FSUCML researchers, Dr. Sandra Brooke, Emily Fuqua, and Jen Bueno, began drone surveys to map depleted intertidal oyster reefs in Oyster Bay.

In mid November, the Grubbs lab and the Bimini Biological Field Station team spent five days tagging and collecting biological samples from endangered smalltooth sawfish in the Florida Keys. 11 large sawfish were successfully acoustically tagged and blood samples were taken for future analysis.

It was a sunny and clear day after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend on September 26, 2024. Our initial assessment revealed that our buildings sustained no structural damage and no loss of our vehicles or marine craft. However, we do have a lot of seagrass and marine debris to clean up! Read more to see pictures.

Jenny Bueno, a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Geography, just published a new paper on "The application of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) for monitoring intertidal oyster density and abundance." Below is a quick synopsis about her research, but here full paper is Open Access and can be read HERE.

Summer is in full swing, and we are celebrating four students graduating during Florida State University’s summer 2024 commencement! Rachael Best and Jackson Powell, will both graduate with their doctorates, officially granting them the titles of Dr. Best and Dr. Powell. Kevin Engelbert and Grace Westphal will both graduate with their master's, and we are thrilled to watch them continue their journeys of scientific discoveries. Read more about each of these incredible students below. Congratulations, Rachael, Jackson, Kevin, and Grace!

Florida State University’s first and longest-tenured Diving Safety Officer, Gregg R. Stanton, passed away earlier this month at the age of 76.  Gregg trained in the Scientist in the Sea Program (SITS) under the tutelage of the U.S. Navy Captain George F. Bond, M.D., the father of saturation diving, before bringing his experience and ambition to FSU. Upon arriving at FSU, he developed the Academic Diving Program.

Spring brings many things to the Tallahassee area – gorgeous blooms, mild weather, and Florida State University’s commencement weekend! Two exceptional students, Aaron Ridall, now newly minted as Dr. Ridall, and Armando Barsante Santos, also newly minted as Dr. Barsante Santos, have successfully defended their doctoral dissertations and will walk the stage this weekend! The FSUCML is so proud of Aaron and Armando, and we cannot wait to watch them continue to have a positive impact on the future of marine science. Congratulations, Aaron, and Armando!

Last month, members of the Grubbs lab traveled to the Florida Keys, in collaboration with members of the Bimini Biological Field Station, for routine smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) sampling.

Dr. Sandra Brooke, Dr. Josh Breithaupt, and Dr. Dean Grubbs were among the many scientists who contributed to the "Results and Impacts of the First Decade of the Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program" report. This report covers a variety of fields and projects within Florida in the aftermath of the BP Horizon Oil Spill.

The marine sciences would not be what they are today without the significant contributions of five integral Black scientists – Ernest Everett Just, Roger Arliner Young, Joan Murrell Owens, Evan B. Forde, and Ashanti Johnson.  Picture credit: C+R Research