RUNC: Kamya Bates

Kamya Bates studies one of the coast’s most valuable resources: seagrass.
Portrait of Jim Mahaney

Rooted: Jim Mahaney

Jim Mahaney has been contributing to research at Carolina for 28 years.
young woman on the beach at sunset with anglers fishing behind her

Casting Lines, Catching Data

Sally Dowd blends scientific data with angler observations to protect ocean predators, the ecosystems they support, and the communities that depend on them.
two young women look at seed samples in a wooden sifter

Where the Seagrass Grows

Heather Bruck and Nadya Gutierrez study how shrinking seagrass meadows could threaten the future of vital underwater ecosystems.
a young man holds a handful of oysters

The Shellfish Sleuth

Colin Eimers is investigating why so many N.C. oysters die off each year — and how to stop it before farmers lose entire harvests.
young woman holding a fishing net over her shoulder looks out at the water

Marine Crossroads

Alexis Longmire is exploring how manmade coastal barriers affect predator movement, seagrass, and the future of waterfront communities.
a man in lab with a lot of devices

RUNC: Sachin Kadian

Sachin Kadian develops microneedle technology to make health monitoring and treatment more accessible, comfortable, efficient, and less invasive.
a woman stands in front of a pillared building

Rooted: Fei Yu


Fei Yu has spent the past decade transforming library services and advancing digital health technology.

two women stand under a bridge in Bolin Creek

Flooded Futures

Flood researchers Antonia Sebastian and Miyuki Hino are reshaping how the Southeast prepares for storms.
a man stands in a chemistry lab

Curbing Overdose Deaths

Nabarun Dasgupta analyzes street drugs nationwide to uncover dangerous contaminants and prevent overdoses.
A female doctor administers a breathing test on a male child.

Breathing Beyond Barriers

Michelle Hernandez is leading asthma research in rural communities across North Carolina to make care and clinical studies more accessible.
a man leans against a window with a reflection of an American flag in it

Rewiring Recovery

Samuel McLean is transforming trauma care for the military community and civilian survivors, proving that early interventions can prevent lifelong suffering.