• FAMU Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Day May 11, 2023

    CCME II had a booth at the annual STEM Day at FAMU. The university wide event engages 8th through 12th grade students. During the event, CCME II scholars discuss their NOAA CCME student experiences, assist with activities (sphere activity and drones), and network with personnel from ORTA. The event included Bryan Cole from the UxSRTO, colleagues...

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  • FAMU CCME II Scholars at Carrabelle Research Cruise May 11, 2023

    CCME-II at FAMU hosted two events in collaboration with NOAA OAR’s Office of Research, Transition, and Application (ORTA) and Uncrewed Systems (UxS) Research Transition Office (UxSRTO). This event, conducted in Carabelle, FL, also included participation from the Florida Institute of Oceanography providing FAMU scholars with an opportunity to...

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  • TAMU CCME II at Oysterfest in Austin, Texas May 11, 2023

    TAMUCC NOAA CCME-II Scholars Neina Chapa (L) and Alyssa Outhwaite (R) work the Coastal Conservation and Restoration booth at the Texas Oysterfest held in Austin, Texas. Oyster Fest is an outreach event to increase public awareness about oyster ecology. 

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  • BCU CCME II Scholars attend Indian Lagoon Symposium May 11, 2023

    CCME II students Jiyahna Price and LaKean McGregor at the Indian River Lagoon Symposium. The symposium provides a forum for science and management applications to be discussed. The event provides an opportunity for student to network, build collaborations and engage in efforts related to the lagoon. The theme of this year’s conference focus on...

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  • FAMU Secures $30M Federal Grant to Recruit and Train the Next Generation of Minority Scientists February 12, 2023

    FAMU Secures $30M Federal Grant to Recruit and Train the Next Generation of Minority Scientists Florida A&M University (FAMU) is the recipient of a $30 million, five-year federal grant from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME) and its mission to find and train the next...

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FAMU Secures $30M Federal Grant to Recruit and Train the Next Generation of Minority Scientists

Florida A&M University (FAMU) is the recipient of a $30 million, five-year federal grant from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME) and its mission to find and train the next generation of scientists from under-represented groups.  

FAMU is the lead institution and President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., is the principal investigator of the project.  

The NOAA CCME is a NOAA Educational Partnership Program/Minority Serving Institution (EPP/MSI) cooperative science center (CSC) and includes partner minority-serving institutions Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU), California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Jackson State University (JSU), Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC), and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).  

The NOAA CCME’s mission is to recruit, educate, and train a new generation of scientists, particularly from underrepresented minority communities, in NOAA-relevant STEM disciplines and social sciences. This new funding agreement extends and modifies the goals and objectives of the initial five-year award that started in 2016.  

Robinson said he is looking forward to building on the past five years of training and mentoring future scientists who will be equipped to tackle climate change and other pressing issues facing coastal communities. 

“The education, research and outreach done by the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems will help NOAA and coastal communities address current and future challenges,” Robinson said. “Having underrepresented minorities who are experts not only enhances diversity but also ensures that we stay attuned to the needs of our most vulnerable populations as solutions are developed.” 

CCME has adopted three thematic areas - Place-Based Conservation, Coastal Resilience, and Coastal Intelligence in alignment with current NOAA priorities. These priority areas include un-crewed systems; artificial intelligence; cloud computing; “omics”- a field of study in biological sciences that ends with -omics, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, or metabolomics; data, and citizen science with particular attention to cross-cutting research on climate change and environmental justice. 

FAMU Vice President for Research Charles Weatherford, Ph.D., said it’s difficult to overstate the importance of this NOAA grant. 

“This is FAMU’s largest grant. The Center is a consortium of Minority Serving Institutions and was formed to address issues confronting marine and coastal communities and to help supply a modern talented workforce in relevant NOAA areas of interest,” said Weatherford, “This NOAA grant is representative of the research that is carried out at FAMU and is a showcase for partnerships that address today’s nationally and internationally relevant issues.”

CCME-II Core Staff

Dr. Larry Robinson Dr. Larry Robinson
Principal Investigator
Center Director Dr. Abazinge
Co-PI
Center Director Dr. Richard Long
Center Director
Deputy Director Dr. Viniece Jennings
Deputy Director
Distinguished Research Scientist Dr. Steve Morey
Distinguished Research Scientist
Education Expert Dr. Bernadette Kelley
Education Expert
Administrative Coordinator Sherry Wells
Administrative Coordinator
1515 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
305-D FSH Science Research Center, Tallahassee, FL 32307
(850) 412-7797
ccme@famu.edu

CCME-II Latest Publications

Bollinger, M., Macartney, K. J., Easton, E. E., & Hicks, D. (2022). Islands in the mud: The South Texas banks provide crucial mesophotic habitat for coral communities. Frontiers in Marine Science.
Saccomanno, V. R., Bell, T., Pawlak, C., Stanley, C. K., Cavanaugh, K. C., Hohman, R., ... & Gleason, M. (2022). Using unoccupied aerial vehicles to map and monitor changes in emergent kelp canopy after an ecological regime shift. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation.
Vallejo, J., Sanchez, K., Roozee, E., & Temby, O. (2022). Disaster resilience versus ecological resilience and the proposed second causeway to south Padre Island. Case Studies in the Environment6(1), 1714379.
Haskins, J., Endris, C., Thomsen, A.S.*, Gerbl, F., Fountain, M.C., and Wasson, K. (2021). UAV to Inform Restoration: A Case Study From a California Tidal Marsh. Frontiers in Environmental Science. DOI LINK
Thomsen, A.S.*, Krause, J., Appiano, M., Tanner, K.E., Endris, C., Haskins, J., Watson, E., Woolfolk, A., Fountain, M.C., and Wasson, K. (2021). Monitoring Vegetation Dynamics at a Tidal Marsh Restoration Site: Integrating Field Methods, Remote Sensing and Modeling. Estuaries and Coasts. DOI LINK