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UNC Earth Marine and Environmental Sciences

Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

09/03/2026

Research in Dr. Alecia Septer’s lab is helping uncover some fascinating connections between marine organisms and human health. Undergraduate researchers Jaxson King and Georgia Straley, working alongside Dr. Septer, are studying shark gel and the unique properties it may hold for future medical applications.

Their work is part of the broader research happening in the Septer Lab, which investigates the complex interactions between marine microbes and their hosts.

We’re excited to see EMES research featured in the news and to highlight the work of our faculty and students who are exploring how discoveries in marine science can have impacts far beyond the ocean. 🌊🦈🧬

Read the full story in the News & Observer to learn more about this exciting research!

Read the full article⁠ here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article316806921.html

08/24/2026

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Isabel “Izzy” Baker to EMES! 🌎🦠

Dr. Baker joins the department as an Assistant Professor of Biogeochemistry, where she’ll be exploring the connections between microbes, rocks, and ocean chemistry. Her research focuses on “rock-eating” microbes and how their metabolisms help regulate ocean chemistry and habitability and how these processes may change under global change.

This fall, Dr. Baker will teach EMES 443: Marine Microbiology, with plans to develop future courses in geobiology, bioinformatics, microbial ecophysiology, and even astrobiology.

Her research has taken her into the deep sea, including 30 days at sea studying methane seeps along the Cascadia Margin, where methane bubbles up from the seafloor.

Welcome to Chapel Hill, Dr. Baker! We’re so excited to have you here!

08/17/2026

Training the next generation of physical oceanographers!

This summer, EMES Professor Dr. Ken Zhao co-organized a new NSF-funded workshop with Georgia Tech and the University of Maryland, bringing together 13 Ocean and Climate PhD students from across the East Coast—including three students from North Carolina—for four days of intensive training in ocean observations and modeling.

The workshop combined two days of land-based skills training with a two-day research cruise aboard the R/V Savannah, traveling from Savannah, Georgia, out to the Gulf Stream. Students gained hands-on experience with oceanographic observations, instrumentation, and modeling while learning from researchers across institutions.

Opportunities like this give students the technical skills, field experience, and collaborative connections they need to become the next generation of physical oceanographers. 🌊🔬

We’re proud to see EMES faculty helping create these opportunities and investing in the future of ocean science!

📸 Swipe through for a look at the workshop and research cruise.

U.S. National Science Foundation UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) GT School of Earth & Atmos Sci UMD AOSC

05/11/2026

EMES professor Dr. Laura Moore was recently featured in a The Guardian article discussing how erosion, storms, and sea-level rise are reshaping the North Carolina coastline and the communities that call it home.

As a coastal geomorphologist, Dr. Moore studies barrier island evolution, shoreline change, and the ways natural processes interact with human development along dynamic coastlines like the Outer Banks. Her research helps improve our understanding of long-term coastal resilience in the face of environmental change.

The article highlights the growing challenges coastal communities face as rising seas and intensifying storms continue to impact infrastructure, homes, and ecosystems along the Atlantic coast.

🔗 Read the full article from The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/apr/29/north-carolina-outer-banks-homes

UNCChapelHill EMESUNC

05/08/2026

Senior Victor Hieu Nguyen was recently featured by UNC for his journey from competing in Science Olympiad to conducting research on ocean circulation and carbon capture modeling at Carolina.

Through research experiences in the EMES department, Victor explored topics ranging from oceanography and climate science to coastal systems and carbon cycling, helping shape his path as an environmental scientist.

In the article, Victor reflects on how undergraduate research helped connect his curiosity about the environment with real-world impact and introduced him to new possibilities in ocean science.

Congratulations, Victor!

🔗 Read the full story from UNC: https://www.unc.edu/posts/2026/04/27/he-advanced-from-science-olympiad-to-diamond-shoals/?j=866506&sfmc_sub=164571892&l=48_HTML&u=14384867&mid=514013727&jb=8006&utm_source=thewell&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=UCOMM+FY26+The+Well+May+7%2c+2026&utm_content=Student+Experiences&utm_id=866506&sfmc_id=164571892

04/20/2026

Graduate Student Highlight | Sarah Hull

Meet Sarah, a PhD student whose research explores how mountain ranges form and evolve over millions of years. Her work spans from local field sites to global systems, with mapping efforts in both the North Carolina Appalachian Mountains and Guatemala.

Sarah combines detailed field mapping with laboratory analysis to uncover when and how these mountain belts formed, helping scientists better understand the processes that shape Earth’s surface over time. Her research has led to the discovery and naming of two previously unrecognized extensional faults in North Carolina, offering new insight into the early history of the southern Appalachians.

As she prepares to wrap up her PhD this summer, Sarah is excited for the next steps in her career and the opportunities ahead.

Stay tuned for more graduate student features!

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EarthScience Tectonics EarthAndMarineSciences UNCChapelHill

04/15/2026

🎉 Travel Award Oral Presentation

Congratulations to Zachary Hudspeth, graduate student in the Martens Lab, on receiving a competitive travel award to attend the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Zach presented his research on how methane moves through the deep ocean—specifically what happens after it’s released from seafloor “cold seeps,” which are found all along continental margins. Using sensors placed directly on the seafloor, he studies how microbes consume methane and how it’s transported through the ocean. This work helps us better understand methane’s role in global carbon cycles and its impact as a greenhouse gas.

OSM was Zach’s first large international conference, and the experience went beyond just presenting:

“During a single week in Scotland, I was introduced to topics that were not on my radar. This is the beauty of a large conference.”

From sharing his work to connecting with researchers across disciplines, the week helped shape how he thinks about his research…and where it can go next.

We’re proud to see EMES students representing UNC and growing as scientists on a global stage. Congratulations, Zach!

ClimateScience UNCChapelHill EMESUNC

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Alt Text: Graphic announcing Zachary Hudspeth’s travel award and oral presentation at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026.

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