REU Projects

Mentors and Research Projects Available for Summer 2024

Projects in this REU are organized into the three theme areas given below to help you identify research areas of most interest to you. It is important to note, however, that many projects may include components that span across multiple research areas.

Theme Area #1: Geospatial and Computational – projects that utilize tools like GIS, remote sensing, numerical modeling, data science, and/or programming techniques

Theme Area #2: Social Science, Policy, and Education – projects that focus on human dimensions of coastal problems, including education and outreach

Theme Area #3: Geoscience, Ecology, and Engineering – projects that utilize disciplinary knowledge of environmental systems and approaches to address coastal issues

Please see 2024 projects below.

Theme Area	Faculty Institution	Mentor	Project Information
2	Clemson	Dr. Kelly Lazar; Engineering & Science Education; Environmental Engineering & Earth Science	Development of a Coastal Science Inventory to Address Misconceptions about the Coast Project Description: Coastal Science is an interdisciplinary field of study that is not a common topic of focus within K-12 education. However, knowledge of coastal systems and the interplay between humans and the natural environment is of critical importance for the 40% of the US population that resides within a coastal county. This education research project will aim to develop a concept inventory (like a quiz) that can be used to measure an individual's knowledge of coastal systems. In the future, this concept inventory can be used to identify and address misconceptions related to coastal environments that will allow coastal residents to make more informed decisions for their families and communities. Faculty Expertise Area: Coastal sedimentology and Quaternary environmental change focused on micropaleontologic techniques; geoscience education focusing on recruitment through different modes of engagement. Supervised 12 undergraduate students contributing to NSF-funded geoscience education projects and advised 11 senior thesis projects and 2 REU students.
3	ECU	Dr. Mike Muglia; Oceanography	Interdisciplinary study to support the development of a Wave Energy Converter in North Carolina Project Description: Dr. Muglia's Lab is using novel new NASA satellite wave measurements from ICESAT2 to develop a method to make regional wave energy characterizations from the satellite and offshore buoy observations in the OBX region. We are using these observations to provide an economic analysis of the National Renewable Energy Lab's HERO Wave Energy Converter, that Muglia's lab has also been helping to develop and deploy in the ocean. Our REU student will work with Dr. Muglia and his PhD student, Jacquelyn Moore, to answer specific open questions related to this effort. Ultimately, the goal is to use a wave energy converter to provide power to a charging station for electric vehicles at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, our wave energy test center. Faculty Expertise Area: Mike Muglia's research focuses on physical oceanography, particularly the Gulf Stream and Hatteras Front, and its application to MHK development. My research team has mentored several students of all ages and abilities and we enjoy including students in our work.
1/2/3	ECU	Dr. Ariane Peralta; Microbial Ecology Dr. Randall Etheridge; Engineering Dr. Greg Howard; Economics	Coastal Agricultural Watershed Resilience in a Saltier and Stormier World Project Description: The overall goal of this project is to develop an integrated socio-environmental coupled systems model that captures the interrelationships between policy, farmer behavior, nutrient processes, and downstream water quality under current conditions and in a predicted future with more nitrogen and greater saltwater intrusion. We will use measured microbial nitrogen processing rates and watershed modeling predictions using SWAT+ to examine how land use management (cover crops, fertilizer application) and sea level rise influence nitrogen processes and coastal water quality. We will also use experimental economic data to examine how changing incentives for agricultural management practices impact the adoption of the incentivized practices, as well as any unintended consequences on farmer management decisions. Both REU scholars will participate in field sampling and microbial analyses, and in addition, one REU scholar will focus on SWAT+ modeling and one REU scholar will focus on economic data analysis. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Randall Etheridge Etheridge’s research uses environmental monitoring and modeling to evaluate and design systems to 1) increase the resiliency of coastal communities or 2) reduce the contaminants in surface water or groundwater to protect human and ecosystem health. Over the last eight years, Dr. Etheridge has served as a mentor for more than 80 undergraduate students completing capstone or research projects through course-based undergraduate research experiences or independent research projects. Dr. Ariane Peralta Peralta’s research program has three main foci spanning basic to applied microbial ecology: 1) examine how land use change, namely diversifying human-modified landscapes, influences microbial community structure for enhanced ecosystem benefits (e.g., water quality improvement, climate change mitigation), 2) evaluate how land use legacies influence plant-soil-microbial interactions, and 3) investigate how natural and anthropogenic environmental gradients impact microbial community structure and function. Since 2014, Peralta has mentored undergraduates to initiate data analysis of soil bacterial isolates and the total community composition at a long-term ecological experiment; ~120 undergraduate students participate in course-based undergraduate research experiences and 2-4 undergraduate researchers participate in independent research experiences in microbial ecology (virtual and face-to-face experiences). Dr. Greg Howard Howard's research uses hypothetical and incentivized survey and experimental methods to estimate individual preferences for nonmarket amenities and agri-environmental policies. Dr. Howard has served as a mentor for two members of ECU's Honors College for their capstone undergraduate research projects and incorporates research study design in his undergraduate course in behavioral economics, which is taken by ~40 undergraduates each year.
