June 2020

Laura Issac Norton graduated from FAU with her master’s in marine science and oceanography. During her time at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, she traveled to the Bahamas to help design and operate a queen conch restoration hatchery. In fact, she spent so much time in the water studying the queen conch, the community nicknamed her the "conch girl."

The glossy, pink queen conch is an iconic species of the Caribbean, yet decades of overfishing has caused their populations to plummet. “They are not doing well,” says Megan Davis, Ph.D., aquaculturist and research professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. But, she’s on a mission to prevent them from disappearing... Read More
News

Researchers from FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, one of the university’s four research pillars, have been awarded up to $2 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the second phase of the Persistent Aquatic Living Sensors (PALS) program.

“Grouper Guard,” FAU’s four-year PALS project, led by Laurent Chérubin, Ph.D., principal investigator and an associate research professor at FAU’s Harbor Branch, will record and analyze vocalization cues from goliath grouper and then send alerts to a remote end user... Read More

Researchers at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and College of Engineering and Computer Science have been awarded a $350,000 grant to apply a deep learning approach for predicting the Loop Current System at the Gulf of Mexico... Read More

FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Researcher Jordon Beckler, Ph.D., will be featured in the upcoming Changing Seas “Florida’s Blue Holes: Oases of the Sea” episode. Dr. Beckler, teamed up with an interdisciplinary group of experts to study blue holes with a benthic lander (a large package of instruments to collect measurements at the bottom of the blue hole) in the Gulf of Mexico. The episode will air on South Florida PBS - WPBT2 on Wednesday, June 24, at 8 p.m. and on WXEL Sunday, June 28, at 9 p.m.
Graduate Spotlights
"I originally came to FAU's Harbor Branch to pursue a career in research with the idea to determine the microbiome present in the Indian River Lagoon, something no one else has done yet. Since then, I have been able to meet a lot of great people who have helped me grow as a person and a researcher. I have not only become an ACTUAL scientist but I've also taken part in the Junior Scientist Program, which allowed me to help high schoolers conduct research to help manage a local preserve," said Bradshaw II.
"FAU's Harbor Branch is particularly special because it is a small community of researchers and students. It is such a friendly atmosphere that gives you a sense of "home". I am very lucky to have gotten to spend so much time at FAU's Harbor Branch as an intern and a student. Graduating and moving on from my research family is definitely bittersweet," said Issac Norton.
"It was the most challenging, yet rewarding experience where I had the opportunity to collaborate on my dream thesis researching white shark movement," said Shaw.

Student Spotlight
 
Steven Lombardo, a Ph.D. student enrolled in the Integrative Biology program, won first place for his research on bonefish at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in the Biological and Chemical Sciences category of FAU's Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) 11th-Annual Graduate Research Day... Read More
Faculty Spotlights

For nine years, FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Research Professor John Reed, and Biological Scientist Stephanie Farrington have conducted cruises to various deepwater Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington... Read More 

Keep Martin Beautiful nominated Malcom McFarland, Ph.D., researcher at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute for a Technology & Innovation Environmental Stewardship Award. Dr. McFarland has extensive expertise in phytoplankton taxonomy and ecology acquired through more than 20 years of experience conducting lab and field based research... Read More 

Megan Davis, Ph.D., a research professor at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is a member of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC), a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries. Join Dr. Davis and members of the Committee as they share their findings to-date and engage in a facilitated discussion on what a National Seafood Council could do to improve seafood consumption and how it would operate during a webinar on Friday, May 29 at noon... Register

Bring Ocean Science for A Better World ® right into your home with virtual resources from FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute! Online offerings include lectures, interviews with marine scientists, activities for children and much more! Visit our virtual resources page to learn about these great opportunities for teachers, students and ocean lovers of all ages!




Learn about some of your favorite ocean animals and the important research happening at FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. We’ve partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County to create this series of educational videos. Join Savannah, as she shares fun facts, cool stories and why these animals are so important.


As a health and safety precaution, FAU's Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Visitors Center is temporarily closed. Please check back for updates. Visit FAU's Harbor Branch social media channels for daily research highlights, facts and trivia questions.

As a health and safety precaution, the John and Barbara Ferrara Ocean Science Lecture Series and Marine Science Friday Lectures postponed. Please check back for updates.

About Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute: 
Founded in 1971, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is a research community of marine scientists, engineers, educators and other professionals focused on Ocean Science for a Better World. The institute drives innovation in ocean engineering, at-sea operations, drug discovery and biotechnology from the oceans, coastal ecology and conservation, marine mammal research and conservation, aquaculture, ocean observing systems and marine education.