RUNC: Kamya Bates
September 10, 2025
Kamya Bates studies one of the coast’s most valuable resources: seagrass.
UNC institute of Marine Sciences
Casting Lines, Catching Data
August 27, 2025
Sally Dowd blends scientific data with angler observations to protect ocean predators, the ecosystems they support, and the communities that depend on them.
Where the Seagrass Grows
August 26, 2025
Heather Bruck and Nadya Gutierrez study how shrinking seagrass meadows could threaten the future of vital underwater ecosystems.
The Shellfish Sleuth
August 21, 2025
Colin Eimers is investigating why so many N.C. oysters die off each year — and how to stop it before farmers lose entire harvests.
Marine Crossroads
August 19, 2025
Alexis Longmire is exploring how manmade coastal barriers affect predator movement, seagrass, and the future of waterfront communities.
Mucking in the Marshes
August 24, 2022
Josh Himmelstein is getting knee-deep in marshes to understand the effects of sea-level rise.
The Sediment Scientist
August 19, 2022
Anne Smiley maps coastal habitats and nitrogen levels to assess water quality and coastal ecosystem health, protecting communities hit by major storms.
The Coastal Engineer
August 16, 2022
Since 1987, Rick Luettich has been building systems to protect the coast from environmental hazards and extreme weather events.
Doing COVID-19 Dirty Work
September 8, 2020
Employing wastewater epidemiology — proven useful in outbreaks of polio and opioid use — UNC microbiologist Rachel Noble is leading a state-wide collaboration tracking novel coronavirus outbreaks across North Carolina, gaining insight that testing individuals does not offer. Preliminary results have shown that by using wastewater, researchers can identify COVID-19 hot spots five to seven days before they are reflected by clinical testing results.
A Solution for Seagrass
September 17, 2019
Seagrasses are vital habitats in North Carolina coastal waters, but their numbers have dwindled over the years. A team at the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences is exploring what type of seagrass structure marine life prefer in order to best approach restoring these important aquatic environments.