{"id":34308,"date":"2026-10-28T11:16:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T15:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?p=34308"},"modified":"2026-10-28T11:17:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T15:17:36","slug":"fall-2026-coastal-currents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/","title":{"rendered":"Coastal Currents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image:<\/a>
Participants mingle during the evening reception at the 2024 North Carolina Coastal Conference. Credit: Jamie Moncrief<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The NC Coastal Conference Returns November 17 & 18<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant hosts the Coastal Conference again this year. The two-day conference will kick off November 17 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s conference will feature a wide variety of presentations for anyone interested in our state\u2019s coastal communities and environment. Discussions will range from scientific research and STEM outreach to innovative approaches that bridge fields and disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sessions will address chronic erosion, coastal hazard planning, connecting coastal science to communities, cyanobacteria dynamics, educating for resilience, emerging contaminants, financing nature-based solutions, flood warning networks and risk mapping, food web interactions, juvenile fisheries and habitat, marsh health, risk communication, shoreline restoration, stormwater and flood mitigation, wastewater management, wetlands, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference also will include two sessions packed with lightning talks, as well as a poster session. These sessions \u2014 and the conference\u2019s networking events \u2014 will provide attendees with opportunities to teach, engage, and learn alongside like-minded participants and potential collaborators. The conference will offer professional development credits, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the Coastal Conference welcomes sponsors and exhibitors whose work aligns with North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s pivotal efforts in collaboration with communities, policymakers, scientists, and students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more and register here<\/a><\/strong>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image:<\/a>
The New NC STEM Policy Fellows (left to right): Naomi Pitts, Hannah Walsh, Riley Lawson, Caitlin BrabbleRose, Nate Marsh, Chase Pierce, and Oluwatosin Ibrahim. Credit: Mary Beth Barrow<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2026 STEM Policy Fellows Begin NC Service<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina STEM Policy Fellows have begun year-long roles at high-level state offices. The program provides graduates with career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riley Lawson<\/strong> holds a Ph.D. in biological and agricultural engineering from NC State University. She joins the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oluwatosin Ibrahim<\/strong> holds an M.S. in environmental, earth, and geospatial sciences from North Carolina Central University. He works with the NC Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Marsh<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joins the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah Walsh<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in biomedical sciences from East Carolina University. Walsh serves with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naomi Pitts<\/strong> holds an M.S. in biological and agricultural engineering from NC State; she will join the State Energy Office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chase Pierce<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in public policy from UNC Chapel Hill. He also will join the State Energy Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caitlin BrabbleRose<\/strong> holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She works with the NC Rural Economic Development Center, a new host office for the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant administers STEM Policy Fellowships with support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the program\u2019s host offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Lily Soetebier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on STEM Policy Fellowships<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Several<\/a>
Installation of a water filtration system. Credit: Jacqueline Gibson<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Community Collaborations Address Drinking Water Safety, PFAS, and More<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

New projects from the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program (CCRG) are tackling urgent issues across the state. Each project couples scientific expertise with local knowledge through partnerships between researchers and community members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community-Driven Solutions to Strengthen Private Drinking Water Systems in Western North Carolina After Hurricane Helene<\/strong>
Jacqueline Gibson, North Carolina State University, and Brandon Pitman, NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis project will improve drinking water safety and public health for western North Carolina residents relying on private wells and springs, while building local capacity to respond to future water infrastructure disruptions,\u201d says Gibson. \u201cThe work also provides a scalable model to support disaster recovery for households across the state relying on private water systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A PFAS Investigation: Forensic Analysis of Sources and Understanding Risk Perception of an Impacted Community in Swepsonville, North Carolina<\/strong>
Meredith Hovis, UNC Wilmington, and Emily Sutton, Haw River Assembly<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hovis and Sutton\u2019s project will investigate the sources and movement of \u201cforever chemicals\u201d in private wells near a former landfill. \u201cBy bringing together water quality science and community engagement, the research will help residents, regulators, and local organizations respond more effectively to PFAS contamination and strengthen public understanding of environmental risks,\u201d says Hovis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Coastal Communities with Data-Driven Tools to Reduce Exposure to Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms<\/strong>
Lisa Satterwhite, Duke University, and Colleen Karl, Chowan Edenton Environmental Group<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satterwhite and Karl will work with northeastern NC coastal communities to provide daily high-resolution satellite imagery as part of an alert system. \u201cOur work will develop strategies to support ecosystem health for recreation and fisheries all through the beautiful North Carolina coastal plain that will be translatable across the state,\u201d says Satterwhite. For more, see this issue\u2019s \u201cAlgal Blooms and ALS<\/strong>.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions for American Oystercatcher Habitat Using High- Resolution Imagery in the Lower Cape Fear River<\/strong>