1	ECU	Dr. Rebecca Asch; Biology	How do geopolitical borders interact with shifts in fish geography and phenology? Project Description: In response to changing ocean conditions, marine fishes may shift where they are (geography), when they are present or when certain behaviors take place (phenology), or both. Understanding the distribution and timing of larval fish is especially important, as the larval period is particularly vulnerable and characterized by high mortality rates. Studying the tradeoff between shifting species distributions and shifting timing can inform us about where/when fish are spawning, how different species respond to changing conditions, and if fish are likely to encounter a “mismatch” between where they are and where their prey (or predators) are. We have assembled data from seven long-term larval fish sampling programs off the West Coast of North America. Our dataset encompasses three international borders (one between the US-Mexico and two between the US and Canada). Although marine species may freely disperse or move across these invisible political boundaries, anthropogenic effects and fisheries management can vary dramatically between nations. The REU student would work on studying variations in the geographic distribution and phenology of sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), a species that a prior student began to examine last summer. This REU student would choose to investigate one of the following research topics: 1) match-mismatch dynamics; 2) effect of extreme climatic events (El Niño events and marine heatwaves); 3) tracking changes in distance between spawning grounds and potential juvenile habitats; or 4) economic impacts of transboundary shifts on sablefish fisheries and associated ports in the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Alaska. Technical skills that an undergraduate researcher will gain while working on this project: modeling, programming in R, data visualization, evaluating scientific literature, statistics. Faculty Expertise Area: Fisheries oceanography with focus on interactions between fisheries, plankton ecology, and climate combining fieldwork, time series analysis, and ecosystem modeling across spatial and temporal scales.
3	ECU	Dr. Jim Morley; Biology Dr. April Blakeslee; Biology	How does habitat type and water quality affect Black Gill parasitic infection in wild shrimp? Project Description: Shrimp populations in coastal North Carolina are threatened by an emerging parasitic ciliate organism. This parasite infects the shrimp's gills, causing them to become necrotic; this condition is known as Black Gill. The goal of this project will be to better understand how shrimp vulnerability to this parasite may differ across multiple estuarine habitat types. The student will participate with researchers in weekly field collections and a field experiment, where estuarine areas will be accessed by boat or kayak, and shrimp will be brought back to the lab to examine under the microscope. A lab experiment will also be conducted, where live shrimp will be held in small aquaria. The student will be required to maintain the aquaria and conduct daily checks on the shrimp. The student will be trained on how to conduct statistical analysis of their data, and how to make professional quality figures. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Jim Morley is a marine fisheries ecologist who examines how fish and marine invertebrates respond to climate and habitat disturbances. Undergraduate researchers in this lab get experience working in the field to sample the fish and invertebrate community in a variety of ways, and then analyzing the data they have collected. Dr. April Blakeslee is a conservation biologist specializing in parasite evolutionary ecology, invasion biology, biodiversity, and biogeography in marine systems. Undergraduate researchers in her lab gain experience in parasite screening methodologies, host-parasite experimentation, field surveys for biodiversity, and analysis tools for community diversity metrics.
