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
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...
CSI Family Programs Welcome Multi-generational Groups
Family programs at the Coastal Studies Institute are back in full swing for 2024 and are inviting curious minds of all ages to participate. CSI Education and Outreach offers a variety of standards-based education programs for K-12 students throughout the school year,...
Semester Experience at the Coast: A Stepping Stone for Future Coastal Careers
The arrival of Spring on the Outer Banks each year brings a complete transformation to the area. Local towns seemingly come to life after a dull gray winter of seclusion. Likewise, the Spring semester on the ECU Outer Banks Campus offers rejuvenation and new...
CoastLines Spring 2024 Available Now
We are proud to announce the Spring 2024 issue of the ECU Integrated Coastal Programs Newsletter, CoastLines. Stay up to date on the research, education, and outreach programs of ECU ICP and the Coastal Studies Institute.In This Issue Corbett’s CornerStudent Section...
Science on the Sound Series Continues on May 23
Join us for the May 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...
NCROEP Hosts Annual Symposium
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...