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  • UCI Marine and Environmental Luncheon Speaker Series

    State of Coastal and Ocean Acidification in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic

    Coastal and ocean acidification have significant scientific and societal ramifications including the alteration of ocean biogeochemistry, ecological consequences associated with altered ecosystems, and economic losses due to the decreased survival of commercially important organisms. Guest speaker Dr. Grace Saba, Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Center for Ocean Observing Leadership at Rutgers University will cover what we know and do not yet know about acidification in the Mid-Atlantic. We will examine recommendations from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN) to enhance regional acidification monitoring and improve understanding of potential ecological impacts.

    About the Speaker

    Dr. Saba is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Center for Ocean Observing Leadership at Rutgers University. She also serves as co-coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN). She received her B.S in Aquatic Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her Ph.D. in Marine Science from the College of William and Mary.

    Related Links

    UCI Blog

  • UCI Marine & Environmental Speaker Series

    Menhaden Defenders: Why Defend?

    The population of Atlantic menhaden (bunker) is at an all-time low. The loss of menhaden spells disaster for striped bass, tuna, bluefish, weakfish, osprey, whales, birds, and marine mammals. Captain Paul Eidman, founder of Menhaden Defenders, discusses the importance of rebuilding this stock. If we want to protect our game fish and marine mammals, we must protect their food! Come learn what you can do to ensure these fish remain abundant in our coastal waters.

    Related Links

    UCI Blog

  • Conservation Panel and Book Signing with John Morano

    Monmouth University Professor and Eco-Adventure Series author John Morano will host a book signing and Conservation Panel with Clean Ocean Action and the Urban Coast Institute (UCI) on Oct. 27 at the Eatontown Barnes & Noble, located in Monmouth Mall.

    The event will kick off with a signing at 3 p.m., followed by the panel from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and a second signing session at the discussion’s conclusion. A portion of sales revenues on the day will be donated to the UCI to support student-faculty research activities at Monmouth University.

    Morano will moderate an expert discussion with Clean Ocean Action Executive Director Cindy Zipf and UCI Director Tony MacDonald on topics such as threats facing Jersey Shore area marine environments and wildlife. An audience question and answer segment will follow.

    Morano’s Eco-Adventure Series work raises awareness of endangered species both in this region and throughout the world. The books present imperiled habitats as settings, underpinning the relationship between wildlife and their environment. The stories stress that thinking globally and acting locally are imperative, both to the sustainability of our environment and the betterment of our everyday eco-intertwined lives.

    A professor of journalism at Monmouth, Morano has authored four novels in his Eco-Adventure Series. A writer very concerned with endangered species and habitat depletion, Morano employs the journalistic ethic of giving a voice to the voiceless as he pens stories of imperiled creatures and habitats that can’t speak for themselves.

  • Coastal and Ocean Champion Awards Reception

    Join the Urban Coast Institute in celebrating 40 years of New Jersey’s Coastal Management Program and honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to the program and to the conservation and sustainability of New Jersey’s coastal and marine ecosystems and communities. This year the UCI will present its Coastal and Ocean Champion Awards to The New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance, represented by Honorary Co-Chairs Gov. James Florio and Gov. Thomas Kean; David Kinsey; John Weingart; Mark Mauriello; and Norbert Psuty.

    Ticket Prices: $100 General Public; $70 Nonprofit/Government Representatives

    Contact: Doris Meyer at 732-263-5662 or dmeyer@monmouth.edu

     

  • Ocean Frontiers II – Film Screening & Panel Discussion

    In a region steeped in old maritime tradition, Ocean Frontiers II tells the story of a modern wave of big ships, energy industries and a changing climate, and how people are coming together to plan for a healthy ocean off their coast. Join us after the film for an interactive panel discussion about how we can protect wildlife habitat, enhance recreational activities and support sustainable commercial uses in our increasingly busy New Jersey Waters.

    Free Admission and Snacks!

    RSVP: http://bit.ly/OF2-Mo

    Event Website: ocean-frontiers.org/monmouth

  • 12th Annual Future of the Ocean Symposium & Champions of the Ocean Awards Luncheon

    Joint Ocean Commission Initiative Co-Chair and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman will be among the honorees at the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute’s 12th Annual Future of the Ocean Symposium and Champions of the Ocean Awards Luncheon on December 7, 2016. The theme for this year’s symposium is America’s Ocean Future: Priorities for Congress and Next Administration.

    The symposium will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in Wilson Hall, and is free and open to the public.

    The awards luncheon will follow from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are required to attend the luncheon, and online ticket orders will be available shortly.

    Dr. Donald Boesch, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, will receive the UCI’s Regional Champion of the Ocean Award and serve as the second symposium speaker along with Gov. Whitman.

    This year’s State, Coastal and Ocean Leadership Champion of the Ocean honorees will be David Rosenblatt, Assistant Commissioner, Engineering and Construction, at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP); and Elizabeth Semple, Assistant Director, Division of Coastal and Land Use Planning, NJDEP.

    For more information, visit the Urban Coast Institute web site or contact Danica Simmons at 732-263-5662 or via email at dsimmons@monmouth.edu.

  • A Plastic Ocean

    In A Plastic Ocean, an international team of adventurers, researchers, and ocean ambassadors go on a mission around the globe to uncover the shocking truth about what is truly lurking beneath the surface of our seemingly pristine Ocean. The result will astound viewers – just as it did our adventurers – who captured never-before-seen images of marine life, plastic pollution, and its ultimate consequences for human health. During its four-year production period, A Plastic Ocean was filmed in 20 locations around the world in beautiful and chilling detail to document the global effects of plastic pollution – and introduce workable technology and policy solutions that can, if implemented in time, change things for the better.

    This free film screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Bayshore Recycling Vice President of Operations Gary Sondermeyer, who will provide an important and interesting perspective on controlling plastic waste and marine debris.

    For additional information, please contact Karl Vilacoba at 732-571-3688 or kvilacob@monmouth.edu.

    Event Information and Registration

  • eDNA: A Forensic Approach to Fish Detection

    Monmouth and Rockefeller universities are pioneering a marine life detection technique that holds the promise of being less expensive, more humane and more revealing than other longstanding scientific methods. Faculty and students from both institutions have been conducting research in water bodies along the New Jersey and New York coasts using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, an approach that allows scientists to confirm the presence of fish and other organisms by testing for trace amounts of genetic material that they shed into the water.

    Join us for a free panel discussion that breaks down the science of eDNA and provides an update on what area waterways will be studied next. Pizza and refreshments will be served.

    PANELISTS

    • Jason Adolf, Monmouth University Endowed Professor of Marine Science
    • Jesse Ausubel, Director, Rockefeller University Program for the Human Environment
    • Keith Dunton, Monmouth University Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
    • Mark Stoeckle, Senior Research Associate, Rockefeller University Program for the Human Environment

    For more information, contact Karl Vilacoba at 732-571-3688 or kvilacob@monmouth.edu.