1	ECU	Dr. Qubin Qin; Coastal Studies	Investigating Wetland Tidal Dynamics in Response to Sea Level Rise Project Description: Tides play a fundamental role in shaping ecosystems, influencing processes like sediment transport and nutrient distribution. Understanding the complex interplay between tides and sea level rise is essential for predicting how coastal areas, especially wetlands, will respond to changing environmental conditions. This project aims to investigate the long-term changes in tide, such as tidal range and tidal asymmetry, in response to sea level rise, particularly considering the marsh evolution. This will be achieved through theoretical analysis, the examination of observational data, and numerical modeling. The insights gained from this research will contribute to our understanding of the impacts of sea level rise on tidal dynamics, providing valuable information for the development of coastal resilience strategies. The REU student will participate in collecting high-frequency monitoring data, analyzing both observational and modeling datasets, and gaining hands-on experience in data analysis and computer programming skills. Faculty Expertise Area: Physical transport processes, physical-biological interactions, coastal environmental issues (e.g., eutrophication, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, saltwater intrusion, contaminants, pathogen pollution, stormwater pollution, habitat degradation, and conservation of living resources), and model development (including analytical, process-based, habitat, particle-tracking, and data-driven/machine learning models).
2	ECU	Dr. Jason Pudlo	Revealed Policy Preferences in Climate Statements by Communities of Faith Project Description: Communities of faith are often anchors in their community and faith traditions can drive the preferences of policy makers and constituents. As communities adapt to climate change, it may be useful to understand the policy preferences and tolerances of faith traditions in those communities. This knowledge will help policymakers identify adaptation policies that might earn support or opposition from communities of faith. The data for this qualitative research project are climate change and related statements by communities of faith. These statements vary in their weight and impact on their respective communities of faith but often signal preferences and tolerances for climate and adaptation policies. Time and resources permitting, interviews may be conducted to improve understanding of these statements. Key questions asked of the data include: “is climate change real?”, “what causes climate change?”, “what can be done to reduce climate change?”, “what policies are needed to reduce or adapt to climate change?”, and other questions that emerge from the data. Data are analyzed using grounded theory analysis along with possible computer-assisted approaches to identify key themes and policy preferences in the statements. Possible outputs from the project include a taxonomy of policy preferences by communities of faith identifying what policies are supported or opposed by which communities and why. While it is always a challenge to estimate the impact of a research project, this work will assist policymakers in developing a big-picture understanding of how the faith traditions in their communities may perceive the adaptation policies available for their communities. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Pudlo's research has included disaster and risk communication, organizational disaster readiness, and disaster preparedness among vulnerable populations. He is especially interested in the various intersections of religion, climate, and disaster.
3	ECU	Dr. Mike O'Driscoll; Coastal Studies	Evaluation of water quality hot spots in Nags Head and potential linkages to wastewater management Project Description:Water quality monitoring at Nags Head has revealed several hot spots of elevated nutrient and bacteria levels in surface waters and groundwater. This project will evaluate seasonal and spatial variations in bacteria and nutrient concentrations at surface water and groundwater sites to evaluate potential linkages to land use and wastewater inputs. Field visits and data analysis will provide insights into the sources of contamination that can help the community develop strategies to reduce water quality impairment. Faculty Expertise Area: Identifying and quantifying factors that regulate groundwater and nutrient inputs to surface waters, particularly in coastal watersheds and human impacts on water resources.
1/3	ECU	Dr. Lucy Carruthers; Coastal Studies	Mangrove Ecology Project Description: This REU position offers an opportunity to contribute to the Coastal Science and Mangrove Ecology field through collaborative research and analysis. The project revolves around comprehensive monitoring and assessment of mangrove soils, particularly concerning carbon content. The REU participant will actively develop, implement, and analyze scientific research on mangroves. Key responsibilities include participating in global mangrove soil mapping, remote sensing, conducting thorough literature reviews, collating and reviewing data for quality control, and utilizing GIS for spatial analysis. This project leverages data from the Coastal Carbon Network (CCN), a dedicated community accelerating discoveries in coastal wetland carbon science. CCN facilitates scientific discovery, informs policy, and enhances coastal ecosystem management by providing access to data, analysis tools, and synthesis opportunities. This REU position provides a unique chance to contribute to cutting-edge research, make meaningful impacts, and work towards a sustainable future for coastal ecosystems. Join us in advancing scientific knowledge, shaping policies, and enhancing coastal ecosystem management. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Lucy Carruthers is a researcher focused on mangrove soils and coastal environments. Her recent research focuses on coastline change and saltwater intrusion on the reef islands of the Maldives and how the rise in sea level impacts freshwater resources in these vulnerable environments. When not in the Maldives, Dr. Carruthers conducts research on the Outer Banks of Eastern North Carolina at the Coastal Studies Institute.
