CMAST News

May 27, 2025

Brooks Earns Award from American Fisheries Society

Congratulations to Johnna Brooks, Biomathematics PhD candidate at North Carolina State University (advised by Jie Cao and Jeffrey Buckel), and NOAA Sea Grant Population Dynamics Fellow, who has been chosen as the recipient this year’s the Berkeley Fellowship Award from the Marine Fisheries Section of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). According to the AFS, this fellowship was…

May 27, 2025

CMAST Director’s Research Featured by Global One Health Academy

Congratulations to Dr. David Eggleston, NC State University professor and director of the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, whose research has been featured by the NC State Global One Health Academy.  Eggleston says his work focuses on methods to sustain and restore the health of marine and coastal ecosystems to maintain and support coastal…

May 27, 2025

Lewbart Research on Marine Iguanas Published

Congratulations to NC State’s Dr. Gregory Lewbart for his co-authorship of a recent article on marine iguanas, titled, Changes in marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) heart rates suggest reduced metabolism during El Niño events.  The article was published in the April 2025 edition of the Journal of Zoology.  Lewbart says the article is based on nearly…

Apr 30, 2025

CMAST Bids Farewell to Semester at CMAST Students

The NC State Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) Semester at CMAST class of 2025 presented their spring research projects to a group of their peers and mentors today.  Research topics, presenters, and mentors, included: Andrew Morris – Mentors, Drs. Alex Chouljenko and Alona Chepiha and Mr. Greg Bolton Best of luck to this…

Apr 30, 2025

Pygmy Whale Sperm Calf Strands at Emerald Isle

On Wednesday, a live pygmy sperm whale calf stranded alive at Emerald Isle. Pygmy sperm whales are pelagic, deep diving, squid eaters and are rarely seen at sea because they spend little time at the surface. Unfortunately, they often strand in mother-calf pairs, and many strand alive. This animal was a female, and her mother…

Apr 30, 2025

NC State Veterinary Students Make a Difference in the Galapagos Islands

Morehead City, NC – Twenty-two Veterinary students just returned from a trip of a lifetime in the Galapagos Islands through NC State University’s Galapagos Elective: Conservation and Ecology in Ecuador course.  The purpose of the Galapagos elective, or ILAVET, taught and led by Dr. Gregory Lewbart, professor of aquatic animal medicine at the Center for…

Apr 24, 2025

Differences of Opinion on Whale Mortality

With deceased whale strandings increasing along the Atlantic coast, scientists and fishermen are debating the possible causes, from boat strikes to fishing gear entanglement to offshore wind energy sources.  Professor and director of marine health at North Carolina State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Dr. Craig Harms, weighs in on the story. Read more…

Apr 23, 2025

NC State CMAST Deploys Audio Video Array in the Galapagos

NC State CMAST research specialist, Melissa LaCroce, and PhD student, Mikayla Carrier, are pictured preparing to deploy an audio video array (AVA) in San Cristobal, Galapagos. This AVA system features multiple time-synced hydrophones and cameras mounted on a 3D frame. At night, when the acoustic activity of fish is often heightened, the field of view…

Apr 3, 2025

Humpback Whale Carcass in Indian Beach Examined by CMAST Veterinarians and Partners

Morehead City, NC, April 2, 2025 – A humpback whale carcass reported floating off the coast of North Carolina by the Clearwater Marine Research Institute North Atlantic Right Whale Aerial Survey team over the weekend was examined by a team from the NC State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) and its partners. The…

Apr 3, 2025

NC State Builds Audio-visual Array to be Deployed in the Galápagos Islands

NC State Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) research specialist Melissa LaCroce and PhD student Mikayla Carrier (pictured below, left to right) test a newly built audio-visual array (AVA) in a pool before it is deployed in the Galápagos Islands. The array is fitted with six hydrophones, two lights, and two cameras and was…