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Latest News from CSI
The CSI Virtual Tour Experience is Now Here!
Over the past nine months, the Public Engagement and Outreach team at the Coastal Studies Institute has been working to bring the experiences of CSI to the virtual realm. In addition to the virtual content produced in 2020, such as the Kitchen Science, Summer Science...
Research Buoy Recently Deployed Off Of Jennette’s Pier
A small team of researchers recently took advantage of a stint of beautiful weather on the Outer Banks employing the help of both CSI research vessel Miss Caroline and divers to deploy a buoy off of Jennette’s Pier. The buoy will stay in place for one month, while...
Goodbye for Now: The Conclusion of OBXFS 2020
Written by Lauren Colonair.As I reflect on the last four months spent at the Coastal Studies Institute with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Outer Banks Field Site, I have realized that this experience feels as if it should encompass a lifetime. Even as I look over the first story I...
Dubbs Receives 2020 C3E Education Award
It is no doubt that Dr. Lindsay Dubbs has been an integral part of the Coastal Studies Institute since joining the team in 2012. She is now the Co-director of the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Outer Banks Field Site (OBXFS) hosted by CSI, and the Associate...
Converging Currents and Everything Else: The Magic of the Gulf Stream
Written by Lauren Colonair.Physics...but in the Ocean Dr. Mike Muglia has worked at CSI since it was established in 2003. The journey leading him to the institute has been full of many twists and turns since he began studying marine sciences as an undergraduate at the...
OBXFS Capstone Project: The Challenges & Rewards of Undergraduate Research
Written by Lauren Colonair. The Outer Banks Field Site (OBXFS) offers an abundance of opportunities for undergraduate students from UNC-Chapel Hill, however, the capstone component is one of the main attractions. Most of the students that participate in the field site...
Coastal Adaptations Call for Local Context
As climate change and sea-level rise continue to threaten coastal communities, strategies to cope with these hazards are becoming key to ensure the long-term survival of those most immediately threatened. However, what may often be considered by governments or...
Muglia Research Group Collaborates with NOAA, SECOORA, FACT to Deploy Offshore Buoy
This month Dr. Mike Muglia and his team deployed a sub-surface buoy just east of Cape Hatteras on the upper shelf slope under the edge of the Gulf Stream in water 230 meters deep. The deployment site is the focus of the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program’s...
The Midpoint: Moment, Memories, and More
Written by Lauren Colonair.Recently, my classmates and I have reached the midpoint of our semester at UNC’s Outer Banks Field Site. This year, due to COVID-19, the final half of the semester came earlier than we expected. It has been a strange experience with August...
Impacts of Oyster Leases in North Carolina Estuarine Systems: Habitat Creation through Sustainable Aquaculture
Written by Lauren Colonair.In January of 2020, Dr. Jim Morley, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at East Carolina University, joined CSI as an Assistant Scientist. Morley brings unique and exciting perspectives to the team, as he is currently the...
Lagomasino Helps Categorize Mangroves by “Biophysical Typology”
Mangrove forests are one of the most important ecosystems in the world. They can store large amounts of carbon, provide coastal protection, serve as crucial habitat for many important fish species, and even support the tourism industry in some areas. Yet, despite...
Experiences of a NCROEP Intern
Written by Meagan Gates. I gaze out at the expanse of water before me, the white-capped waves deceptively calm from a distance. The sun shining in between the clouds makes the waves glisten brightly. I could never get used to seeing such a brilliant view. Honestly, I...
Intern Adventures at Cedar Island: A Day at Dr. Morley’s Field Site
Written by Lauren Colonair.Dr. Jim Morley, one of the newest researchers at CSI, is working on many interesting projects through Morley Marine Fisheries Ecology Lab. Morley’s research is a mix of ecological modeling and fieldwork, with a focus on...
People and Sediment: Environmental Change in Bangladesh
Written by Lauren Colonair.Scientific research using interdisciplinary methods is a fast-growing approach that integrates natural and social science into the pursuit of knowledge. A great example of this method is the work of Dr. Kimberly G....
Coming Soon: CSI Virtual Tour!
Written by Lauren Colonair. Over the past few months, the Public Engagement and Outreach team at the Coastal Studies Institute has been working to bring the experiences of CSI to the virtual realm. Before the era of social distancing, CSI provided many programs and...
