Director's Note

The power of positive interactions in nature and networks

(Photo credit: Sarah Buckleitner)

A year ago, our center volunteered to host the first Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN) 2024 Partner Symposium here in the Sunshine State. Last week, we welcomed 170 participants to St. Augustine from around the country for two-days of productive exchanges around nature-based solutions (NBS), a field that is rapidly gaining prominence nationwide, and has been an integral part of the mission of the Center for Coastal Solutions from the beginning.     

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From tides to textbooks: Graduate students develop lesson plans to inspire the next generation

(Photo credit: Kylie Hollis)

University of Florida graduate students Hallie Fischman and Emory Wellman are collaborating with teachers to translate their research into lesson plans for middle and high school students that inspire solutions for a changing world as part of a Florida Sea Grant pilot project in collaboration with the Virginia Scientists and Educators Alliance (VA SEA).   

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In the Field

The R/V Rogow sets sail for marsh restoration in St. Augustine

(Photo credit: Christine Angelini)

In May, the UF Center for Coastal Solutions (CCS) launched its newest research vessel, the “R/V Rogow,” on its maiden voyage to haul more than 20 yards of sediment as part of a marsh restoration project in St. Augustine, Florida. The boat, named in honor of Bruce and Winnie Rogow, was made possible through their generous gift during Gator Nation Giving Day in February.

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Tech Dive

UF researcher developing trustworthy AI to model human behavior in natural disasters

(Photo credit: Darwin Brandis - stock.adobe.com)

As the world experiences more frequent and intense weather and climate events, robust models that predict how people behave before, during and after these extreme events are important for developing effective emergency response strategies. Increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated into these models yet we don’t understand how most AI models make decisions, because the logic used to reach conclusions is not visible to users or developers.

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SeaSquad

Patrick Saldaña predicts the future of reefs using dead corals

(Photo credit: Hailey Vaughn)

Patrick Saldaña has turned his passion for all things ocean — from diving in sunlight dappled kelp forests to spearfishing off the coast of California — into a career studying the history and future of marine ecosystems around the world. Saldaña, who graduated in May with a doctorate degree in environmental engineering sciences from the University of Florida, investigates the importance of dead foundation species for biodiversity, ecosystem function and resilience. 

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Events

Sharing nature's best practices for resilience at cross-sector symposium

(Photo credit: Olivia Allen)

St. Augustine, Florida provided a picturesque backdrop for the inaugural Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN) 2024 Partner Symposium from May 22 to 24, which brought together 170 members from 28 network partners from across the country to forge deeper connections while learning about one another’s work to implement nature-based solutions or “actions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges, simultaneously providing benefits for people and the environment.”   

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More research news

Humans impact mud flow patterns and carbon cycles around the world

(Photo credit: Renaldo Matamoro)

Mud shapes life on Earth and regulates the planet’s climate by storing and cycling carbon. In a study published in Nature Geoscience, scientists from the University of Florida and eight other institutions found that human actions are altering the journey of mud, which has implications for understanding past changes in climate and what future scenarios might look like.  

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