Four people on a boat are engaged in fishing activities on a large body of water under a partly cloudy sky. One person in the foreground holds a large catfish with gloved hands, while two others in the background handle another fish near a net. A fourth person sits on the edge of the boat observing. Buckets and fishing gear are visible on the deck.

Driving student success and regional impact

Published Jan 30, 2026 by
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At the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, students, faculty and community partners work side by side studying water quality, fisheries and the dynamic processes that shape the North Carolina coast.

“ECU’s coastal enterprise connects research with purpose,” said Reide Corbett, executive director of the institute. “It’s about discovery that serves North Carolina. Our researchers, students and partners are using science to address real problems for coastal communities.”

Equipped with vessels, field equipment and access to partnerships such as Jennette’s Pier — where ECU operates a dedicated research hut — students collect data, collaborate with scientists and work alongside local stakeholders. Through the Semester at the Coast and other programs, undergraduates and graduate students engage in research and community internships that address coastal challenges firsthand.

For example, last summer, Matthew Sirianni and Alex K. Manda, faculty members in the Department of Earth, Environment and Planning, led nine undergraduates from universities across the United States through a research program exploring saltwater intrusion along the coast, which affects crops and changes ecosystems.

Another example: Jim Morley, a biologist in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, and his research team study how changing coastal conditions influence fish populations and habitat. His research, funded by $437,000 in state and private grants, supports the sustainable growth of North Carolina’s fisheries and aquaculture industries — helping to preserve the state’s long tradition of working on the water while creating new economic opportunities.

Corbett said the hands-on nature of ECU’s coastal research enterprise allows students to break out of the theoretical and into the practical, inspiring the next generation to contribute to scientific discovery and support the state’s coastal and environmental future.

Across the coastal plain, ECU scientists are leading studies on wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation and shoreline change — key components of water quality and coastal resilience. Faculty and students are mapping marsh loss, monitoring nutrient flows and examining how vegetation buffers communities from flooding and erosion. The knowledge and lessons learned can be applied in coastal environments around the globe.

“We offer students a chance to build careers rooted in purpose,” Corbett said. “The coast is more than a place — it’s part of who we are at ECU. Our researchers and students are in the field, on the water and in communities every day, applying science to protect livelihoods and ensure a sustainable future for the region we call home.”