1. Home
  2. Colleges
  3. College of Arts and Sciences
  4. Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences
  5. News & Events

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

 


New Organization

Rho Rho Rho

Marine Sciences and Environmental & Sustainability Sciences

Student Honors Society

The purpose of Rho Rho Rho (TriRho) is to foster a supportive community that recognizes, celebrates, and encourages academic excellence among its members. This organization will seek to promote intellectual growth and a commitment to learning by providing opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and engagement both within the chapter and across the broader SSoMES community. Through its activities and initiatives, Rho Rho Rho will aim to inspire students to pursue high academic achievement, develop leadership skills, and contribute positively to the academic and social environment of the University of South Alabama. 

Member Requirements:

  • Must be pursuing a major in Marine Sciences or Environmental & Sustainability Sciences.
  • Must maintain a minimum GPA requirement of 3.5.
  • Must have completed two(2) semesters of classes at The University of South Alabama(Transfer students are only required to have completed one(1) semester of classes at the University of South Alabama).
  • Must meet the requirement of 10 volunteer hours per semester.
  • Must meet the required 20 Involvement Points per semester

If you have any questions about membership, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Sprinkle, Dr. Miller, or Meredith Schultz 

Nov
27

Thursday, Nov. 27- Friday, Nov. 28

Happy Thanksgiving Break

Dec
2

Tuesday, December 2

Alaska Study Abroad Application Due Date

  

 

▼   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


Dr. Ruth Carmichael

We proudly congratulate Dr. Ruth Carmichael, selected as the 2026 Plenary Speaker for the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB). This prestigious recognition is a testament to her outstanding contributions and leadership in the field.

Dr. Amy SprinkleWe proudly congratulate Dr. Amy Sprinkle on receiving the Teaching Excellence Award at the College of Arts and Sciences 39th Annual Dean's Lecture and Faculty Awards Ceremony. This honor reflects her unwavering dedication to student success and her outstanding contributions to academic excellence.
Dr. Jeffrey KrauseWe proudly congratulate Dr. Jeffrey Krause, the 2025 recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award. This distinguished honor celebrates Dr. Krause’s exceptional commitment to guiding and supporting graduate students, fostering academic growth, and inspiring future scholars.
▼   Publications and TV appearances

 

Dr. Gabriel de OliveiraCongratulations to Dr. Gabriel de Oliveira on Three October Publications!

We proudly celebrate Dr. Gabriel de Oliveira’s outstanding achievement of publishing three scholarly works during the month of October. This accomplishment reflects a continued commitment to research excellence and academic impact.

Published Works:

  1. Avaliação da vulnerabilidade hídrica na região do rio São Francisco. Brazilian Journal of Physical Geography. 18(6):4202-4219
  2. Influência Da Mudança De Uso Do Solo No Saldo De Radiação A Superfície No Estado De Rondônia A Partir De Produtos MODIS. Brazilian Journal of Physical Geography.18(6):4700-4715
  3. Assessment of landslide susceptibility triggered by precipitation in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences. 168:105812



▼   Fun in the Field Pics

Post Doc working on the GCMS on Halloween
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.