Skip to main content
Another Successful Semester at CMAST

CMAST News

Mirtalebi, left, is pictured with her poster and Dr. Alex Chouljenko, Director of the NC State Seafood Lab at the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST).

Jul 26, 2023

Mirtalebi Places in Oral Competition

Sanaz Mirtalebi, NC State PhD student in Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences, was recognized at last week’s annual Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) meeting in Chicago, for a poster presentation on her research titled, “Combining fish and crustacean byproducts to produce pelleted aquafeed: Effect of byproduct type on pellet properties.”  Mirtalebi recently placed third in an…
Dr. Harms, bottom right, with KBSTRRC interns and the loggerhead named Sulfur.

Jul 26, 2023

Interns Perform Surgery on Loggerhead

Interns from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center (KBSTRRC) visited the NC State Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) recently with a loggerhead sea turtle named “Sulfur” for hook removal. The hook was lodged deep down in the esophagus, which required a surgery, conducted by second-year zoological medicine resident, Dr. Nick Dannemiller.…
Sarah examines stomachs for potential microplastics

Jul 10, 2023

CMAST Summer Fellow Researches Microplastics in Dolphins and Fish

Sarah Smith, a 2023 NC State Semester at CMAST student, has returned to CMAST as a summer fellow to continue working on a student research project from the spring.  Sarah is working with deceased dolphins from strandings and various fish to determine what types of microplastics are in their stomachs and where these microplastics originate.  Explaining…
Iileyah prepares for a dive.

Jun 26, 2023

CMAST Summer Fellow Continues Work from Spring

Iileyah Braxton, a Spring 2023 NC State University Semester at CMAST participant, has been selected as a CMAST 2023 Summer Fellow.  She says, “From this wonderful experience, I was given the opportunity to continue my research from spring semester as a summer fellow.” As a summer fellow, Iileyah will continue her work with Spot-A-Shark from the…
Sarah Smith with a blue marlin on the Morehead City waterfront, before it leaves the dock for CMAST.

Jun 14, 2023

What Happens to Fish Caught in the Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament?

The 65th Annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is underway.  While this well-known event provides an opportunity for anglers to compete in landing the largest blue marlin, dolphinfish, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo, it also boosts the local economy.  However, many people may not know that that it also provides research opportunities for scientists across the…

May 31, 2023

CMAST Collaborates with NOAA to Tag Sea Turtles

“NC State Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) veterinarians Craig Harms, NC State College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Emily Christiansen (NC Aquariums and CVM), and Lori Westmoreland (NC Aquariums and CVM) participated in a leatherback sea turtle project with NOAA sea turtle biologists the past two weeks off of Cape Lookout.  The primary objectives of the project were…

May 23, 2023

Hayes Secures Summer Internship with NCDMF

Nathan Hayes, NC State University senior, is spending some time on the Crystal Coast building his dream.  In the spring of 2023, Nathan participated in the Semester at CMAST program, conducting a semester-long research project titled, Applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Identify Ecological Patterns.  Nathan enjoyed the area and experience so much that he went…

May 22, 2023

Ben-Horin Receives Award

Congratulations to Dr. Tal Ben-Horin, NC State assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine at the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology!  He has been selected as a recipient of the NC State University 2022 Outstanding Extension Award for substantial contributions to the NC shellfish industry.  Dr. Kathryn Meurs, Dean of the…

May 17, 2023

New Travel Abroad Class Is Successful

Drs. David Eggleston (NC State University CMAST Director) and Lewis Owen (Head of NC State MEAS Department), along with Steve Broadhurst (Dive Safety Officer) taught a Study Abroad course during the Spring semester entitled, “Ecological and Geological Processes in an Immersive Scientific Diving Experience”. The course culminated in an 11-day trip to the Dutch Island of Bonaire…
2023 Semester at CMAST students pictured left to right are: Iileyah Braxton, Grace Brown, Kamber Lovill, Adam Wampler, Hailey Lewis, Sam Merritt, Abby Lee, Sean Sullivan, Sarah Smith, Nathan Hayes, Catherine Kirch, and Zophia Cavalli.

May 4, 2023

Another Successful Semester at CMAST

The NC State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) bids farewell to its 2023 class of Semester at CMAST students.  Best of luck to these future scientists as they continue their education and research.  At least three of the twelve Semester at CMAST students will stay in Morehead City through the summer to continue…