Unprecedented Times: A Fresh Start During COVID-19
Written by Lauren Colonair.My journey with the UNC Institute for the Environment Outer Banks Field Site (OBXFS) program started three years ago, in a first-year environmental class. I cannot recall which class, or even which semester I was in when I heard the...
Land Conversion and Shoreline Erosion Battle for the Largest Contribution of Mangrove Loss
Dr. David Lagomasino, an ECU Department of Coastal Studies Assistant Professor and Assistant Scientist at CSI, has co-authored a recently published paper, “Global declines in human driven mangrove loss”, in the scientific journal Global Change Biology. Lagomasino,...
Tom Murphy, Education Champion and CSI Advocate
The faculty and staff of the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) were saddened by the recent announcement of the loss of a local icon and long-time supporter of CSI, Rev. A. Tom Murphy Jr. Tom’s dedication to our community was evident in his 15-year ministry at Roanoke...
ECU Faculty Uses Hurricane Case Studies to Understand Environmental Migration
Residents of North Carolina’s Outer Banks usually observe a mass exodus of visitors from the beach prior to a hurricane. Once the storm has passed, residents immediately clean up and repair their homes and businesses, getting ready for the next set of hopeful tourists...
CSI Biologist Awarded Funding for Fisheries and Climate Change Work
With climate change at the forefront of environmental issues, one of the notable changes has been the rising temperature in our ocean waters which has resulted in the displacement of many marine species. Some species have been able to adapt, while others may be left...
Climate Impacts Coastal Wastewater Management and Town Planning
The anonymous statement “At the beach, life is different.” is an adage that often brings to mind many idealistic lifestyle visions of surf, sun, sand, and fun. However, the saying also holds true for wastewater treatment in many coastal communities. On the Outer...
Coastal Studies Institute and Jennette’s Pier Chosen as Test Site for Department of Energy Waves to Water Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy recently announced that the Coastal Studies Institute, in partnership with Jennette’s pier, was chosen for the final testing stage of their American Made Challenges Waves to Water...
Study Shows Coral Reefs Provide Protection for Most Vulnerable People
Island nations are increasingly facing threats from large storm events such as hurricanes and cyclones. Often these small island developing nations include communities with a large number of poor and vulnerable people who are more susceptible to the impacts and damage...
D’Anna Studies Social Licensing to Understand Future Generation of MRE
The search for renewable energy sources is something becoming increasingly more mainstream, and for several years now the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program has been leading efforts to investigate the Gulf Stream off of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as a...
ECU Scientists Help Filter Through “Too Much Information” in the Mangrove Conservation World
As the situation with COVID-19 is showing us, science and data are most useful when they are made accessible and available to those who need and use them. This is just as true for global conservation efforts in this era of big data. Recently, an international team of...
ECU’s David Lagomasino to Help Assess Everglades Mangrove Recovery Post-Hurricane Irma
ECU Department of Coastal Studies assistant professor David Lagomasino is part of a team of researchers from ECU and Florida International University (FIU) who have been awarded funding from the National Parks Service for a project to assess the resilience and...
CSI, ECU Researchers Study Beach Nourishment Effects on Pea Island
Beach nourishment projects are no stranger to Outer Banks beaches which have experienced net erosion without human intervention. State regulations prohibit hard structure mitigation installments such as sea walls, bulkheads, and sandbags on the oceanfront leaving few...
As Hurricane Season Approaches Collaboration & Understanding Are Key
Hurricanes, severe weather, and flooding are becoming ever-increasing threats in coastal areas around the United States. On the Outer Banks and in eastern North Carolina, residents are experiencing these threats first-hand as...
Coastal Gardening and Landscaping Provides Great Escape and Habitat Protection
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Earth Fair OBX VIII Goes Virtual
While there has been little to celebrate in these first months of 2020, there is one fantastic milestone just around the corner. This upcoming Wednesday, April 22, will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Earth Day was...
NASA Funds ECU Scientist to Study Coastal Seascapes from Space
Coastal seascapes (seagrasses, mangroves, coral reefs, tidal flats) are of high economic and ecological value all over the world and also offer extensive protection from extreme weather events. Coastal seascapes are often labeled “Blue Carbon” environments, meaning...
