Coastal Currents
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Register Now for the Free “Landscapes that Last” Webinar Series
North Carolina Sea Grant and the Coastal Landscapes Initiative have launched “Landscapes that Last,” a free webinar series that explores the sustainable practices that protect North Carolina’s unique coastal environment.
Monthly webinars continue April through November. Each session, experts share practical strategies that range from choosing salt tolerant plants and conserving trees to improving stormwater ponds and sourcing eco-friendly plants. The series is crafted for property owners, HOAs, landscapers, local governments, and nurseries.
more information and free registration
North Carolina Sea Grant and APNEP Name New Fellow
Mary Kate Rinderle is the 2025 Graduate Fellow in Estuarine Research from North Carolina Sea Grant and the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP). Rinderle, a Ph.D. candidate in marine ecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will study cyanobacteria that use atmospheric nitrogen gas as an alternative nitrogen source and the resulting ecological effects on Lake Mattamuskeet in Hyde County.
“Lake Mattamuskeet provides critical habitat for diverse wildlife in the Albemarle-Pamlico estuary, but it is a degraded ecosystem that has long suffered from poor water quality, including persistent harmful algal blooms,” says Tim Ellis, APNEP’s quantitative ecologist.
Rinderle’s work will address important information gaps, Ellis explains, which, in turn, will help inform “nutrient management strategies for the lake aimed at improving water clarity and restoring foundational species, like submerged aquatic vegetation.”
Rinderle says her interest in this project stems from having worked at Lake Mattamuskeet for about two years. “I’ve seen firsthand both the beauty of the lake and the severity of its current degradation,” she says. Nathan Hall, a research assistant professor at UNC, will serve as Rinderle’s advisor for her research.
— Carrie Clower
more on Sea Grant funding opportunities
National Sea Grant Announces New Knauss Fellows
NOAA and the National Sea Grant Office have announced the 2026 class of the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Policy Fellowship Program, including two former graduate students from North Carolina.
“North Carolina Sea Grant is extremely excited to have Colleen Brown and Louisa Pitney selected as Knauss finalists out of this year’s very competitive national competition,” says John Fear, deputy director of North Carolina Sea Grant. “We look forward to seeing their careers take off as they undertake their Knauss Fellowships.”
Selection for the fellowship is highly competitive, and the year-long program offers graduate students professional and educational experience in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource management.
Brown and Pitney will serve in the legislative or executive branches of federal government, contributing scientific and technical expertise to the policymaking process.
Brown recently earned her Ph.D. in applied coastal and ocean sciences at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. An aquatic ecologist and data scientist, Brown’s research applies interdisciplinary science to address water pollution and inform decision-makers. Her experience includes investigating ocean acidification in the Caribbean, studying land-based pollution impacts on coral growth in Hawai‘i, and conducting research that contributed to the world’s largest coral reef survey.
“It is an honor to receive the Knauss Fellowship, which provides a unique opportunity to work at the federal level alongside our nation’s leading scientists and policy experts to protect and support our coastal and marine resources and communities,” Brown says. “This experience is integral to my career development, and I look forward to the skills, connections, and knowledge I will gain along the way.”
Pitney obtained her master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University, specializing in coastal and marine systems and environmental economics and policy. Her research focuses on advancing the U.S. shellfish aquaculture workforce, as well as the idea that sustainability includes the promise of aquaculture to deliver a low-impact, healthy food source.
“An understanding of federal government proceedings, priority setting, and funding processes would be an invaluable asset, and these are the insights and experiences that I seek from a Knauss Fellowship,” Pitney says. “The Knauss Fellows network and relationship-building opportunities would provide meaningful support as I craft a career in marine policy.” Brown and Pitney join dozens of graduate students from North Carolina who have participated in the Knauss Fellowship program since 1979. Former fellows have become leaders in science, policy, and public administration.
— Carrie Clower
more on the Knauss Policy Fellowships
The NC Coastal Conference Launches November 17
North Carolina Sea Grant hosts the Coastal Conference with several partners again this year, providing a key platform for advancing the well-being of our state’s coastal regions. The two-day conference will kick off November 17 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.
The 2026 conference will feature a wide variety of presentations that address pressing issues for anyone interested in our state’s coastal communities and environment. Discussions will span from scientific research and STEM outreach to innovative approaches that bridge fields and disciplines.
Sessions on timely topics — and networking events — will provide attendees with opportunities to teach, engage, and learn alongside like-minded participants and potential collaborators. In addition, the conference will offer professional development credits. The conference welcomes proposals for presentations from researchers, students, college and university educators, K-12 teachers, practitioners, specialists, business and agency experts, and community leaders.
The Coastal Conference also welcomes sponsors and exhibitors whose work aligns with North Carolina Sea Grant’s pivotal efforts in collaboration with policymakers and scientists. By supporting this year’s conference, sponsors and participants will help forge partnerships, advance research, and enhance education and outreach across North Carolina.
more on the NC Coastal Conference
North Carolina Sea Grant Remembers B.J. Copeland
B.J. Copeland, a leader in North Carolina’s marine science and coastal management, passed away on January 14. He served North Carolina Sea Grant as the program’s first director from 1973 until 1996.
Barbara Doll, North Carolina Sea Grant’s water protection and restoration specialist, credits Copeland with helping shape her early career at Sea Grant.
“I was one of the first water quality specialists hired in the Sea Grant program nationwide,” says Doll. “Fresh out of graduate school from finishing my master’s degree, I had little experience and exposure. Because of his extensive expertise in water quality, B.J. was a key mentor to me, introducing me to many scientists and water quality managers.”
After more than 20 years with North Carolina Sea Grant, Copeland worked as a graduate administrator and taught courses in NC State’s zoology department until 2002.
“B.J. always had great stories to tell about his time with North Carolina Sea Grant, the challenges of federal funding support ebbing and flowing, the great characters of each of the team members, and his enjoyment of his time with the program,” says Susan White, executive director. “It was wonderful to be on the receiving end of his practical advice — and huge laughs.”
— Carrie Clower
