In the wake of the Marine Science Laboratory fire, graduate students have rallied together to assist in the College of Marine Science’s recovery. Read how their resilience and commitment to their community are helping to move the college forward: www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

USF College of Marine Science researchers have observed massive amounts of sargassum, a floating brown seaweed, occurring early in the year within the Caribbean. Learn more: apnews.com/article/cari...

A blanket of seaweed smothers coastlines from the Caribbean to Mexico

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.

apnews.com

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

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

Doctoral student Olivia Blondheim describes her research on vertical oyster gardens and how citizen science is helping communities address complex environmental challenges. Listen to the Rising Tides Podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/66c499a375921252a8321db2/69a6f2bdd00500cf52fc3ee2

This week, students in the REU Making Waves program, hosted by the USF College of Marine Science, presented the results of their summer research at the USF Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium. Congrats to all participants!

When the Marine Science Laboratory caught fire in May, it wasn't just a building that was impacted — it was decades of research and a community dedicated to understanding the ocean. https://ow.ly/zQuC50ZrmtV

How is USF St. Pete’s Marine Science Lab doing 2 months after catastrophic fire?

For the 150 students and faculty housed in the building, the last couple months have been a series of ups and downs.

ow.ly

Learn how the community has rallied behind marine scientists and helped keep vital ocean research moving forward: https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/news/2026/how-the-community-has-rallied-around-marine-scientists-in-their-time-of-need.aspx

The Tampa Bay Times recently joined the Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls aboard the ANGARI Foundation's vessel to learn more about the marine science program, celebrating its 35th year. Learn more about the camp and the students’ trip aboard the R/V ANGARI: www.tampabay.com/news/educati...

At marine science camp, Pinellas teens get firsthand look at Gulf life

Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls has long aimed to steer young women into STEM.

tampabay.com

Weeks after a fire at the College of Marine Science and hurricane season around the corner, the Ocean Circulation Lab was back at sea to service buoys. https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/news/2026/after-devastating-fire-usf-marine-scientists-race-to-keep-ocean-monitoring-on-track.aspx

🌊We were proud to host the annual NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry meeting! College of Marine Science researchers highlighted how they use NASA satellite data to study study water quality, harmful algal blooms, and more 🛰️

The Ocean Circulation Lab is back on the water but not without a proper sendoff 🌊 They shared their appreciation for the St Pete Innovation District, the City of St Petersburg, and the broader community, who have shown endless support for the College of Marine Science over the past few weeks.

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.

The College of Marine Science is proud to host the 2026 Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) workshop. UG2 was established by the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee to bolster collaboration and information exchange between glider operators, academia, and government agencies.

🌊The USF Foundation has launched the Marine Science Operating Fund (linked below) through which people can make financial contributions to the college.  Thank you for the continued support of our college and the global research we conduct. usf.to/USFMarineSci...

Dean Tom Frazer shares a message to the family, friends, and community of the College of Marine Science.

🌊 The second season of “The Rising Tides Podcast” is out now🎙️ From microbes to moorings, go behind the scenes of ocean exploration. Listen now 🎧 www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

🌊 Claudia Barón-Aguilar, a doctoral candidate, is an Indigenous scientist from Colombia whose work brings together remote sensing, community engagement, and traditional ecological knowledge. www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

🌊 For the past 10 years, researchers from the University of South Florida College of Marine Science have embarked on bimonthly cruises, collecting critical water quality data along coastal South Florida for the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network. Learn more here: www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

🌊A critical study reviewing the impact of the DWH oil spill was recently published in #AGUPubs. Great job by College of Marine Science Professor Kendra Daly!

JGR: Oceans@jgroceans.bsky.social · 5mo ago

In a new study, scientists investigate the impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon on marine snow and evaluated seasonal marine snow dynamics in non-oil spill years (2011–2014). 🔗Check out their results: doi.org/10.1029/2025... #AGUPubs #OilSpill #DeepwaterHorizon @wiley-stem.bsky.social

🌊The dominant location of sargassum is shifting according to a study published in Nature Geoscience. While some regions such as the Caribbean have experienced unprecedented growth of sargassum, the historic location of the seaweed in the Sargasso Sea has seen drastic declines in the past decade.

Greetings from across the pond 🌊 Faculty, staff, students and alumni from the College of Marine Science recently shared their latest research at the AGU's Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.

🌊Gag groupers are an angler favorite in the Gulf — but right now, they’re overfished 🎣 Learn how a new model from University of South Florida and Fish and Wildlife Research Institute may improve management of this struggling species. www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

Gag grouper are overfished in the Gulf. This new tool could help

The new approach “provides a flexible tool to support decision making, particularly for vulnerable, highly targeted stocks,” according to the authors.

usf.edu

Great seminar by Bob Morris @cmarinescience.bsky.social today! @cninaphore.bsky.social and I are lucky to be collaborating with him on the hunt for SUP05 phage #NSFfunded #phagesky 🦠🌊

🌊We thought it was cold here… ❄️ Meanwhile, @margaretbrisbin.bsky.social is in the Weddell Sea aboard the R/V Sikuliaq, studying how melting Antarctic sea ice is reshaping microbes and ocean life as part of NSF-funded research 🌊🧪

🌊🧪 At the 2026 State of Science, Steve Murawski of the University of South Florida College of Marine Science shared insights from the Tampa Bay Surveillance Project, which is studying contaminants in local waters and their impacts on ecosystems and community health.

🌊🐚 Where do seashells come from? Tom Frazer, dean of the USF College of Marine Science, explains the science behind this familiar beach question and how each shell tells a story in a new article for @theconversation.com @floridamuseum.bsky.social theconversation.com/where-do-sea...

Where do seashells come from?

Seashells are the skeletons of sea creatures – and they’re older than you might think.

theconversation.com

No new science news from us bc we’ve been “Shackletoned”-stuck and drifting with the ice for a few days now. Hoping a big storm will blow us out tomorrow so we can finally get back to work! Drone photo is by Dr Ellen Buckley, diatoms & filmentous ice algae are from the ice station #oceanography 🐧🇦🇶🌊

🌊AI meets ocean science 🌎 New research led by USF and NOAA reveals a global rise in floating algae, signaling a major shift in ocean conditions with wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems, tourism, and coastal economies. www.usf.edu/marine-scien...

Scientists harness AI to discover a rise in floating algae across the global ocean

Authors of the new paper in Nature Communications attributed the bloom expansions to both human activities, such as nutrient runoff into the ocean, and climate variability, such as ocean warming.

usf.edu

🎉 Congratulations to Chuanmin Hu on his recent election as a Fellow of The Oceanography Society! Hu was nominated for his work on optical oceanography and satellite remote sensing. Among Hu’s contributions is his landmark work characterizing the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt.