Florida Sea Grant

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sharon Cilano as the new Franklin County Extension Director!

Dr. Cilano brings a passion for community engagement, education, and service to her new role, where she will help connect Franklin County residents with UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant resources. From supporting coastal communities and natural resource stewardship to fostering lifelong learning opportunities, her work will help strengthen the connection between science and the people it serves.

As she begins this new chapter, we are excited to see the impact her leadership will have on Franklin County and the communities that call Florida’s Gulf Coast home. We're thrilled to have her on the team and look forward to all that's ahead! 💙

Click here to read more about Dr. Cilano's story: https://bit.ly/4e0HcLX

As freeze events become less frequent & severe, mangroves are slowly creeping north into areas dominated by salt marsh. ��

In a recent study, FSG Fellow, Emory Wellman, and Dr. Anna Braswell investigated what this shift means for the valuable ecosystem services marshes provide, like carbon storage, storm protection, and water filtration. They combed through dozens of studies that measured services in areas with both of these habitats. They discovered that most existing research has focused on carbon sequestration and is concentrated in only a few geographical hotspots in the state, while other critical services, like coastal protection, have received almost no attention.

"The highly specific contexts of the research we examined complicated broad generalizations about effects of mangrove expansion on salt marshes. However, future efforts going beyond single-site studies and employing standardized analyses could offer valuable insights into this ongoing ecological transition and its impact on important ecosystem services." -Emory Wellman

Read the full paper here: https://bit.ly/4fLk1b3

UF IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences SFFGS
UF Center for Coastal Solutions
UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station

The Aylesworth Scholarship has supported USF Ph.D. student, Olivia Blondheim, and her research on oyster and habitat restoration. Her efforts are amplified through the citizen scientists whom she trains to build, deploy, and monitor vertical oyster gardens that are helping to restore oyster populations in the greater Tampa Bay area.

Applications are open! 📢 Interested Florida university students pursuing a marine science degree must apply using this link by 11:59 p.m. EST on June 11th. https://bit.ly/4nsXEsW

University of South Florida College of Marine Science
Gulf Shellfish Institute, Inc.

We’re excited to share these 8 opportunities to work with us to improve Florida’s coastal communities & environments. Whether you decide to become one of our many funded students or join our staff full-time, we can’t wait to meet you! 💙

Internships:
1. Undergraduate Summer Intern – This is a PAID opportunity to work on clam breeding & genetics. To apply, send a CV & personal statement to Dr Huiping Yang, [email protected]

2. Undergraduate Summer Intern – This is a PAID opportunity to work on seed production of grasses for living shorelines. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/43uChhz

3. Undergraduate Summer Intern – This is a PAID opportunity to work on Taylor County’s scallop fishery & artificial reef monitoring programs. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/43uChhz

4. Aylesworth Scholarship Award - This opportunity is open to Florida university students conducting research in the marine sciences. Closes 6/11/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4uKbUQv

5. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship - This is a PAID opportunity for graduate/recent grads to spend a year in Washington, D.C., working in the Legislative or Executive branch! Closes 6/3/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/48Vqr3j

Jobs:
1. Interim Associate Director of Research – lead & oversee all aspects of the FSG research program, including managing award processes, ensuring regulatory compliance and federal reporting accuracy, supervising staff, and cultivating partnerships & funding opportunities. Closes 6/4/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4vbfIKI

2. Aquaculture Program Specialist - lead the expansion of our H.A.R.V.E.S.T. aquaculture apprenticeship program in Florida. The individual will organize an advisory board made up of industry associations, assist with recruitment and onboarding of apprentices, and support research and Extension around Florida. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wCpiYz

3. Southwest Regional Boating Coordinator - As part of the Clean Boating Program, this position provides technical assistance to marinas related to Clean Vessel Act grant funds and the Clean Marina Program. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wno7fs

The Aylesworth Scholarship has supported student research in marine science for 40 YEARS! Thanks to the scholarship, Dr. Ashley Reaume was able to advance DNA metabarcoding techniques for plankton & water quality research in coastal waters. 🦠

Applications are now open! 📢 Interested Florida university students pursuing a marine science degree must apply by 11:59 p.m. EST on June 11th. Apply today! https://bit.ly/4nsXEsW

We added an extra dose of Florida Sea Grant-specific opportunities into our Roundup this week! Take a look! 👀

Internships:
1. FSG is recruiting an undergraduate student for a PAID internship to work on clam breeding & genetics. To apply, send a CV & personal statement to Dr Huiping Yang [email protected]

