policy and communities work together. That was the message Nancy Knowlton, Ph.D., Sant chair emerita of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History delivered to a University of Florida (UF) audience on February 11. Speaking as part of the Whitney Lecture Series, co-hosted by the UF Center for Coastal Solutions, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and UF Biodiversity Institute, Knowlton focused on conservation “bright […]

By Megan Sam As an undergraduate, Megan Sanford spent plenty of time in the lab. But it wasn’t until she was out on the water, collecting samples and seeing how those experiments connected to real ecosystems that something clicked: she wanted a more hands-on role in research. When her advisor, Elise Morrison, Ph.D., an assistant professor in environmental engineering sciences at the University of Florida, encouraged her to […]

By Megan Sam That’s the question driving Taryn Chaya, a Ph.D. student in the University of Florida’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. She is investigating whether mosquito impoundments — wetlands modified to control mosquito populations — can also be managed to capture nutrients and improve water quality in coastal systems. Her work focuses on the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), once […]

By Megan Sam Water managers can now explore how lake conditions and water release strategies could affect Lake Okeechobee’s water quantity and quality, using two new web-based tools designed to support more proactive decision-making.  Co-developed by researchers from seven institutions, the Lake Okeechobee Optimization of Nutrients Exports (LOONE) Forecast and Planning tools were showcased at the Optimizing Solutions for Resilient Coasts summit in December 2025. Project co-leaders David […]

By Megan Sam For the University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions, 2025 was a year of steady progress and measurable impact.   At the Optimizing Solutions for Resilient Coasts summit in December, Interim Director Andrew Altieri, Ph.D., captured the spirit of the year: urgency paired with optimism. Hosted at the Austin Cary Forest Campus, the gathering served as what Altieri called a “marathon aid station” — a […]

Building on a strong foundation  Dear CCS community,  It has been just a couple of weeks since I had the great honor of stepping into the role of director of CCS and I have already been deeply impressed by the commitment and drive of the CCS community to make key contributions to solving today’s big coastal challenges.     CCS is known for its cutting‑edge research, effective outreach and close collaboration with academic, […]