Coral reefs in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans received a “fair” score in the first-ever condition status report for U.S. coral reefs released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) today. 4

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Professor Emeritus Michael Kemp, a pioneering ecosystems ecologist and world leader in conducting research on the ecology of estuaries, has passed away after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.

UMCES researcher Matt Gray and a group of researchers and institutions throughout the U.S. received a $10M grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bring advanced technology to the domestic shellfish aquaculture industry.

UMCES researchers were selected to receive $3M award from U.S. Department of Energy to develop a scalable carbon-negative bioreactor system to capture carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, from power plant flue gases.

Each year, two awards are presented to graduate students following the completion of the Ratcliffe Environmental Entrepreneurs Fellowship. This year, Lauren Jonas won for “Best Product” for Probeeotic, a dry probiotic spray to help the immune systems of bees. Morgan Ross won “Best Presentation” for her work to develop a wearable toxin sensor for Brevetoxin aerosols.

Scientists have discovered that the recent comeback of underwaters grasses in Chesapeake Bay not only removes nutrient pollution and provides habitat for baby crabs and rockfish, but may also offset the growing problem of acidification as climate change impacts the nation’s largest estuary.

These disturbing times challenge us to reflect on our values to ensure that there is no place for any form of racism or discrimination in our institution and to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring diversity of all kinds within all facets of our enterprise. We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES)’s seventh annual Commencement ceremony was held virtually for the first time this year, and featured Lisa Palmer, award-winning environmental and science journalist and author of the book “Hot, Hungry Planet,” as keynote speaker.

For the first time, Chesapeake Bay watershed health was scored as part of the 2019 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card issued today by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). The overall Chesapeake watershed scored a B- grade for 2019. The Chesapeake Bay health score decreased in 2019, dropping from a grade of C to a C-.

A new electronic tagging study of 100 Potomac River striped bass sheds light on rockfish migration in Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science researchers found that when rockfish reach 32 inches in length they leave Chesapeake Bay and become ocean migrators.