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flooded houses from hurricane hazel

Fall 2014

HURRICANE HAZEL: Fast and Furious

Hurricane Hazel made landfall on that fateful morning at the peak of the highest lunar tide as a Category 4 hurricane near Calabash, at the North and South Carolina line.

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More From Fall 2014

Diver and fish in large tank in Monterey Bay Aquarium.

KNAUSS FELLOWS: Where Are They Now?

Each year, several North Carolina graduate students land the opportunity to work in the crux of critical coastal and ocean policy. As participants in the prestigious national John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, they gain unique educational experiences that reach far beyond Capitol Hill and the Beltway in Washington, D.C. North Carolina fellows have worked with a congressman on a bill regarding oil spill response, headed to Spain to represent their host offices in international negotiations on bluefin tuna, and worked with the Caribbean Fishery Management Council on defining essential fish habitat.

People talk in front of a large tank at the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

NATURALIST’S NOTEBOOK: Coastal Scientists Boost K-12 STEM Education

SciREN allows scientists to share the results of their work with a broad audience. Their research is communicated to K-12 educators and, ultimately, to their students. Sustained collaboration with educators after the workshop can lead to more effective delivery of the research to the community.

George Pate and his classmates watch Coley Hughes open a striped bass skull.

SEA SCIENCE: IT RUNS THROUGH RIVERS:Finding the Chemical Signature of a Waterbody

Coley Hughes, a doctoral candidate in Coastal Resources Management at East Carolina University, is stepping back from the fish and looking at the water itself. She is hoping to find enough variation among the rivers feeding the Albemarle Sound to be able to identify water and its chemical signatures from each of these tributaries.

trout burgers on grill

LOCAL CATCH: TAMING THE TROUT: Burgers Go Fishing

While burgers and trout traditionally appear to belong in different menu categories, Sunburst Trout Farms in Haywood County is trying to erase this distinction. With the help of North Carolina Sea Grant, Sunburst has developed an assortment of trout burgers that feeds the interests of burger and seafood enthusiasts while providing healthier options than traditional fast-food joints.

image: Crispy Flounder Filets.

MARINER’S MENU: Shining the Spotlight on Flounder

Caught by hook and line, gigging, and gill nets, flounder often is fished year-round. You will find them most available September through March. Flounder is a mild fish with a snowy-white flesh that lends itself well to many different cuisines.

Brander, Rogers and Christiansen

CURRENTS: Drifters Gather Rip Current Data

So, what is a data-logging drifter? “It records position over time. It also can record velocities, so we don’t have to do it manually,” explains Cobi Christiansen, who is gathering and analyzing GPS and other data for his graduate studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.