New student-led projects will address flooding, ecosystem health and habitat resilience in coastal Georgia

Four graduate students from the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University have been selected to lead year-long coastal research projects through the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Research Traineeship. Now in its fifth year, this program has supported 30 students since 2019, providing undergraduate and graduate students with a unique opportunity to tackle real-world challenges facing Georgia’s coastal region. 

The independent projects must align with one or more of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s four focus areas: healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development.  

Under the guidance of university mentors and in collaboration with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant specialists, the students not only conduct independent research but also share their findings with coastal communities. 

“The traineeship is an invaluable experience for early-career professionals, giving them the chance to develop essential skills in project management, communication, and problem-solving,” says Mark Risse, director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. “By addressing challenges identified by coastal communities, they build a strong foundation for their future careers in research, policy, and environmental management.” 

 

Jack Robider will graduate with an environmental engineering degree from UGA this fall and will continue for a graduate degree in civil and environmental engineering. His research focuses on developing a hydrodynamic flooding model for Glynn County and Brunswick, Georgia, a region highly susceptible to flooding due to its low elevation and proximity to the coast.  

The model Robider is building will estimate flood depths from storms and overlay them onto Brunswick’s communities, infrastructure, and Superfund sites to assess potential damage brought about by flooding and contamination. This work is important because it helps identify flood-prone areas, supports resilient infrastructure planning, and addresses compounded environmental threats like contamination from septic systems and Superfund sites.  

 

Mark Hoog is pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental science from Georgia Southern University. His research focuses on studying the genetic diversity and differentiation of American alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp using genetic markers to identify population structures.  

Understanding these genetic patterns is crucial for wildlife management, as it helps determine the overall health and resilience of the population. By combining genetic data with demographic information, the study will offer a comprehensive view of the population’s health, supporting better decision-making for ecosystem management and conservation efforts. 

 

Skyler Fox is a master’s student working toward a degree in biology at Georgia Southern University. She is studying the impact of human disturbance on restored coastal sand dunes on Tybee Island, Georgia.  

 Sand dunes provide critical ecosystem services like storm protection but are vulnerable to damage from high foot traffic, even on designated footpaths that traverse the dunes and connect parking lots to the beach. Fox is collecting sand movement and vegetation data to compare the health of the dunes at footpaths with undisturbed dune areas. The findings will help inform coastal cities on how to minimize human disturbance and protect dune ecosystems effectively.  

 

Zachary Gordon is a master’s student in biology at Georgia Southern University. His research investigates the threat of saltwater intrusion on Sapelo Island’s freshwater habitats, which is increasing due to climate change and coastal development.  

The island’s history of channel modifications, which were dug to drain swamps for agriculture, has facilitated the movement of saltwater inland, impacting freshwater wetlands. Gordon will study these channels as well as freshwater wetlands that are disconnected from these channels using data loggers, leaf decomposition rates, and biological assessments to track water movement, habitat functionality, and ecosystem health. Findings will be shared with the local community experiencing these challenges in hopes of understanding how to address them.