Category: News

By Megan Sam When researchers returned to Tyndall Air Force Base in September, just four months after installing bamboo barriers to protect seagrass from grazers, they found something striking: in some areas, the only seagrass left standing was inside the bamboo plots.   These early results showcase the success of a simple but effective strategy: using […]

By Megan Sam A new machine learning model from the University of Florida could transform how Jacksonville monitors water quality in the St. Johns River, making it faster, more accurate and better able to protect public health. The model estimates E. coli levels using environmental and infrastructure data, reducing the need for costly, time-consuming water […]

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 Six months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton reshaped Florida’s coastline, researchers from the University of Florida joined academic, government and industry partners from across the country for an intensive field campaign at Midnight Pass and Milton Pass, two barrier islands opened by the storms. Their goal: to document the long-term impacts of a […]

By Megan Sam In June, a patch of salt marsh in St. Augustine became the testing ground for novel coastal restoration tools. Experts from the University of Florida’s Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS) and BESE, a Netherlands-based company known for its sustainable restoration products, launched field experiments on a new generation of biodegradable products designed […]

By Megan Sam In August, we proudly celebrated the graduation of three outstanding students: Yiyang Kang, Nick Chin and Hyun Dong Kim. Each is embarking on exciting new chapters of their careers. Whether pursuing academic careers as professors or stepping into engineering roles, their expertise, passion and dedication to coastal innovation will undoubtedly shape the […]

By Megan Sam Science and design don’t always speak the same language, often working in isolation even on the same projects. Adrian Sakr, an environmental engineering student at the Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS), wants to change that. He believes that building a more resilient future for Florida’s coastlines starts with breaking down these silos […]

By Megan Sam “As we all live on or near the Indian River Lagoon, we’re directly affected by these issues,” said Walter Rentz, president of the Space Coast Gator Club. “The discussion about red tide was especially timely.”  That sense of urgency — and personal connection — set the tone for a recent Gator Nation […]

By Megan Sam That’s the question driving Arianna Martin, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and coastal engineering at the University of Florida. She’s exploring how the behavior of small seafloor-dwelling animals might affect locating and identifying unexploded ordnances (UXOs) — leftover bombs or munitions buried in subaquatic sediments.  Central to Martin’s research is a device […]

By Megan Sam Why does one branch of the St. Lucie Estuary consistently struggle with low oxygen levels while the other remains relatively healthy? That’s the puzzle a team of researchers, led by Scott Lee Young, a graduate student in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, is working to solve. Each year, the North […]