Marae West, Sandbar Oyster Company, and Lindsay Addison, Audubon North Carolina<\/em>

West and Addison will test whether nature-based solutions can stabilize degraded but critical nesting habitat for American oystercatchers in the Lower Cape Fear River. West says the project unites \u201clocal scientific and business expertise to produce practical tools\u201d that \u201cNorth Carolina resource managers can use to protect coastal habitat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Water Resources Research Institute administer the CCRG Program in partnership with the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u2014 Carrie Clower<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Community Collaborative Research Grants<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
New Mountains to Sea Fellows are addressing a number of topics, including how post-Helene road closures affected access to emergency water supplies. Credit: NCDOT<\/em>\/CC by 2.0.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Research Fellows Study Microbial Communities, Resilience, and More<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Water Resources Research Institute have selected new Mountains to Sea Graduate Research Fellows. Six new projects address erosion, resilience, and other key topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modeling Barrier Island Response to Changing Water Levels, Storms, and Management Scenarios<\/strong>
Hannah Henry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBarrier islands are at the intersection of some of our most pressing coastal challenges \u2014sea level rise, storm impacts, and hard decisions about where and how to invest in infrastructure,\u201d says Henry, a Ph.D. student in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences. Henry hopes to \u201chelp communities and managers think through tradeoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leveraging Big Data to Develop Improved Predictive Equations of Streambank Erodibility Parameters<\/strong>
Karol Sanchez Luquez, NC State University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy research is driven by the need to better understand and predict streambank erosion,\u201d says Sanchez Luquez, a Ph.D. student in biological and agricultural engineering. \u201cI aim to develop tools that support smarter monitoring and more sustainable, risk-informed water resource management.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact of Road Closures From Hurricane Helene on Accessing Emergency Water Distribution Sites<\/strong>
Kendrick Grant, University of North Carolina at Charlotte<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTransportation disruptions during disasters affect access to essential resources like drinking water,\u201d says Grant, an M.S. student in civil and environmental engineering. Grant\u2019s project will analyze the effect of post-Helene transportation barriers on emergency water supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating Drivers of Toxic CyanoHABs to Educate Communities and Protect Ecological and Human Health Across the Albemarle Sound<\/strong>
Lan Nguyen, Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m investigating community dynamics of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms to determine and understand environmental factors that affect their toxicity,\u201d says Nguyen, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering. Nguyen\u2019s work will support \u201ceffective surveillance and mitigation systems to protect public health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantifying the Contributions of Corbicula spp. and Ebullition to Reach-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions<\/strong>
Nguyen Tien Anh Quach, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quach, a Ph.D. student in geography and environment, is studying a burrowing clam species and ebullition \u2014 the bubbling of gas from sediment \u2014 to gauge impacts on \u201ctotal greenhouse gas emissions from streams.\u201d The study includes training for nearby communities on data collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbial Nitrogen Removal Pathways in Engineered and Nature-Based Systems<\/strong>
Nicholas Chance, NC State University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excessive nitrogen can foment harmful algal blooms and contaminate groundwater. Funded by the Urban Water Consortium, Chance will compare wastewater treatment in both engineered and nature-based systems. Findings regarding nitrogen removal can inform better performance, Chance says, \u201cand thus more resource-efficient and energy- efficient management.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Josephine Kinsey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Mountains to Sea Fellowships<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n \n
\n \n from FALL 2026<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n

.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image:<\/a>
Participants mingle during the evening reception at the 2024 North Carolina Coastal Conference. Credit: Jamie Moncrief<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The NC Coastal Conference Returns November 17 & 18<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant hosts the Coastal Conference again this year. The two-day conference will kick off November 17 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s conference will feature a wide variety of presentations for anyone interested in our state\u2019s coastal communities and environment. Discussions will range from scientific research and STEM outreach to innovative approaches that bridge fields and disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sessions will address chronic erosion, coastal hazard planning, connecting coastal science to communities, cyanobacteria dynamics, educating for resilience, emerging contaminants, financing nature-based solutions, flood warning networks and risk mapping, food web interactions, juvenile fisheries and habitat, marsh health, risk communication, shoreline restoration, stormwater and flood mitigation, wastewater management, wetlands, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference also will include two sessions packed with lightning talks, as well as a poster session. These sessions \u2014 and the conference\u2019s networking events \u2014 will provide attendees with opportunities to teach, engage, and learn alongside like-minded participants and potential collaborators. The conference will offer professional development credits, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the Coastal Conference welcomes sponsors and exhibitors whose work aligns with North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s pivotal efforts in collaboration with communities, policymakers, scientists, and students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more and register here<\/a><\/strong>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image:<\/a>
