University of South Florida College of Marine Science

08/28/2026

For more than 35 years, the Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls has introduced teens to the world of marine science. On this episode, Education & Outreach Director Teresa Greely and Outreach Coordinator Makenzie Kerr discuss how the program inspires future scientists and serves as a model that can be replicated nationwide.

Listen to the Rising Tides Podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/the-rising-tides-podcast/episodes/69a6f2070c5f248849bdf4dc

The Rising Tides Podcast was produced in partnership with the Department of Journalism and Digital Communication at the USF College of Arts and Sciences.

08/24/2026

Welcome back, College of Marine Science! 🌊

The fall 2026 semester is underway, and we’re excited to welcome a new cohort to the college, see our community together again, and celebrate all that our students, faculty, and staff will accomplish in the months ahead.

Here’s to charting a course for another great semester ⛴️

08/21/2026

Welcome aboard, Lakshmi Miller! ⛴️

We are pleased to announce the arrival of our newest faculty member, Lakshmi Miller, assistant professor of hydrography. Miller comes to the program with a background in ocean engineering and expertise in developing autonomous and unmanned underwater vehicles for oceanic research.

Her goal is to make these subsea vehicles as well-understood as cars — and safe for recreational use!

Learn more about her impressive resume, fascination with submarines, and advice for graduate students here:

Lakshmi Miller is an ocean engineer whose expertise includes the development of autonomous and uncrewed underwater vehicles.

08/19/2026

In season two of the Rising Tides Podcast, learn about the research of the Tampa Bay Surveillance Project, an innovative effort to track contaminants throughout the Tampa Bay estuary. Professor Steven Murawski and graduate researcher Alexandra Lee discuss everything from catching fish to analyzing samples, while highlighting the project's local impact and hands-on student training.

Listen to the episode produced in partnership with the Department of Journalism and Digital Communication in the USF College of Arts and Sciences here: https://shows.acast.com/the-rising-tides-podcast/episodes/69a6f26d0c5f248849be1de0

08/17/2026

Satellite imagery is revealing the environmental impacts of oil spills in the Middle East, many of which appear related to conflicts in the region.

In an interview with The New York Times, Brian Barnes of the Optical Oceanography Lab describes the use of satellites to identify oil spills in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

“Satellite observations are great and can tell us a lot,” Barnes said.

Read more about the spills and their potential toll on the region’s marine environment:

The spill of Russian crude bound for India compounds the environmental damage from spills in and around the Strait of Hormuz, where tankers and oil facilities have come under attack.

08/12/2026

In the wake of the Marine Science Laboratory fire, graduate students have rallied together to assist in the College of Marine Science’s recovery.

They have worked side by side to recover and sort thousands of samples, adapted to makeshift labs and offices, and supported one another — all while continuing their research.

Read how their resilience and commitment to their community are helping to move the college forward:

As the college deals with the aftermath of the fire, graduate students step up to help with recovery efforts and support each other.

08/10/2026

The amount of seaweed washing onto Caribbean beaches is the biggest on record for an incredible reason.

According to Brian Barnes, assistant research professor at the USF College of Marine Science, scientists have observed massive amounts of sargassum — a floating brown seaweed — occurring early in the year within the Caribbean and Gulf. In a typical year, most sargassum arrives later, after being carried into the Caribbean by ocean currents.

"The 2025 bloom was so big it never really left," Barnes recently told the Associated Press. "It was enough to start a new bloom locally."

While sargassum plays an important role in the open ocean, the record amounts washing ashore inundate beaches, negatively impacting marine ecosystems and coastal communities that rely on tourism and fisheries.

In a new AP story, Barnes explains why this year's bloom is unlike anything scientists have seen before.

Read the full story:

Swaths of sargassum are blanketing the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, suffocating shorelines and snuffing out marine life while spooking visitors in areas that depend heavily on tourism.

08/07/2026

Some oysters are served while others are studied 🦪

As part of the Tampa Bay Surveillance Project (TBS), graduate student AJ Gross is dissecting hundreds of oysters collected throughout Tampa Bay. By analyzing oyster tissues for contaminants, the TBS team can assess the health of the oysters, monitor water quality, and better understand the ecosystems they support.

AJ’s work helps the team monitor contaminants and inform management decisions, which protect the health of Tampa Bay and the fisheries that depend on it.

08/05/2026

Dean Tom Frazer shares a message with our College of Marine Science community, family, friends, and supporters.

07/31/2026