Oceanographic & Coastal Processes
Research Focus AeaResearch Focus Area Overview
The coastal ocean, from the estuarine shoreline to the edge of the continental rise, is perhaps the most important and yet vulnerable areas of the world’s oceans. The chemical, physical, and biological processes that affect these coastal seas are intertwined and complex. Our researchers use interdisciplinary approaches, modeling and empirical, to obtain a quantitative understanding of these processes.
Research Labs
Marine Geochemistry & Coastal Dynamics
Lab
Oceanography & Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Ocean Lab
Coastal Engineering & Adaptation
Lab
Coastal Marine Processes & Geomorphology Lab
Ecology & Biogeochemistry
in Marine & Coastal
Systems Lab
Coasts & Oceans Observing
Lab
News
Oct 24 Science on the Sound Features National Weather Service
Join us for the October 2024 installment of the "Science on the Sound" Lecture Series at the Coastal Studies Institute on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. This monthly, in-person lecture series brings perspectives from all over the state and highlights coastal topics in...
CSI Faculty Receive NSF Grant for Renewable Ocean Energy Research
Remote and island communities, like the Outer Banks, do not always have access to resilient energy sources during severe weather or other coastal hazards that jeopardize traditional grid power. When disaster strikes, it may be quite some time before such communities...
Upcoming Science on the Sound Lecture, September 26
Join us for the September 2024 installment of the "Science on the Sound" Lecture Series at the Coastal Studies Institute on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. This monthly, in-person lecture series brings perspectives from all over the state and highlights coastal topics in...
Summer Camp Recap
Another summer has come and gone, and while most academic institutions tend to quiet down for the season, the energy at the Coastal Studies Institute is often at its highest. In addition to the nine REU students and a handful of others participating in internships or...
REU Reflections
Coastal communities and coastlines around the world are increasingly facing challenges including extreme weather, sea level rise, and population growth. While people may not see eye-to-eye when it comes to the drivers of these changes, most will agree that coastlines...
Science on the Sound Series Resumes August 28 with Talk about Flood Insurance
Join us for the launch of the 2024-2025 Science on the Sound Lecture Series season on August 28 at the Coastal Studies Institute on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. This monthly, in-person lecture series brings perspectives from all over the state and highlights coastal...
NREL Team & HERO WEC Made Another OBX Visit in Spring 2024
Good waves aren’t just for surfers on the Outer Banks. They’re preferred by some engineers, too. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis (HERO) wave energy converter (WEC) was once again deployed in the shallow waters...
Exploring the Human Dimensions of Marine Renewable Energy
Dr. Linda D’Anna, now a research associate at the Coastal Studies Institute, was once a budding biologist; but while in graduate school, her interests took a turn toward the social science aspects of coastal issues. “I loved doing bio fieldwork, but I while I was...
Dr. Stu Hamilton: A Local Scientist with Global Projects
Imagine a research hub with a variety of ecosystems right outside the door. There are marshes, wetlands, beaches, and maritime forests. The surrounding bodies of water are warm or cold; salty, fresh, or brackish- a combination of the two. Talent abounds and the...
Internships Reimagined
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It is a question most begin to hear at a relatively young age. For some, that answer is easy and hardly changes with age. Yet for others, the answer is uncertain and increasingly daunting as they approach milestones like high...
Based at the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI), the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP) advances inter-disciplinary marine energy solutions across UNC System partner colleges of engineering at NC State University, UNC Charlotte, and NC A&T University. Click on the links below for more information.
ECU's Integrated Coastal Programs (ECU ICP) is a leader in coastal and marine research, education, and engagement. ECU ICP includes the Coastal Studies Institute, ECU's Department of Coastal Studies, and ECU Diving and Water Safety.
The ECU Outer Banks campus is home to the Coastal Studies Institute.
