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King Tide Season Is Here. What They Reveal About Florida's Flooding Future
South Florida's king tide season is underway, bringing increased risk of high-tide flooding as rising seas and local factors combine to challenge infrastructure and daily life. Driven by elevated tides near the Oct. 27 full moon, late October poses the highest flooding threat this month—especially if coupled with heavy rain or strong winds—requiring residents and communities to remain vigilant against potential property damage, infrastructure vulnerabilities and service disruptions.
| | “King tides are a predictable natural event, but they also provide a preview of the challenges Florida’s coastal communities may face during extreme weather events as seas continue to rise,” said Serena Hoermann, Ph.D., director of Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions and assistant research professor in the School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability. “They give communities an opportunity to plan for resilient infrastructure as these conditions become more frequent.” | | | | | |
$5 Million Program Launches to Turn FAU and NSU Research Into Real-World Environmental Solutions
Funded by a generous gift from Wayne and Lucretia Weiner, the new $5 million WLW Seed4Solutions Grant Program connects FAU and NSU researchers with local partners to tackle pressing environmental challenges across South Florida.
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Florida Atlantic Brings Research and Leadership to Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit
FAU ECOS is the signature sponsor of the 18th Annual Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit from Nov. 4–6. Meet our experts and students and join the discussions with university and regional leaders translating science into local action.
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Fun-gi on the Rise: Cultivating the Next Generation of Air Filters
Learn how a chemistry major, in partnership with FAU faculty, is transforming curiosity into sustainable innovation by developing biodegradable, mushroom-based air filters through his award-winning FungiFlow startup. Read about Christian Woehr's research ahead of his showcase at the upcoming Climate Leadership Summit Innovation Day.
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FAU Scientist Helps Create Caribbean 'Frozen Zoo' During Historic Deep-Sea Expedition
Discover how FAU Harbor Branch researchers joined an international deep-sea expedition aboard the R/V Falkor (too) to help establish the Caribbean's first "frozen zoo," testing accessible cryopreservation techniques to safeguard ocean biodiversity.
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Forest Floor to Treetops, Cameras Reveal Congo Basin’s Hidden Wildlife
FAU researchers strategically stacked infrared cameras from the forest floor to the canopy in the Congo Basin, revealing unexpected behaviors and wildlife patterns missed by conventional surveys.
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FAU’s Michael Twardowski, Ph.D., Named Edwin A. Link Endowed Professor
FAU Harbor Branch names internationally recognized optical oceanography expert Michael Twardowski, Ph.D., as its first Edwin A. Link Ocean Technology and Defense Endowed Professor.
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Join Us at the 18th Annual Regional Climate Leadership Summit
Nov. 4-6, 2026 | Broward County Convention Center
Deadline to register: Oct. 16. Florida Atlantic University will bring senior leaders, faculty and researchers to the 18th Annual Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit, Nov. 4–6 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. FAU ECOS is a signature sponsor of the summit, and Florida Atlantic voices will be featured each day of the three-day program.
Stop by our booth and connect with FAU researchers and leaders in attendance.
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WLW-ECOS HBOI Semester by the Sea Scholarships
Undergraduate Schmidt College of Science students can apply by Oct. 28, for the Spring 2027 WLW-ECOS HBOI Semester by the Sea Scholarship (SBTS), offering up to $7,500 in funding. This immersive, semester-long program at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute provides hands-on marine biology and ocean science training to prepare students for advanced research and environmental careers.
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Virtual ECOS Student Opportunity Information Session
Oct. 30 at 1:00 p.m.: Unlock your potential with ECOS undergraduate opportunities, ranging from funded research and internships to scholarships and leadership development. Attend our virtual information session to learn how you can get involved and build your career pathways.
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Acclaimed Deep-Sea Explorer Edith Widder, Ph.D., to Speak at FAU Community Science Lecture Series
Join internationally renowned deep-sea explorer and conservationist Edith Widder, Ph.D., for an inspiring evening delving into the mysteries of the deep. Widder, a MacArthur Fellow and founder of the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA), will present “Here Be Monsters: Exploring the Edge of the Map,” on Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Florida Atlantic University’s Live Oak Pavilion in the Student Union on the Boca Raton campus.
