University of South Florida College of Marine Science

Students from the College of Marine Science traveled to Washington, D.C., for Capitol Hill Ocean Week, gaining firsthand experience at the intersection of ocean science and policy.

As part of the Ocean Policy course led by Mark Luther and Frank Muller-Karger, graduate students met with staff from the offices of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Senator Rick Scott, the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management among others. They also visited National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) headquarters, attended congressional hearings, participated in policy discussions, and connected with alumni and professionals working across the ocean policy landscape.

The annual course provides experience in science policy, helping students translate their research into actionable information that can inform laws and drive positive change.

After the fire at the Marine Science Lab, faculty, students, and staff at the College of Marine Science have kept moving forward. Many have returned to the field and kept critical research on track. And among the things recovered from the building: hard drives containing dissertations, essential equipment, and freezers containing troves of biological and geological samples from around the world.

For those who called the Marine Science Lab a second home, the aftermath of the fire has been one of the most challenging events in their professional careers. But despite the loss of access to offices, labs, and critical research and equipment, people have powered on.

“Everyone has been contributing in different ways to help move things forward while continuing operations as though this were a small bump in the road,” said Chad Silva, facilities manager at the college. “It has been encouraging to see everyone come together, support one another, and work toward a common goal. I’m grateful to be a small part of such a dedicated, collaborative, and hardworking team.”


Read more about the resilience of the college here: https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/news/2026/resilience-and-resolve-drive-marine-researchers-in-the-wake-of-disaster.aspx

Just weeks after a devastating fire disrupted operations at the USF College of Marine Science and with an impending hurricane season around the corner, researchers from the Ocean Circulation Lab were back at sea. The group services buoys in the Gulf critical to monitoring oceanic conditions that fuel hurricanes.

With salvaged equipment and dive gear, a small crew of six boarded the R/V Tocobaga and set off to upkeep sensors on moorings in the Gulf.

These buoys are part of a larger observation program maintained by the lab and provide valuable data that can help forecast the impact of hurricanes, inform ocean circulation models, and support coastal resilience. Since the loss of the Marine Science Laboratory, members of the lab have worked tirelessly to return to buoy operations and maintain the flow of data.

Read more about the efforts and the team behind the buoys below:

After devastating fire, USF marine scientists race to keep ocean monitoring on track | USF College of Marine Science At the USF College of Marine Science, data gathered from ocean buoys and scientific models help ensure the security of communities during hurricane season.

We were proud to have the annual meeting of the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry program at the USF St. Petersburg campus! This meeting provides a venue for NASA-funded researchers to report their results and discuss existing gaps in research.

Brian Barnes, research assistant professor at the College of Marine Science, helped organize the event and served as plenary speaker to start off the meeting. Researchers from the college's Optical Oceanography Lab and Institute of Marine Remove Sensing participated in the meeting, sharing their use of NASA satellites to study water quality, harmful algal blooms, and more.

Distinguished University Professors Chuanmin Hu and Frank Muller-Karger served as moderator and speaker for the event, respectively, which had over 150 researchers in attendance.

The event highlighted how collaboration between organizations can drive impactful research and showcased the college’s significant contributions to the field of optics.

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The Ocean Circulation Lab is back on the water but not without a proper sendoff 🌊

As the crew departed aboard Florida Institute of Oceanography's R/V Weatherbird this week, they shared their appreciation for the St. Petersburg Innovation District, Councilmember Gina Driscoll, the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, and the broader community, who have shown endless support for the College of Marine Science over the past few weeks. Thanks to their help, the college continues its critical research, including maintaining buoys in the Gulf to monitor ocean conditions that influence hurricanes.

Bon voyage to the crew aboard the Weatherbird and thank you again to our incredible community!

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response shown to the University of South Florida College of Marine Science during this time of recovery.

Thanks to everyone who has pledged support to the Marine Science Operating Fund. At last check, we’ve raised more than $400,000 because of the generosity of more than 150 supporters from all over the world!

Your generosity helps power our critical ocean research, graduate education, and outreach to develop the next generation of marine scientists.

While there is still much work ahead, we are touched by the sentiments and resilience of our community. With your support, we know the College of Marine Science will bounce back stronger than ever.

Additional donations to the Marine Science Operating Fund can be made here: https://giving.usf.edu/impact/marine-science-fund

Congratulations to College of Marine Science graduate student AJ Gross!

Gross received the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, which is awarded to outstanding students who have demonstrated potential for significant achievements in research.

Co-advised by Mya Breitbart and Steve Murawski, Gross studies emerging chemical contaminants, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses in oysters throughout Tampa Bay. His research contributes to the Tampa Bay Surveillance Project.

Congrats, AJ! We look forward to seeing the continued impact of your research.

As a leader in the use of autonomous systems for ocean research, the College of Marine Science is proud to host the Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) workshop from May 18-20 on the USF St. Petersburg campus. UG2 was established by the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) and U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System to bolster collaboration and information exchange between glider operators, manufacturers, academia, and government agencies.

Attendees of the workshop were welcomed by Chad Lembke, research assistant professor with the Ocean Technology Group, which operate the USF fleet of gliders. These autonomous underwater vehicles are a cost-effective way to gather ocean data, helping improve hurricane models, map marine ecosystems, and monitor harmful algal blooms such as red tide.

The workshop has offered an opportunity for the glider community to come together and share data, insights, and ideas to refine the use of these innovative systems.