Rising Tides Newsletter - December 2025

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for your continued support of our college’s research, education, and outreach efforts. 2025 was another banner year for ocean science!

As we head into the holiday season, I hope you can enjoy time with loved ones and take a moment to reflect on the meaningful work you’ve contributed to this year. Together, we have helped shape the future of marine science. 

When we return in the new year, we’ll be ready to build on this momentum and continue fulfilling the College of Marine Science’s mission – conducting world-class research that deepens our understanding of the ocean.

I wish you a joyful holiday season and a happy new year. I'm excited to see what 2026 holds!

Sincerely,

Tom Frazer, Dean

Study reveals dramatic decline in some historic sargassum populations

Certain populations of sargassum have plummeted in abundance over the past ten years, raising alarm for marine ecosystems that depend on the seaweed.

Public-private partnership tackles seafloor mapping challenge

Researchers at the USF College of Marine Science collaborated with Saildrone to improve techniques for hydrography.

Ice cores and ensembles: graduate student combines passion for music and marine science

Orion Schomber reflects on her time at the college, how she chose marine science, and how music has influenced her research.

New vehicle expands mapping capabilities at College of Marine Science

The new uncrewed surface vehicle is part of a collaboration between the college’s Center for Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies and the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation.

Social Media News

You may know sargassum as the stinky algae that periodically washes ashore, but it’s been an important breeding habitat for many marine species in the Atlantic.

The new paper on sargassum co-authored by Brian Barnes and Chuanmin Hu was covered by the New York Times, WUSF, and other outlets. 

In an article published in The Conversation, Tom Frazer describes how ancient seashells tell a positive story for seagrass meadows on Florida’s Nature Coast.

• Congratulations to Natalia Lopez Figueroa, who was recently recognized with an Ansley Abraham Outstanding Sloan Scholar Graduate Award from the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring.
• Chuanmin was elected IEEE Senior Member!
• Graduate students Sam D’Angelo, Siria Munoz, and Orion Witmer were awarded conference scholarships from The Hydrographic Society of America. Stay tuned for more about their presentations at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026!
• Congratulations to Olivia Blondheim, whose presentation — “Just Hang It: Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) for Health Estuaries” — earned runner-up in the university’s three-minute thesis competition.
• The crew at Telemundo 49 won three Emmy awards for their Spanish-language series on the Costal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS). Congratulations to everyone involved!

Does your student, classmate, professor, or colleague deserve a shoutout in the next Rising Tides Newsletter? Contact Dyllan (dfurness@usf.edu) with suggestions.

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