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WLW-ECOS Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Spring Application Window: Nov.16-29.The WLW-ECOS Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program offers Schmidt College of Science undergraduates the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience by working directly with ECOS-affiliated faculty on solution-driven environmental research projects. Fellows receive paid research positions ($22/hour) while building valuable skills, exploring environmental science careers and contributing to projects that make a real impact.
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WLW-ECOS Student Success Scholarship
Applications are open for the WLW-ECOS Student Success Scholarship, providing junior and senior Schmidt College of Science majors with up to $7,500 per semester in need-based support. Full-time undergraduate students with a passion for solution-oriented environmental research are encouraged to apply through Scholarship Universe by the Dec. 4 deadline.
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WLW Seed4Solutions Grant Program
We are excited to share the launch of the WLW Seed4Solutions Grant Program, a new $5 million initiative funded by Wayne and Lucretia Weiner to support practical, near-term environmental solutions across South Florida through a collaboration between FAU, NSU and government agency partners. Now accepting Letters of Interest, due: Dec. 11.
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WLW-ECOS Paid Internship Opportunities
Rolling application window for fall or spring. The Florida Atlantic School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS) paid internships provide student stipends while they complete degree-related career experiences at local, well-established nonprofit environment-linked organizations. Students are paid through FAU’s WLW-ECOS Student Success Fund.
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Exploring Eelgrass Ecosystems with WLW-ECOS Extern Chrishera Smith in the Pacific Northwest
Discover how Chrishera Smith’s WLW-ECOS summer externship at Friday Harbor Laboratories in the stunning San Juan Islands helped to unlock the secrets of eelgrass sediment.
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ECOS Fall Kickoff Connects Students to Paid Fellowships, Field Trips, and Real-World Solutions
The popular event drew hundreds to ECOS's fall kickoff, showcasing the range of hands-on experiences available for students to transform their environmental interests into meaningful, real-world impact.
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Following Darwin’s Footsteps: Students Dive Into Discovery in the Galápagos
Ten undergraduates embarked on a thrilling scientific adventure to the Galápagos this summer as part of the WLW-ECOS Galápagos Study Abroad Program, an inaugural faculty-led trip to explore evolution and marine ecology in one of the world's most extraordinary natural laboratories.
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Fox LiveNOW: FAU Scientist Breaks Down Hurricane Isaias Impacts
Assistant Professor Yijie Zhu, Ph.D., shared expert insights on the severe weather conditions and extreme wind gusts impacting Florida during Hurricane Isaias.
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WPTV: FAU Graduate Student Uses Miss Fort Lauderdale Crown to Turn Science Into Action
Learn how Paige Aldred uses both her scientific research and pageant platform to raise public awareness about environmental issues.
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ECO Magazine: 'Hawaii Launches Living Breakwater to Shield Coastal Roads from Rising Seas'
FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and College of Engineering and Computer Science researchers helped develop the Kalaeloa Hybrid Reef Project as a green alternative to traditional seawalls.
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Watch: Mushroom Air Filters? Meet FungiFlow 🍄
Standard air filters sit in landfills indefinitely, but FAU chemistry major and WLW-ECOS Fellow Christian Woehr is changing that by developing fully biodegradable HEPA filters grown from mushroom mycelium that traps pollutants with zero waste.
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All FAU Faculty, Postdocs and Graduate Students Are Invited to Become ECOS Members!
Engage in transformational interdisciplinary research, teaching and community engagement initiatives that bring forth the collective environmental capabilities of the university.
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Let’s Build a More Resilient Florida Together.
Whether you represent local government, private industry or a community non-profit, your partnership is essential to South Florida’s future. Collaborate with our world-class researchers, invest in the next generation of scientists or join one of our premier environmental degree programs.
| | Florida Atlantic University’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS) serves as FAU’s hub for solution-based environmental research, training, and community engagement. Established in 2023 as a partnership between the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI), ECOS unites hundreds of researchers across the university to address the environmental challenges facing South Florida and beyond and to serve as an international model for innovative environmental solutions. | | | | |
