Posts by Stephanie Murphy

It has been demonstrated that diverse groups of problem solvers outperform the best individual problem solvers. This is especially important in ocean science and engineering, because we will be relying heavily on the next generation of innovative thinkers to help solve global challenges such as rising seas and overuse of marine resources. A major aspect…

This summer, 20 young women had the opportunity to contribute to ongoing research, connect with professionals in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) careers, and imagine a future for themselves in marine science. The Girls in Science Fellowship is a partnership between Woods Hole Sea Grant and Earthwatch Institute. The fellowship is completely free…

We have made our NOAA Live! 4 Kids website into a searchable database (screenshot at left) so that the content is easier to use for families, teachers, and the public. These webinars are about 45-60 minutes long, focus on a different National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expert/topic, with American Sign Language interpretation, Spanish subtitles, and English…

Every five years, towns that participate in the Community Rating System (CRS) undergo an audit of their floodplain program to ensure they are still participating in and enforcing those higher standards, outreach efforts, floodplain preservation actions, and other floodplain management activities to earn discounts on flood insurance for their residents. This fall, Chatham and Wellfleet…

The recent strong Nor’easter is perhaps best known for knocking out power to almost half a million people in Massachusetts, more than 150,000 of whom did not regain power for multiple days.  On the bright side, we were relatively lucky with coastal erosion and flooding.  These could have been much worse, which would have greatly…

In Fall 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) released a new statewide model floodplain bylaw. This bylaw, prepared by staff from the DCR floodplain office, Federal Emergency Management Agency Region I, and Woods Hole Sea Grant/Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, was created to close gaps in compliance seen throughout Massachusetts. When a community opts…

Micro- and nanoplastics present a ubiquitous problem for marine organisms, yet little is known about how to manage them at one of the main sources – wastewater treatment facilities. Woods Hole Sea Grant funded Dr. Scott Gallager of WHOI and his team as they looked into the issue and they found high concentrations of micro- and…