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Stormy Weather? Experts Share Outlook on Remainder of 2026 Atlantic Storm Season
Due to ongoing El Niño conditions, Assistant Professor of Geosciences Yijie Zhu, Ph.D., together with national hurricane experts, predict that the remainder of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will remain relatively quiet. With above-normal sea surface temperatures in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean, scientists believe that El Niño conditions will likely remain strong.
| | “Hurricane impact is not a standalone subject,” said Zhu. “The amount of rainfall and the storm surge height only define the physical input, but the actual impact depends on where people live, how the land is developed, how water moves, as well as how communities can respond. The goal is to better understand not just where the hazard may occur, but where it may create the greatest risk for communities.” | | | | |
‘Snooping’ on Dolphins Reveals Hotspots for Food and Friends
What if dolphins are listening to their prey – and their prey are listening right back? FAU researchers reveal acoustic clues about where dolphins socialize, hunt and interact with their underwater world.
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Even Protected Florida Wetlands Can’t Escape Microplastic Pollution
FAU researchers found microplastics in 95% of sediment samples from a protected Florida freshwater wetland, showing that even wetlands shielded from development can't escape plastic pollution.
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A Resilient Seagrass Species Could Help Reshape Coastal Restoration
FAU scientists found a resilient seagrass that survives environmental stress and regenerates from seeds, offering new hope for restoring degraded habitats in the Indian River Lagoon.
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Florida Atlantic Entrepreneur Boot Camp Featuring Blue Ocean Economy Track
Have an innovative idea in marine technology, coastal sustainability, ocean health or the broader blue economy? Prepare to make waves! This year’s hands-on Entrepreneur Boot Camp places a special spotlight on preparing founders for the Blue Ocean Economy Track at the Florida Atlantic Business Pitch Competition. Wednesdays: Sept. 2-30, 2026. Free for students.
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WLW-ECOS HBOI Field Trips
Full-time, degree-seeking freshmen and sophomores from the Schmidt College of Science are invited to an exclusive field trip to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. This experience offers students an inside look at the groundbreaking marine science happening at HBOI. It’s an incredible opportunity to explore, learn and connect with ocean research in action. Deadline to register: Sept. 13.
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Ocean Exchange: 2026 Collegiate Call for Solutions
Undergraduate and graduate innovators can compete for $10,000 awards that advance our understanding of the ocean and help minimize our impact on these resources. Deadline for entries: Sept. 16.
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Marine Research Hub/Ocean Exchange and VentureWell Ambassador Programs
Apply by Sept. 20 using a single application form to be considered for one or both student ambassador roles: the Marine Research Hub/Ocean Exchange Ambassador Program (working directly with global innovators at the Oct. 24–27 event) or the VentureWell Student Ambassador Program (driving FAU’s blue economy ecosystem with a $250 stipend upon completing deliverables). Both competitive opportunities are open to all undergraduate and graduate majors.
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Coming Soon! WLW Seed4Solutions Grant Program
We are excited to share the upcoming 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. Please keep an eye out for formal program announcements, events and paid research opportunities for students.
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WLW-ECOS HBOI Semester by the Sea Scholarships
Undergraduate Schmidt College of Science students can apply by Oct. 28, 2026, 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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WLW-ECOS Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Spring 2027 starting date: Jan. 9. 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-member 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 an impact.
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WLW-ECOS Paid Internship Opportunities
FAU's WLW-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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Join Us at the 18th Annual Regional Climate Leadership Summit
Nov. 4-6, 2026 | Broward County Convention Center
Early Bird Pricing Extended to Sept. 18!
FAU ECOS is proud to support the 18th annual Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit (Nov. 4–6) as the signature sponsor! Join researchers, policymakers and community leaders working together on real-world resilience solutions for South Florida and beyond. Be sure to stop by our booth and connect with FAU researchers and leaders in attendance.
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Making Memories in Michigan: WLW-ECOS Summer Externship Experiences
Learn how seniors Ann Levarity and Stephanie Strazzi spent 10 unforgettable weeks at Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station researching and exploring the natural world.
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ECOS Welcomes 30 New Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows
ECOS officially welcomed 29 new graduate fellows and one postdoctoral fellow to the program during the school's annual orientation and kick-off reception.
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FAU ECOS Team Joins, Sponsors 111th Ecological Society of America Meeting
Nineteen members of Florida Atlantic's ECOS attended the 111th Ecological Society of America annual meeting, joining over 2,600 professionals to discuss “Ecology in an Era of Uncertainty.”
| | Photo credit: Denise Hruby | |
'Miami Herald' Reporter Joins Florida Atlantic Researchers in Alaska
A pair of FAU scientists traveled to the Arctic to better understand the relationship between parasitic plants and their hosts in one of the harshest environments on earth.
| | Photo credit: Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star | |
Mounting Challenges Make Survival Harder for Hatchlings — 'The Coastal Star'
An FAU study shows how heavy summer sargassum accumulation creates physical barriers for sea turtle hatchlings. The dense seaweed mats slow hatchlings down on their journey to the ocean, increasing their exposure to extreme heat and predators.
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'BBC Discover Wildlife' Features Florida Atlantic Researcher's Shark Cam
Florida Atlantic shark scientist's unprecedented footage of a nurse shark-mounted camera captured an encounter with a great white shark swimming off the coast of Boynton Beach.
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Watch: Great White Photobombs a Nurse Shark
Discover how Florida Atlantic researchers Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., and graduate student Genevieve Sylvester use camera tags to track shark movement – and how one nurse shark captured rare footage of a great white off the South Florida coast, offering a shark’s-eye view of an epic underwater encounter.
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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. | | | | |