1/3	ECU	Dr. Zaid Al-Attabi; Coastal Studies Dr. Siddharth Narayan; Coastal Studies Dr. Ananth Wuppukondur; Coastal Studies	Modeling coastal flood risks during storm events in Galveston Bay, Texas Project Description: Tropical cyclones can have devastating impacts on communities through human and property loss due to coastal flooding caused by storm surge and high-energy waves. The Galveston Bay area in Texas, USA, is susceptible to the impacts of tropical cyclones, given its coastal location. For example, hurricane Ike generated a powerful storm surge that affected coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico, including the Galveston Bay area. The storm surge reached an estimated 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) in some locations. The storm surge inundated low-lying areas, causing widespread coastal flooding and contributing to the erosion of beaches and shorelines. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the estimated damage caused by Hurricane Ike in the United States exceeded $29.5 billion. Therefore, there is a need for accurate understanding and simulation of coastal flooding during storm events, ultimately aiding in the mitigation of coastal hazard and flooding risks. Storm surge is however not the only cause of flooding during a storm. High energy waves also play a significant role, and can sometimes be more damaging than the surge itself. The combination of waves and surge, along with tide, is known as the total water level. Total water level is an important parameter to be estimated for emergency preparedness, evacuation planning and disaster mitigation. However, estimating the contribution of waves to coastal flooding can be challenging due to the challenges related to including waves within large-scale coastal flood models. Particularly challenging in this regard, is a component of waves known as wave setup, which refers to the increase in water level towards the shoreline due to the process of waves breaking as they approach the shoreline. Estimating wave setup often requires stand-alone numerical model grids, which makes it difficult to include this component when measuring total water levels. In this project, the student will help our team measure wave setup during a Hurricane on the Galveston Bay shoreline, and develop simple formulations to estimate the relative contribution of wave setup to total water levels at the shoreline. Through this project, the student will: develop an understanding of coastal processes leading to flooding and inundation, particularly as it relates to waves; help analyze hurricane-driven flood risk in Galveston Bay; develop hands-on experiences with using numerical hydrodynamic models, useful for a career in civil/coastal engineering industry/research; develop analytical and coding skills; learn how to work as part of a team. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Zaid Al-Attabi works as a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Narayan on numerical modeling to simulate the interaction of waves, surges, and other processes with vegetation and reefs in coastal environments. His doctoral research falls within the area of physical oceanography. Dr. Siddharth Narayan is a civil and coastal engineer by training. He investigates coastal hazards and sustainable adaptation solutions, with an emphasis on making science relevant and applicable to policy and decision-makers. His research focuses on understanding and identifying where and how coastal ecosystems like wetlands and reefs can be restored and managed to reduce risks to people at the coastline. Dr. Ananth Wuppukondur is a postdoctoral research scholar in Dr. Narayan's lab. His research interests in the broader Environmental Fluid Mechanics field include, but are not limited to, community protection through understanding and predicting complex natural hazards such as floods/dam breaks/tsunami/cyclone in coastal and river environments; and current and wave hydrodynamics.