The New NC STEM Policy Fellows (left to right): Naomi Pitts, Hannah Walsh, Riley Lawson, Caitlin BrabbleRose, Nate Marsh, Chase Pierce, and Oluwatosin Ibrahim. Credit: Mary Beth Barrow<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2026 STEM Policy Fellows Begin NC Service<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina STEM Policy Fellows have begun year-long roles at high-level state offices. The program provides graduates with career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riley Lawson<\/strong> holds a Ph.D. in biological and agricultural engineering from NC State University. She joins the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oluwatosin Ibrahim<\/strong> holds an M.S. in environmental, earth, and geospatial sciences from North Carolina Central University. He works with the NC Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nate Marsh<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joins the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah Walsh<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in biomedical sciences from East Carolina University. Walsh serves with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naomi Pitts<\/strong> holds an M.S. in biological and agricultural engineering from NC State; she will join the State Energy Office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chase Pierce<\/strong> holds a master\u2019s in public policy from UNC Chapel Hill. He also will join the State Energy Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caitlin BrabbleRose<\/strong> holds a Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She works with the NC Rural Economic Development Center, a new host office for the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant administers STEM Policy Fellowships with support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the program\u2019s host offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Lily Soetebier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on STEM Policy Fellowships<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Several<\/a>
Installation of a water filtration system. Credit: Jacqueline Gibson<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Community Collaborations Address Drinking Water Safety, PFAS, and More<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

New projects from the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program (CCRG) are tackling urgent issues across the state. Each project couples scientific expertise with local knowledge through partnerships between researchers and community members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community-Driven Solutions to Strengthen Private Drinking Water Systems in Western North Carolina After Hurricane Helene<\/strong>
Jacqueline Gibson, North Carolina State University, and Brandon Pitman, NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis project will improve drinking water safety and public health for western North Carolina residents relying on private wells and springs, while building local capacity to respond to future water infrastructure disruptions,\u201d says Gibson. \u201cThe work also provides a scalable model to support disaster recovery for households across the state relying on private water systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A PFAS Investigation: Forensic Analysis of Sources and Understanding Risk Perception of an Impacted Community in Swepsonville, North Carolina<\/strong>
Meredith Hovis, UNC Wilmington, and Emily Sutton, Haw River Assembly<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hovis and Sutton\u2019s project will investigate the sources and movement of \u201cforever chemicals\u201d in private wells near a former landfill. \u201cBy bringing together water quality science and community engagement, the research will help residents, regulators, and local organizations respond more effectively to PFAS contamination and strengthen public understanding of environmental risks,\u201d says Hovis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Coastal Communities with Data-Driven Tools to Reduce Exposure to Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms<\/strong>
Lisa Satterwhite, Duke University, and Colleen Karl, Chowan Edenton Environmental Group<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satterwhite and Karl will work with northeastern NC coastal communities to provide daily high-resolution satellite imagery as part of an alert system. \u201cOur work will develop strategies to support ecosystem health for recreation and fisheries all through the beautiful North Carolina coastal plain that will be translatable across the state,\u201d says Satterwhite. For more, see this issue\u2019s \u201cAlgal Blooms and ALS<\/strong>.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions for American Oystercatcher Habitat Using High- Resolution Imagery in the Lower Cape Fear River<\/strong>
Marae West, Sandbar Oyster Company, and Lindsay Addison, Audubon North Carolina<\/em>

West and Addison will test whether nature-based solutions can stabilize degraded but critical nesting habitat for American oystercatchers in the Lower Cape Fear River. West says the project unites \u201clocal scientific and business expertise to produce practical tools\u201d that \u201cNorth Carolina resource managers can use to protect coastal habitat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Water Resources Research Institute administer the CCRG Program in partnership with the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u2014 Carrie Clower<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Community Collaborative Research Grants<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
New Mountains to Sea Fellows are addressing a number of topics, including how post-Helene road closures affected access to emergency water supplies. Credit: NCDOT<\/em>\/CC by 2.0.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Research Fellows Study Microbial Communities, Resilience, and More<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC Water Resources Research Institute have selected new Mountains to Sea Graduate Research Fellows. Six new projects address erosion, resilience, and other key topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modeling Barrier Island Response to Changing Water Levels, Storms, and Management Scenarios<\/strong>
Hannah Henry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBarrier islands are at the intersection of some of our most pressing coastal challenges \u2014sea level rise, storm impacts, and hard decisions about where and how to invest in infrastructure,\u201d says Henry, a Ph.D. student in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences. Henry hopes to \u201chelp communities and managers think through tradeoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leveraging Big Data to Develop Improved Predictive Equations of Streambank Erodibility Parameters<\/strong>
Karol Sanchez Luquez, NC State University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy research is driven by the need to better understand and predict streambank erosion,\u201d says Sanchez Luquez, a Ph.D. student in biological and agricultural engineering. \u201cI aim to develop tools that support smarter monitoring and more sustainable, risk-informed water resource management.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact of Road Closures From Hurricane Helene on Accessing Emergency Water Distribution Sites<\/strong>
