Below is a list of UCI staff members and their areas of expertise. Additional biographical information can be found on the Who We Are page. See a full list of experts at Monmouth University.
Media inquiries may be directed to Communications Director Karl Vilacoba at kvilacob@monmouth.edu or 732-571-3688 (cell: 848-469-0832).
UCI Expert Guide
Jason Adolf, Ph.D.
Expertise: Water quality, harmful algal blooms, red tides, phytoplankton ecology and evolution
Meredith Comi
Aquaculture, oyster restoration and living shoreline projects, coastal community resilience
Rachel Forbes
Environmental justice, social work and the environment, climate change and mental health, sustainability, ecological justice, culture and place-based equity, fostering sustainable behavior
Vice Admiral Paul G. Gaffney II, USN (Ret.)
Expertise: Ocean exploration, federal ocean policy, Naval meteorology and oceanography
Thomas Herrington, Ph.D.
Expertise: Coastal resilience and sustainability, hazard mitigation, ocean engineering, storm surge and wave impacts, beach/sand management, climate change
Peter Jacques, Ph.D.
The politics of climate change and sustainability, ethical considerations and metrics of sustainability, Indigenous thought and the environment
Tony MacDonald, Esq.
Expertise: Ocean resources management issues and public policy, beach access law, ocean planning, federal environmental legislation and congressional affairs
Jay Odell
Expertise: Fisheries, ocean planning, climate change impacts to ocean ecosystems, marine life and dependent fishing communities
Karl Vilacoba
Expertise: General inquiries about UCI programs, projects and activities; the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal and regional ocean planning
News Releases
Visit our frequently updated UCI Blog for additional news and features
Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute to Host Future of the Ocean Symposium Oct. 9, Oct. 1, 2025
Op-Ed: New Jersey Turns the Tide with Innovative Coastal Sediment Strategy, June 24, 2025
Monmouth University Scientists Confirm New Invasive Species of Anemone in U.S. on New Jersey Beaches, Feb. 18, 2025
Ocean Bodies, A Solo Exhibit by Kimberly Callas, Dec. 4, 2024
Pallone-Secured Funds Drive Major Milestone in Bay Restoration with Deployment of 80 Oyster Castles at Naval Weapons Station Earle, Nov. 14, 2024
Pallone Secures $750,000 for Monmouth University’s Coastal Protection Initiative, Oct. 8, 2024
DEP Partners Look Forward to Resilience Projects Following $72 Million NOAA Grant Announcement, Aug. 6, 2024
Rebuild by Design Proposes New Funding Opportunities to Build the Climate Infrastructure Needed to Keep New Jersey Safe, July 15, 2024
Pallone Secures $625,000 for Monmouth University to Support Ecological and Coastal Resilience, March 13, 2024
N.J. Poll: Support for Wind Energy Plunges, Aug. 29, 2023
Comi to Lead Oyster Restoration and Resilience Initiatives at Urban Coast Institute, Aug. 16, 2023
Monmouth University Study Finds Rain-Driven Microbial Pollution Persists at Surfing Beaches in Colder Months, Aug. 9, 2023
Urban Coast Institute to Host Symposium Exploring Oceans and Climate Change April 13, March 30, 2023
Study: Deal Lake Caught in Seasonal Cycle of Harmful Algal Blooms, Jan. 11, 2023
Monmouth Receives Funding to Establish Consortium of N.J. Universities to Conduct Research on Coastal Resilience, Sept. 27, 2022
Ocean Wind 1 Funds Nearly $13 Million in Fisheries Monitoring Surveys, July 27, 2022
Monmouth U. Receives Federal Funds to Improve Coastal Resilience in Naval Weapons Station Earle and Socially Vulnerable N.J. Communities, April 19, 2022
National Poll: Fires, Floods Linked to Climate, Oct. 4, 2021
Monmouth University Awarded Grant to Monitor Health of County’s Coastal Lakes through 2023, July 8, 2021
Analysis of Pitch Data Shows Climate Change May Strike Baseball Umpiring, June 23, 2021
Sea Grant’s COVID-19-inspired #BEachSAFEly Wins “Best Public Awareness Campaign” Award, April 30, 2021
Study proves bits of DNA in seawater correlate to the weight of netted fish, Dec. 3, 2020
Gaffney Named to National Academies Committee Tasked with Advancing Defense Research at HBCUs and MSIs, Sept. 14, 2020
Humpback Whale Disentangled off New York Thanks to Team Effort, July 31, 2020
DNA surprises surfacing in the Atlantic: Species far from their usual southern homes, May 12, 2020