1	UPR-A	Dr. Angel Acosta-Colón; Physics and Chemistry	Creating a more resilient community using LiDAR analysis Project Description: In the past hurricanes that affected Puerto Rico (Irma, Maria and Fiona) the Cabachuelas Nature Reserve served as flooding attenuation and buffer zones that can help with the runoff and excess water. Las Cabachuelas Nature Reserve is a karstic forest and cave systems in Morovis, Puerto Rico. In hurricane Maria (2017) and Fiona (2022) the main sinkholes, that serves as a drainage system, was blocked by vegetation debris and garbage. This clogged incident created an astatic karstic lake that lasted months for Maria and weeks for Fiona. The depth was from 3 to 8 m, after 5 m the lake overflow the reserve and the Riachuelos community nearby. The study for this C2C-REU will the use of aerial lidar data to find the location and understand the dynamics of the sinkholes, drainage zones and community as starting point to create a mitigation plan for this reserve. Additionally, to the study for the mitigation plan, the creation of products is need for community and stakeholders, this can include 3D digital elevation models, 3D topographical prints, 3D fly through visualizations of the reserve/community as an educational tool for the citizens of the area. The development of the mitigation plan and products will help the Riachuelo community to face natural hazard challenges and become more resilient in the future. Faculty Expertise Area: Cave characterization in north karst belt zone in Puerto Rico; relationships between geometrical, biological and physiochemical properties as indicators of cave soil-guano ecosystems.
1/3	ECU	Dr. Rosana Nieto Ferreira; Geography, Planning and Environment Dr. Tom Rickenbach; Geography, Planning, and Environment	Summertime Rainfall in the Carolinas and Gulf Stream Project Description: Many different phenomena produce rainfall in the Carolinas and offshore during the summertime, including daily convection and the sea breeze, squall lines, and the occasional torrential rains brought by hurricanes and fronts. During the summertime the diurnal variation in rainfall is very different between land and ocean. Over land there tends to be a peak in rainfall during the afternoon, whereas the peak in rainfall over the Gulf Stream occurs during the early morning hours. In this study you will use observed data and numerical model simulations of the atmosphere to investigate the reasons for the differences in the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the Carolinas and the Gulf Stream and how it might change as the earth's climate warms. Some coursework in atmospheric science and familiarity with computer programming are desirable. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Ferreira Climate Variability, Dynamics and Prediction; Climate Modeling; Monsoon Dynamics; and Tropical Cyclones. Dr. Ferreira’s research integrates observations and numerical model simulations of the atmosphere to study the variability and dynamics of regional climate. She has applied these tools and a to the study of phenomena such as Amazon and African squall lines, tropical cyclone formation and environmental interactions, African easterly wave dynamics, tropical-extratropical interactions in the Americas, and cut-off lows that produce extreme precipitation in Spain. More recently Dr. Ferreira’s NSF funded research lead to the discovery of a monsoon-like signal in the precipitation in the southeast United States. She is currently working on a modeling study of how this monsoon-like precipitation signal may change in a future warmer climate. Dr. Rickenbach Precipitation Systems, Climate Variability. Dr. Rickenbach’s research investigates how precipitation systems control and respond to changes in regional climate – today and in the future. His current work centers on understanding the mechanisms and timing of the seasonal transition of precipitation regimes in the southeastern United States, in order to improve climate forecasts of regional precipitation in a warmer world. He has played leadership roles in NASA-sponsored field programs to investigate tropical weather systems and to calibrate satellite observations of tropical rainfall. His research has been supported by NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Science Foundation.
2	ECU	Dr. David Griffith; Coastal Studies	Coasts as Borders: Relationships among Coastal Populations, Immigration, Security, and Economic Opportunity in North Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico Project Description: Many coastlines are also state and international borders that influence the composition of social and cultural contexts that commercial fishers, guestworkers in seafood processing, immigrant workers, and other coastal residents have to negotiate in their daily and seasonal lives. In addition to political boundaries, there are other types of borders along coastlines, such as those between state waters and the EEZ, that influence state and federal jurisdictions, the kinds of regulations that fishers experience, and the nature of relations between government entities and coastal residents. These conditions raise a number of questions in terms of how local, state, and federal governing bodies interact with coastal populations, including how social phenomena such as immigration policy, fishery regulations, and community engagement programs influence community resilience and adaptation. This is especially timely as border issues influence current issues and problems such as anthropogenic disasters, sea level rise, smuggling, piracy, offshore energy exploration, and human trafficking in changing coastal communities. Faculty Expertise Area: Dr. Griffith is a cultural anthropologist who specializes in economic anthropology, including the study of commercial fishing communities and labor and immigration issues related to both coastal peoples and to general social scientific theory. His recent work focuses on the emergence of sharing economies in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and the relationships between environmental forcing and migration in Honduras, Puerto Rico, Syria, and northern Africa.