Coastal Systems Program, SMAST

⚓Welcome our new Lab Manager to the CSP Crew ☀️🌊

Anna lisa Mudahy is a research associate and the analytical lab manager at CSP. Anna lisa got her BS in Marine Sciences (2018) and her Master of Oceanography (2022) from the University of Connecticut. She loves food, chemistry, rocks, space and a good fantasy book! Anna's goal is to help protect the earth so that it can be a gift to those who live here now and in the future.

This week was a double header for the CSP Crew!

Our very own Jessica Thomas completed her PhD dissertation defense on "Micro-siting and Nitrogen Removal Efficiency of Liquid Injection Permeable Reactive Barriers in Residential Watersheds of Southeastern Massachusetts"! Her research findings are impactful, inspiring, and incredibly useful to the water quality initiatives our team is working towards. Dr. Thomas, we are very proud of you!

John Clark, our elemental analyzer guru, has defended his master's thesis today on the "Effects of Tidal Inundation and Biogeochemical Factors on Revegetation of a Long Term Occluded Salt Marsh"! This research is directly informing marsh restoration initiatives currently taking place in the Nonquitt Salt Marsh of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Long days of intense field work and data work ups have paid off! John, we are so proud of you! Master of the Marsh!

Happy Holidays from the CSP 🫧🤿 and Team Zissou❄️🌟

In this month's edition of The Current, read about our very own , as she reflects on 23 years at the Coastal Systems Program! We are beyond proud of all she has accomplished, and so incredibly grateful for her contributions to our lab. She is a foundational pillar in everything we do, and although starting a new position is still very involved in our mission to support coastal environments and those who live there.

Use the QR code to read more or click the link in our story and bio!

Way to go Dr. Labrie!

So proud of you Mia Oliveira!

Mia Oliveira '26: Networking the coast Marine biology major conducts field research across the Cape and Islands while making industry connections at her SMAST internship

CSP volunteering on this beautiful Sunday!

Meet Tom Chizinski, one of our volunteers for CITMON, our water quality monitoring program run entirely by dedicated volunteer citizen scientists. When asked why Tom volunteers year after year, he replied “Why not?” Every summer Tom, who lives right on Little Pond in Falmouth, takes out a boat and helps conduct routine water quality sampling twice a month in July and August. This morning at 6am, as we watched the sun rise over the pond, Tom was quiet and observant, pointing out the fish in the water, the osprey nest nearby, and identifying the unique early morning bird calls, while we set out to collect samples and take measurements. “Hopefully the pond is cleaning up,” Tom adds. Without citizen scientists like Tom, much of the water quality monitoring in the Cape would not be possible! And for Tom, it’s a great way to enjoy a peaceful morning out on the water while contributing to keeping his local water systems healthy.

Such a beautiful day for water quality sampling here in Mashpee. 🌊☀️ What makes today even more meaningful is seeing Brian Howes’s legacy live on. His daughter, Sarah, and his nephew, Will, are out on the water sampling the same beloved sites they once visited with Brian.

It’s bittersweet not having Brian at the helm but it’s truly incredible to witness the impact he made. His passion for protecting these waters lives on through them and through this vital program. 💙

Here’s to honoring Brian’s memory by continuing the work he cared so deeply about. Miss you Brian.

⚓️⚓️⚓️MEET THE CSP⚓️⚓️⚓️

Hi everyone! I’m Emad Mady, and I recently joined the Coastal Systems Program as Program Manager. I earned my Ph.D. in Environmental Conservation from UMass Amherst in 2024, and my background and interests include environmental science and water quality research, with a focus on understanding nutrient dynamics and how they influence water quality. Before joining CSP, I worked at the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center at UMass Amherst, where I contributed to large-scale watershed projects and managed the Environmental Analysis Laboratory (EAL). I’m thrilled to be part of CSP’s mission to monitor, protect, and restore our coastal waters, and I look forward to collaborating with this amazing team and engaging with the broader community.