Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME) consortium

Principal Investigator
Paul Montagna, Ph.D.
Research
HydroEcology
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A student-centered partnership to build a more diverse and inclusive science workforce.

The Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME) is a partnership led by Florida A&M University (FAMU) with the goal of making profound national impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems education, science, and policy. It is funded by a $15.4 million award over five years from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program (EPP).

The CCME has four primary and interrelated goals:

  • Increase the number of scientists, particularly from under-represented minority groups in the environmental, coastal and oceanic sciences;
  • Enhance the scientific understanding of human interactions with the coastal environment in support of NOAA’s place-based management;
  • Improve the scientific basis for coastal resource management by developing tools and research products to characterize, evaluate, and forecast coastal and marine ecosystem responses to natural and human induced stressors;
  • Facilitate community education and outreach relating to the function and significance of coastal ecosystems.

CCME institutions bring forth a wealth of relevant academic programs and faculty with extensive expertise in coastal and marine ecosystems. Additionally, CCME institutions have well-established records of educating students from underrepresented groups in NOAA-related science and policy, preparing graduates for productive careers and conducting high impact research. Partners include:

  • Florida A&M University (FAMU)
  • The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
  • Bethune-Cookman University
  • California State University – Monterey Bay
  • Jackson State University
  • University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley

Participating TAMUCC faculty from HRI, the Department of Life Sciences (LSCI), and the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences (PENS) include: