Bell Retires from State Service, Treon Promoted

In late-February 2026, we bid farewell to Elizabeth Vernon (E.V.) Bell, Education and Outreach Program manager. Bell retired after 20 years of state service, two with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and 18 with the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.

During her time at the Consortium—in partnership with many collaborators—Bell developed and implemented innovative, science-based education efforts, including the From Seeds to Shoreline® salt marsh restoration program, curricula and lesson plans, the Palmetto Environmental Education Certification (PEEC) program, Science Cafés, and a book club.

Bell won numerous awards for her leadership and programmatic accomplishments, including the 2023 S.C. Environmental Awareness Award, as well as the 2022 President's Award and 2017 Marine Educator of the Year Award from the S.C. Marine Educators Association. She was a long-time member of the S.C. Marine Educators Association, the National Marine Educators Association, and a board member of the PEEC program. Her passion for K-12 education was evident in her daily work and high praise from educators and colleagues. The Consortium thanks E.V. Bell for her many years of service, and wishes her all the very best during the next chapter. Fair winds and following seas, E.V.!

Morgan Treon, formerly the Consortium’s Marine Education specialist, takes on a new leadership role as Education and Outreach Program manager. Treon has worked alongside E.V. Bell since August 2022, and she previously was the Lead Education aide for the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.

Treon will continue to foster connections to the environment through teacher-training workshops and programs. She also assists with preparing, delivering, and evaluating marine science-related programs and community-science education efforts throughout the state.

Treon is past-president of the S.C. Marine Educators Association and chair of the association’s 2026 conference planning committee, as well as a member of the National Marine Educators Association. She also is a member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and an active member of the AGU Education Section’s executive committee. In addition, Treon is a member of the (S.C.) Coastal Master Naturalists Association. She earned a B.A. in earth science and a M.A.T. in secondary science education, both from James Madison University.

Abstracts Due April 1 for Coastal Science Research Symposium

Submit your abstract for the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium’s Coastal Science Research Symposium taking place this summer. Abstract submissions are invited on a range of coastal science topics, including coastal resilience, water quality, stormwater management, marine debris, fisheries and aquaculture, science literacy, and sustainable coastal development.

Abstracts are welcome from not only S.C. Sea Grant–funded investigators but also from researchers, students, and coastal professionals working on South Carolina’s relevant coastal issues. While research focused on S.C.’s coast is strongly encouraged, submissions addressing broader challenges across the nation are also welcome.

For abstract submission guidance and the latest updates, please visit the Symposium website.

Event Details: 

·     June 9–11, 2026, at the College of Charleston.

·     Abstracts due April 1, 2026.

·     Registration closes May 19, 2026. A limited number of student-rate and single-day registrations are available.

·     RSVP for an optional Evening Networking Event. Space is limited, please reserve your spot during registration.

Real Estate Course Engaged 1,300, Provided $146K in Economic Benefits

Over the past five years, Calling the Coast Home, a series of accredited, continuing education elective courses for real estate professionals (REPs), delivered 59 courses to over 1,300 REPs, garnering about $146,000 in economic benefits. The course was developed to provide resources to new homeowners and renters through their real estate agents.

Five course modules provide training in topical areas, such as coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, water quality, flooding and flood maps, and rebuilding regulations. Participants receive required continuing education credits and access to materials to share with clients as they explore the S.C. coast. The courses are approved and instructors licensed by the South Carolina Real Estate Commission through the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, and the series is offered through each of the three regional associations of REALTORS®.

Partners include S.C. Department of Natural Resources, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, S.C. Department of Environmental Service’s Bureau of Coastal Management, Clemson University Cooperative Extension, Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors, Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, and Hilton Head Area Realtors. Contact April Turner, Coastal Communities Program specialist, at (843) 953-2073 for more information about the current course schedule.

Sefah-Twerefour Selected as 2026 Knauss Fellow

Amadi Afua Sefah-Twerefour has been selected as a 2026 Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship finalist. She currently is in the final year of her marine science Ph.D. program at the University of South Carolina and will begin the fellowship on June 1, 2026. Sefah-Twerefour recently was placed with the Marine Mammal Commission, where she will help develop strategic objectives, scientific program directives, and a legislative affairs agenda. Sefah-Twerefour also will be assisting with Capitol Hill Oceans Week and leading her own special project. Please read our news story for more information about her education and research background.

The Knauss Fellowship is a one-year paid opportunity for current and recent graduates from advanced degree programs with a focus on or interest in marine and coastal science, policy, or management. The fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant’s founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with hosts in the legislative and executive branch of government in the Washington, D.C. area. Applications for the 2027 fellowship are due to the Consortium by June 3, 2026. For more information about this and other fellowships, contact Susannah Sheldon, Research and Fellowships manager, at (843) 953-2083.

Consortium Relaunching Flagship Magazine

Coastal Heritage magazine, an in-depth look at South Carolina’s coastal research, culture, and history, will be published again starting this spring. The award-winning quarterly publication will feature full-color photographs and illustrations along with an engaging story of interest to readers nationwide. To order a hard-copy printed or digital version of the magazine at no cost, please complete the subscription order form or contact Deborah Peralez, administrative coordinator, at (843) 953-2078. Back issues are available online in PDF format.