Currents
News Briefs and Updates
The Landscapes That Last Webinar Series Kicks Off
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. The next webinar is February 19.
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.
Registration Opens for the NC Water Resources Research Institute’s Annual Conference March 25 and 26 in Raleigh
WRRI’s annual conference brings together all sectors and all disciplines working in water resources across North Carolina. This year’s conference is March 25 and 26 at NC State University in Raleigh.
Each year, attendees include people from water utilities, academia, state agencies, and nonprofits, as well as many others who work in fields including stream restoration, water supply planning, stormwater management, water quality and groundwater dynamics, and community engagement, to name a few.
This year’s conference will feature presentations on the latest research and on-the-ground practices and implementation, along with networking opportunities and interactive sessions designed to teach new skills and solve problems.
The conference also provides mentoring and other student engagement opportunities, as well as exhibitors and highlights — such as art, music, and dynamic keynote speakers on the value of the work and research to protect and manage water resources.
Registration and more information.
NC STEM Policy Fellowships Set March 9 Deadline for Proposals
The NC STEM Policy Post-Graduate Fellowships provide graduate students from North Carolina colleges and universities with opportunities to serve full-time for a year in high-level state government offices, focusing on policy topics related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The deadline to apply is March 9 at 5 p.m.
This fellowship includes a stipend of $52,500 for the year and an additional $2,000 in travel support for professional development opportunities. Students must be enrolled in and nearing graduation or have recently completed a master’s or advanced degree in a STEM-related discipline.
Possible placement offices include NC Department of Environmental Quality, State Energy Office (SEO); NC Biotechnology Center; NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT); NC Department of Commerce, Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI); Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP); and NC Rural Center.
In addition to the stipend and travel support, fellows will have access to professional development and networking opportunities through Sigma Xi, the international honor society of science and engineering, starting with a policy workshop in summer 2026.
Read the full Request for Proposals.
Questions: Aman Kohli at akkohli@ncsu.edu, 919-515-8850, or John Fear at jmfear@ncsu.edu, 919-515-9104.
The 2026 Space Symposium Launches April 10
NC Space Grant’s annual NC Space Symposium showcases STEM research from students across North Carolina. This year’s event takes place April 10 at NC State University’s McKimmon Conference and Training Center in Raleigh.
The day-long symposium brings together students, academics, NASA representatives, industry professionals, and many others working in space and NASA-related fields. In addition to speaker presentations, the event features student poster presentations and lightning talks.
Registration is $75 for general attendees, but a low-cost $40 option is available to full-time students. Other select discounts also are available.
Registration and more information.
Shellebrating Education on the NC Oyster Trail
The eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Program is a collaboration between NOAA and the North American Association for Environmental Education to teach how everyone can support sustainable domestic seafood. Nine innovative projects — including the North Carolina Oyster Trail — have combined stewardship and delicious seafood to teach a variety of audiences about the vital role of aquaculture in U.S. seafood production.
Under the program, the North Carolina Oyster Trail expanded its educational reach this past year with updated resources, grower storytelling, and teacher workshops that showcased sustainable shellfish farming. North Carolina Sea Grant led the effort, in partnership with the North Carolina Coastal Federation and the North Carolina Shellfish Growers Association.
The initiative highlights local growers, promotes seafood understanding, and seeks to inspire the next generation, supporting the cultural and environmental sustainability of North Carolina’s shellfish industry.
“Shellfish growers often don’t have time to do public education, so the North Carolina Oyster Trail helps share their story,” says Jane Harrison, North Carolina Sea Grant’s coastal economics specialist. “On the trail, visitors can tour oyster farms, taste oysters, and learn about how they’re grown and the communities they support.”
The project included a traveling oyster exhibit, featuring professional photography and storytelling from growers, hatcheries, and wild harvesters. The exhibit has been showcased at 15 events statewide, reaching an estimated 3,000 viewers.
Partners also offered two educator workshops at Carteret Community College’s aquaculture lab to strengthen teaching on shellfish mariculture.
More on the North Carolina Oyster Trail.
More on the eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-Grants Program.