2. FSG is recruiting Florida university students conducting research in the marine sciences for the Aylesworth Scholarship Award. Closes 6/11/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4uKbUQv

3. FSG is recruiting graduate/recent grads for its Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. Get PAID to spend a year in Washington D.C. working in the Legislative or Executive branch! Closes 6/3/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/48Vqr3j

Jobs:
1. FSG is recruiting an Aquaculture Program Specialist to lead the expansion of our H.A.R.V.E.S.T. aquaculture apprenticeship program in Florida. The individual will organize an advisory board made up of industry associations, assist with recruitment and onboarding of apprentices, and support research and Extension around Florida. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wCpiYz

2. FSG is recruiting a SW Regional Boating Coordinator as part of the Clean Boating Program. Provide technical assistance to marinas related to Clean Vessel Act grant funds and the Clean Marina Program. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wno7fs

3. FSG is recruiting a Florida Coral Grant Coordinator located in South FL, to provide comprehensive grant management and coordination alongside DEP for multiple coral programs. Closes 5/25/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/3Pzqj2Q

4. Louisiana Sea Grant is recruiting an Assistant/Associate Extension Agent located in St. Mary Parish, focused on fisheries and coastal issues. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wuvXEf

5. The Sea Turtle Research, Rehabilitation and Education Program at the Whitney Laboratory is recruiting a Veterinary Care Technician to assist with veterinary care and comprehensive husbandry duties for stranded/injured sea turtles. Close 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/42D73ob

✨ If you’re an employer looking to advertise your open position, please email the job details to [email protected]

New internships, scholarships, and jobs! Get ‘em while they’re still hot! 🔥

1. FSG is now recruiting Florida university students conducting research in the marine sciences for the Aylesworth Scholarship Award. Closes 6/11/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4uKbUQv

2. FSG is recruiting graduate/recent grads for its Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. Get PAID to spend a year in Washington D.C. working in the Legislative or Executive branch! Closes 6/3/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/48Vqr3j

3. FSG is recruiting a SW Regional Boating Coordinator as part of the Clean Boating Program. Provide technical assistance to marinas related to Clean Vessel Act grant funds and the Clean Marina Program. Closes 6/1/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wno7fs

4. FSG is recruiting a Florida Coral Grant Coordinator located in South FL, to provide comprehensive grant management and coordination alongside DEP for multiple coral programs. Closes 5/25/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/3Pzqj2Q

5. FWC is recruiting a Fisheries & Wildlife Biological Administrator II located in Tallahassee, FL, to lead marine fisheries development & rulemaking, overseeing fishery programs, guiding regional staff, and engaging stakeholders. Closes 5/20/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4u3i79X

6. The Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program is recruiting an Environmental Technician to lead water quality, microbial source tracking, and living shoreline monitoring projects. Apply here: https://bit.ly/42rUvzY

7. FWC is recruiting a Sea Turtle Lighting Biologist located in Tallahassee, FL, to provide expert guidance to minimize lighting impacts on marine turtles. Closes 5/21/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/48Qb7oG

8. The Whitney Laboratory of Marine Bioscience is recruiting an OPS Research Technician in microbiology, cell biology, and neuroscience in the laboratories of Profs. James Strother & Sandra Loesgen located in St. Augustine. Closes 5/15/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/3PjmfUd

9. The Whitney Laboratory of Marine Bioscience is recruiting an Executive Assistant to provide operational support to the director by managing scheduling, meetings, communications, events, and visits. Closes 5/20/26. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4uLikyS

10. Louisiana Sea Grant is recruiting an Assistant/Associate Extension Agent located in St. Mary Parish, focused on fisheries and coastal issues. Apply here: https://bit.ly/4wuvXEf

✨ If you’re an employer looking to advertise your open position, please email the job details to [email protected]

FSG is basking in all the sunshine and warm connections made at UF/IFAS Florida Cooperative Extension Summit in Clearwater, FL. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table and shared more about their program. Congratulations to our extension faculty for receiving awards for outstanding community work.

The South Atlantic Release Rodeo is BACK to offer fishermen the chance to win FREE gear by providing information on their released shallow water grouper and red snapper. Visit the link below to read more and create an SAFMC Release account to start earning entries into monthly and grand prize giveaways. Tight lines! 🎣

Project website: https://bit.ly/3Ovin2j

Special thanks to our donor partners!
Haddrell's Point Tackle
Z-Man Fishing Products
SeaQualizer