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News & Events

Alaskan crab
Two students sitting next to a rapidly moving river in Alaska with mountains in the background

Grad student on boat wearing life preserver and headset stares off into the ocean

Dr. Lehrter taking data in the stream with graduate student Chris

We Explore. We investigate. We Find Answers.

Teaching the next generation of marine and environmental scientists is our mission. Through experiential learning, our students gain knowledge. Find out what our students are doing and join us in celebrating their successes.

Latest News

 


The Stokes School of  Marine and Environmental Sciences Announce a  Dissertation Defense By 
 Randi Cannon  
"Feeding ecology in coastal systems"
 Thursday, November 6, 2025  
8:00 am
Education and Outreach Building Room 260
Zoom Link
Oct
31
Friday, Oct. 31
DISL Watch Party
DISL Seminar Student Presentations
11:45 a.m. | EOB 101
Nov
2
Sunday, Nov.2
Explore Tern Island with Alabama Audubon
8:00-11:00 a.m. | Litle Billy Goat Hole, Dauphin Island
Nov
6
Thursday, Nov. 6
Dissertation Defense by Randi Cannon
"Feeding ecology in coastal systems"
8 a.m. | EOB 260 Zoom Link

 

▼   Student Spotlight

Lydia Hayes-Guastella

Lydia Hayes-Gaustella stands on a research vessel in winter wear with the solid, flat, white landscape of Antarctica in the background
Lydia Hayes-Guastella is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Kiel Reese Geomicrobiology Lab, where she investigates the hidden microbial ecosystems thriving deep beneath the seafloor. Her research focuses on how these microorganisms drive and sustain biogeochemical cycles in extreme, energy-limited environments. By analyzing both DNA (to reveal genetic potential) and RNA (to uncover active functions), Lydia seeks to answer fundamental questions: Who is there? What are they doing? And how do they adapt to survive such extreme conditions?
Her current work examines microbial communities—both prokaryotic and eukaryotic—in two contrasting deep-subsurface settings: the sediments beneath the South Atlantic Gyre and the deeply sourced alkaline fluids of the Mariana forearc serpentinite mud volcanoes. Through this comparative approach, she aims to illuminate the roles these microbes play in carbon cycling and to better understand how life persists in some of the most challenging environments on Earth.




▼   Faculty Spotlight

We are thrilled to welcome Assistant Professor Dr. Kelsi Furman to the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Furman holds a Ph.D. in Marine and Environmental Sciences from Northeastern University, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. Her academic journey has been rooted in bridging the social and natural sciences to better understand how coastal communities interact with and influence marine ecosystems. With experience spanning NOAA, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and multiple National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) working groups, Dr. Furman brings a dynamic portfolio of research focused on fisheries access, seafood systems, participatory modeling, and the innovative use of artificial intelligence in qualitative data analysis. Her work is grounded in collaboration with fishermen, coastal community members, and policymakers, and aims to support resilient working waterfronts, holistic marine governance, and sustainable seafood production. We are excited for the interdisciplinary perspective Dr. Furman brings to SSoMES and we look forward to the impact her work will have on our students, research communities, and coastal partners.
woman standing on the bow of a boat weighing a very large fish
▼   Publications and TV appearances

 

Dr. Ronnie Baker appeared on WKRG on September 17, 2025

Dauphin Island Research Project Aims to Improve Future Restoration Initiatives

Congratulations to Dr. Alemu on his recent publication    "The pluralistic natural capital values of a tropical city" in Ecosystem Services.

 

▼   Fun in the Field Pics

woman standing on glacial ice on alaskan mountain
southpaw plush jaguar sits on a wooden rail with alakan scenery in the background
student taking water sample data in a colorado river
grad student standing at the rear of a boar holding a deviceattached to an orange bouy

 

▼   Volunteers Wanted

Join the Carmichael Lab!

The Carmichael Lab at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) is looking for volunteers wanting research lab experience!

If you are interested in gaining experience for graduate school or your future career in a fun, dynamic lab, here's your chance!

Requirements:

  • Available to work 4-8 hours per week
  • Reliable transportation to Dauphin Island Sea Lab
  • Positive and hardworking attitude

Contact: ALMMSN@DISL.ORG

▼   Know Before You Go

Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski’s research team has installed a new wave buoy ~ 10 miles south of Dauphin Island with the hope that it will become a permanent part of Alabama Real-Time coastal Ocean Observing System (ARCOS) network.

Know Before You Go!  The data that the new buoy collects can be used by boaters and beach-goers to help safely plan for activities at Alabama’s beaches and in the coastal ocean.

Data includes:

  •  Hourly wave data
    • Height
    • Direction
  • Sea surface temperature
  • Atmospheric pressure     

Support for this buoy was provided by the Gulf of America Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) as part of the Supporting Coastal Resilience with Inflation Reduction Act supplemental NOAA-IOOS award with additional personnel support from the National Science Foundation through the Biological Opportunities And Training in Sciences(BOATS) internship program at Dauphin Island Sea Lab.