Kendrick Grant, University of North Carolina at Charlotte<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTransportation disruptions during disasters affect access to essential resources like drinking water,\u201d says Grant, an M.S. student in civil and environmental engineering. Grant\u2019s project will analyze the effect of post-Helene transportation barriers on emergency water supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating Drivers of Toxic CyanoHABs to Educate Communities and Protect Ecological and Human Health Across the Albemarle Sound<\/strong>
Lan Nguyen, Duke University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m investigating community dynamics of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms to determine and understand environmental factors that affect their toxicity,\u201d says Nguyen, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering. Nguyen\u2019s work will support \u201ceffective surveillance and mitigation systems to protect public health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantifying the Contributions of Corbicula spp. and Ebullition to Reach-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions<\/strong>
Nguyen Tien Anh Quach, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quach, a Ph.D. student in geography and environment, is studying a burrowing clam species and ebullition \u2014 the bubbling of gas from sediment \u2014 to gauge impacts on \u201ctotal greenhouse gas emissions from streams.\u201d The study includes training for nearby communities on data collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbial Nitrogen Removal Pathways in Engineered and Nature-Based Systems<\/strong>
Nicholas Chance, NC State University<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excessive nitrogen can foment harmful algal blooms and contaminate groundwater. Funded by the Urban Water Consortium, Chance will compare wastewater treatment in both engineered and nature-based systems. Findings regarding nitrogen removal can inform better performance, Chance says, \u201cand thus more resource-efficient and energy- efficient management.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Josephine Kinsey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Mountains to Sea Fellowships<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":false,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"subtitle\":\"Research and News from North Carolina Sea Grant<\/strong>\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[865,1589,1613],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-34308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-coastal-conference","tag-fellowships","tag-grants"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"yoast_head":"\nCoastal Currents - Coastwatch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Coastal Currents - Coastwatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Coastwatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1059\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dave Shaw\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dave Shaw\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dave Shaw\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde\"},\"headline\":\"Coastal Currents\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1355,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/13\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference-1024x706.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Coastal Conference\",\"fellowships\",\"grants\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/\",\"name\":\"Coastal Currents - Coastwatch\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/13\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference-1024x706.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde\"},\"description\":\"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/13\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/13\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":1059,\"caption\":\"Conference participants mingle during the evening reception at the 2024 North Carolina Coastal Conference. The event, hosted by North Carolina Sea Grant, was held Nov. 13-14, 2024 at the Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern, N.C. (Photo by Jamie Moncrief)\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/\",\"name\":\"Coastwatch\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde\",\"name\":\"Dave Shaw\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dave Shaw\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\\\/coastwatch\\\/author\\\/dmshaw\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Coastal Currents - Coastwatch","description":"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Coastal Currents - Coastwatch","og_description":"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...","og_url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/","og_site_name":"Coastwatch","article_published_time":"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":1059,"url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dave Shaw","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dave Shaw","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/"},"author":{"name":"Dave Shaw","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/#\/schema\/person\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde"},"headline":"Coastal Currents","datePublished":"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/"},"wordCount":1355,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference-1024x706.jpg","keywords":["Coastal Conference","fellowships","grants"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/","url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/","name":"Coastal Currents - Coastwatch","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference-1024x706.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-28T15:16:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-28T15:17:36+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/#\/schema\/person\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde"},"description":"The return of the NC Coastal Conference, new STEM Policy Fellows, new community collaborations, and new Mountains to Sea Fellows...","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fall-2026-coastal-currents\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2026\/09\/CURRENTS-The-NC-Coastal-conference.jpg","width":1536,"height":1059,"caption":"Conference participants mingle during the evening reception at the 2024 North Carolina Coastal Conference. The event, hosted by North Carolina Sea Grant, was held Nov. 13-14, 2024 at the Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern, N.C. (Photo by Jamie Moncrief)"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/","name":"Coastwatch","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/#\/schema\/person\/3aa4491febae588ac3600408e3e3adde","name":"Dave Shaw","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f20f417633247552979d58a1f7d800afbee48b50040f8c2516333377b8ca9040?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dave Shaw"},"url":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/author\/dmshaw\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34308"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34557,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34308\/revisions\/34557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34308"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=34308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}