Marsh Madness
North Carolina's marshes continue to fragment every day. Shelby Ziegler attempts to rebuild them by gathering data from the healthy wetlands that remain — a feat she often tackles in the middle of the night.
Mary Lide Parker
Mary Lide’s love for science journalism started the first time she held a juvenile Kemp Ridley sea turtle, but it really kicked into high gear when she spent 10 days filming a research expedition on the Llaima volcano in southern Chile.
From a remote mountain town in South America, to a farm in the San Joaquin Valley of California, to a laboratory on UNC’s campus, Mary Lide always carries two things: her camera and her curiosity for how the world works. As an alum of the UNC School of Journalism, she has lots of tools to tell science stories effectively including photography, multimedia, writing, and a little social media savviness.
Posts by Mary Lide Parker:
Reef. Sleep. Repeat.
In December, graduate students from the UNC Department of Marine Sciences spent 10 days transplanting corals on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef in southern Belize. The data they collect from this research could impact coral reef conservation efforts in the future.
Career Aquatic
At the end of his 40-year career at the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, Dive Safety Officer Glenn Safrit reflects on the most important lessons he learned — and taught — in the ocean.
Generating Power Like Plants
When plants absorb sunlight, they convert carbon dioxide into energy-rich organic compounds. What if humans could do the same thing? What if we could pull CO2 out of the air and use it to build organic molecules? This revolutionary idea is still just that — an idea. But organic chemists at UNC are laying the groundwork for turning it into reality.
Go with the Flow
Streambeds act as natural water filters by trapping particles and pollutants. To better understand the dynamics of these small yet complex systems, a UNC hydrologist is creating (and clogging) her own stream.
A Love for Latin Rhythms
Stephen Anderson, a critically acclaimed composer and pianist, and a professor in the Department of Music in the College of Arts & Sciences, has a knack for finding Latin rhythms wherever he goes—most recently, the Dominican Republic.
Decades of Discovery
For 70 years, the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, located in Morehead City, has provided a home for Carolina scientists — from undergraduate students to tenured professors — to study the complex marine and coastal systems of North Carolina and beyond.
The Earth is Our Laboratory
UNC earth scientists have crossed oceans and traveled to far-away continents to pursue their research, as well as studied natural systems right here in North Carolina. In celebration of Earth Science Week, check out where they’ve been and what they’ve been up to.
Care in the Community
Doctors, researchers, social workers, and other professionals at the UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health work diligently to help people with severe mental illness. By providing comprehensive care that extends beyond traditional medical protocol, the center aims to help these individuals regain their independence and livelihood.
The Guava Hunter
From the time he was a child, Bryan Reatini has always held an inherent fascination for the natural world. Now, as he pursues his PhD in biology, Reatini has the unique opportunity to collect data from one of the most distinct ecosystems in the world — the Galápagos Islands.