CoastalScience@Work Updates from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium - Issue 31 July 20, 2022 Consortium Logs Record Number of Impacts, Accomplishments in Annual Report From February 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022, the Consortium and its member institutions documented 107 impacts and accomplishments, plus 72 products and tools, within five focus areas: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Sustainable Coastal Development and Economy, Weather and Climate Resilience, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Scientific Literacy and Workforce Development.   The Consortium also achieved about $2,600,000 in economic benefits, including businesses sustained (25) and jobs retained (40) in fisheries and aquaculture sectors; students supported through research projects, fellowships, and internships (43); and trainings delivered to communities (79 in hazard resilience alone), technical support provided to industry, and education programs.   And education efforts engaged about 11,000 P-12 students and 350 P-12 formal and nonformal educators. Email Susannah Sheldon, Research and Fellowships manager, or call (843) 953-2083 for more details about the annual report.

Marine Debris Challenge Funding Opportunity The Marine Debris Challenge Competition seeks original, innovative ideas for marine debris prevention and removal research that pushes the boundaries of existing technologies and approaches, changes the current landscape of marine debris mitigation, and ties that research to tangible outputs, according to the National Sea Grant Office.   The competition is made possible by The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which provides funds to support marine debris prevention and removal, with approximately $16,000,000 expected to be available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during fiscal years 2022 and 2023.   It is important that researchers contact Susannah Sheldon, Research and Fellowships manager, or Susan Lovelace, executive director, as soon as possible to discuss potential projects. Projects will not be submitted if researchers have not completed a timely and full discussion of their proposal plan with Consortium staff. Letters of Intent are due August 5, 2022, and full proposals are due September 19, 2022.

Water Chats Delve into Water Quality Research, Application, and Management Water Chats, a new virtual webinar series, was created to share emerging water quality research and demonstrate how that research can be applied to inform natural-resource management decisions.   The Consortium, in partnership with Clemson Cooperative Extension and Clemson University’s South Carolina Water Resources Center, created the program which debuted June 28 and 30, 2022, with presentations on Contaminants of Concern.   The schedule for the remainder of the Water Chats webinar series is as follows: ·     Harmful Algal Blooms – July 26 and 28, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. ·     Stormwater Control Measures – August 23 and 25, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. ·     Source Water Protection – September 20 and 22, 2022 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. For more information about Water Chats, email Brooke Saari, Coastal Environmental Quality Program specialist, or call (843) 953-6406.

REconnect Symposium Brings Together Scientists and Educators The inaugural REconnect (Researcher/Educator) Symposium was held on July 12, 2022 at the South Carolina Aquarium. More than 70 participants gathered for the two-hour event, where scientists engaged with formal and nonformal educators to share their research, learn about educator/classroom priorities, and network. The goal of the symposium was to foster two-way conversations between scientists and educators, creating connections and potential future collaborations.   Nineteen scientists, including undergraduate and graduate students, had booths throughout the aquarium and shared current research such as “Salt and Sieves: Microplastic Analysis Methods,” “Sensational Seaweeds of South Carolina,” and “Phytoplankton Citizen Science.” Scientists and students represented The Citadel, College of Charleston, Clemson University, University of South Carolina, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, Audubon South Carolina, Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.   Funding received from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and a partnership with the aquarium provided support for the REconnect Symposium. To learn more about the symposium, email E.V. Bell, Marine Education specialist, or call (843) 953-2085.

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