Category: Featured

By Megan Sam New research delivers the clearest evidence so far that exposure to Florida’s red tide drives measurable increases in acute respiratory and gastrointestinal illness. By pairing bloom data with healthcare records, scientists documented a direct rise in short-term symptoms — offering a rare, detailed look at red tide’s immediate health impacts. This study was carried out by […]

By Megan Sam and Sharon Ryan In a massive wave tank at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Alberto Canestrelli, Ph.D., observes oyster reef breakwaters as they respond to simulated tides.  An associate professor of civil and coastal engineering, Canestrelli is testing how different reef […]

By Megan Sam Student hackathons. Joint certificate programs. Collaborative workshops and problem-solving spaces. These are just a few of the forward-thinking ideas that emerged during an energizing planning session held April 23 between the University of Florida (UF) and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). The session brought together scientists, engineers and […]

What if decision-making included experiencing the future firsthand? Community leaders can now forecast hazards like hurricanes, model future scenarios, and test strategies to ensure a healthy, resilient and economically vibrant future for Jacksonville’s residents using the JaxTwin, a digital replica of the city. This novel tool, developed by a trans-disciplinary team of UF researchers and […]

Gas bubbles 2,500 times smaller than a grain of salt that are being used to improve water quality. The escalating battle between seagrass and pathogens, with each side constantly evolving new strategies of attack or defense. Proteins in the salivary glands of squid that can paralyze crabs. These were a few of the exciting topics […]

The survival of eelgrass, once the dominant seagrass species in Chesapeake Bay—the nation’s largest estuary—is now severely threatened, primarily due to rising temperatures and heatwaves. Traditional seagrass restoration efforts in the bay have struggled to sustain healthy seagrass meadows. However, innovative research led by experts such as Enie Hensel, Ph.D., is yielding promising results, offering […]

Congratulations to CCS affiliate faculty members Marc Hensel and Elise Morrison, who were awarded Gulf Research Program (GRP) Early-Career Research Fellowships by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. This prestigious fellowship provides rising scientific leaders with the resources to build partnerships and pursue innovative research that strengthens coastal communities and ecosystems. With funding […]

Adapt. Prepare. Absorb. Recover. These four principles guide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) approach to coastal resilience, a central theme of the keynote at the Optimizing Solutions for Resilient Coasts summit on December 13 at the Austin Cary Forest Campus. Keynote speaker Julie Rosati, Ph.D., lead technical director for civil works and coastal […]

Hurricanes can bring more than just strong winds and heavy rain — they can also trigger a range of water quality problems. From untreated wastewater spilling out of treatment plants to microplastics being released from damaged infrastructure, the impacts on our waterways can be severe. Storm surge runoff can also carry harmful nutrients, fueling dangerous […]

UF Center for Coastal Solutions’ alumna Julie Walker has always embraced a challenge, even if it means facing down an alligator to check on her field experiments. During her doctoral studies, she once spotted what appeared to be an alligator’s head floating near her work site in the marsh. After waiting for 30 minutes, she […]