ICP Coastal Fellows Initiative Provides Opportunities for ECU Faculty
Interdisciplinary sciences are playing an ever-increasing role in coastal research. Blending natural and social sciences provides a more holistic approach when addressing research questions. ECU and CSI scientists are making interdisciplinary connections on both the...
Ghost Forests of the Everglades Reveal Impacts from Irma
ECU Department of Coastal Studies assistant scientist David Lagomasino and Coastal Studies Institute research technician Anya Leach recently visited the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park to examine the extent of mangrove mortality after Hurricane Irma. The two...
ECU Art Students Find “Connection”
Due to a change in their international travel plans for spring break, students from the ECU School of Art and Design (SoAD) recently found themselves on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. Though one usually thinks of science-related content when they visit CSI, these...
Jim Morley Brings Shrimp and Sheepshead Studies to CSI
Jim Morley, a new assistant scientist at CSI and assistant professor in the Department of Biology at ECU, is excitedly anticipating all the possibilities of the work to come here at the Coastal Studies Institute on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. While his work has been...
NCA&T Ocean Design Class Visits CSI to Test Oscillating Wave Column
On February 25, 15 mechanical engineering students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T), visited the ECU Outer Banks Campus to put their oscillating wave column to the test in CSI’s wave tank. The students are part of Dr. Michael...
ECU Students Visit Beach for First OBX Semester Experience Field Trip
The history of the Outer Banks beaches is filled with stories of storms, erosion, and renourishment projects. When drastic events occur almost anyone can tell that their favorite beach spot has changed, but for some time scale variations of the landscape are often...
ECU, CSI Host Successful Blue Heron Bowl
Most people come to the Outer Banks to relax and vacation, however that was not on the agenda for the 57 students and coaches that traveled to Roanoke Island for Blue Heron Bowl this past weekend. The Blue Heron Bowl, a regional event for the National Ocean Sciences...
CSI, Jennette’s Pier Host 2020 OBX Science Fair
One of CSI’s Public Education and Outreach objectives is to get kids excited about science and to help them understand the scientific process. For the last three years, CSI and a variety of partners have done just that, and this year has only proven to be better. CSI,...
CSI and ECU Faculty Publish Paper on Coastal Adaptation in Pacific Island Nations
In a just-published paper, Drs. Siddarth Narayan and Nadine Heck, along with an international team of collaborators, examine how communities affected by coastal hazards choose to adapt. By analyzing data collected from coastal communities in four Pacific island...
ECU, CSI and University of Puerto Rico Collaborate on Ciguatoxin Study
Ecologists and anthropologists from ECU and CSI, and the University of Puerto Rico- Ponceare are working on a Puerto Rico Sea Grant (PRSG) funded study entitled, “Ciguatoxin detection and model predictions for use in fisheries management in Puerto Rico,” to better...
CSI Professor Visits Philippines to Map Coastal Habitats
Coastal habitats, such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangroves, and marshes play a critical role in the overall health and resilience of coastal systems. David Lagomasino, assistant professor in the Department of Coastal Studies at ECU and J.P. Walsh, director of...
UNC Students Spend Semester Researching Outer Banks Septic
Twelve students from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute for the Environment have spent the fall living and learning on the Outer Banks. During their semester at the Outer Banks Field Site (OBXFS) on ECU’s Outer Banks Campus, the students gained an understanding of the...
NC State Students Challenge Traditional Architecture Ideas With Storm Resilient Designs
Coastal hazards, including changing climate, increased storm activity, and rising sea levels threaten coastal communities and the infrastructure they contain. A group of architecture students from North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) School of Design are working...
CSI Partners with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences (NCCOS)
Coastal Studies Institute’s dive team recently partnered with a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences (NCCOS) underwater habitat study off the coast of North Carolina in Onslow and Raleigh Bays. The study...
CSI-led Research Team Visits Gulf Stream to Study Sargassum for NCROEP
Whether you are a commercial fisherman or coastal scientist, the Gulf Stream is an expansive and versatile natural resource known to generations of Outer Banks residents and visitors for its historical, ecological, or economic significance. Within the last decade, the...
ECU’s Integrated Coastal Programs (ECU ICP) is a leader in coastal and marine research, education, and engagement. ECU ICP includes the Coastal Studies Institute, ECU’s Department of Coastal Studies, and ECU Diving and Water Safety.
The ECU Outer Banks campus is home to the Coastal Studies Institute.
