Enhancing Stewardship and Sustainability

The Orange Beach Waterfront Park, located within the Perdido Bay Watershed on Wolf Bay, consists of the Coastal Arts Center, the Wind and Water Learning Center, approximately 1,000 linear feet of shoreline, a pier, and various recreational facilities. However, in recent decades, the park's shoreline has been significantly eroded and ecologically degraded due to storms and intense boat traffic. To address these issues, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) secured NOAA's 2022 Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
In a collaborative approach to learning and executing engineering and design, the University of South Alabama (USA) and Moffatt & Nichol are co-producing design of a nature-based solution along the shoreline of the Wind and Water Learning Center. USA graduate students are playing an integral role by performing numerical modeling on the conceptual nature-based designs developed as a collaborative team between TNC, City of Orange Beach, and Moffatt & Nichol. Their analyses will help assess the impact of the design on hydrodynamics and surrounding environment and identify the most effective restoration and protection strategies as well as define the conditions under which these solutions can effectively mitigate shoreline erosion at the park.
This project also presents a significant opportunity for developing an interdisciplinary workforce, as it allows students to engage directly with professional engineers and city planners. By working on real-world problems, students are exposed to the complexities of developing feasible engineering designs, from conceptualization through to detailed design and permitting. This hands-on experience is invaluable in preparing students for careers in coastal engineering and environmental management. The collaboration not only enhances public recreational facilities and restores valuable coastal habitats but also equips the next generation of engineers with the practical skills and knowledge required for future careers.

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) is the Regional Ocean Partnership for the Gulf of Mexico, focused on enhancing the environmental and economic health of the region through increased collaboration. Led by the five Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas), GOMA's network includes over 165 participating organizations from state and federal agencies, tribal governments, communities, academia, non-governmental organizations, and industry. GOMA is in a unique position to reduce barriers and create opportunities for career growth through networking, mentoring, professional development training, and hands-on experience.
This project supports undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in paid internships at GOMA's partner state agencies. Participants from diverse backgrounds across the five Gulf states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) will gain mentoring and hands-on experience in various coastal management careers. Internship topics may include: coastal community resilience, data sharing, habitat restoration and management, water resources, and wildlife and fisheries.
Interns in this program will contribute to state agency projects that foster community and ecosystem resilience, supporting NOAA's long-term goals of Healthy Oceans and Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies. This project also supports NOAA's commitment to diversity and inclusion through direct involvement of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The goal of this project is to reduce barriers and create opportunities for career growth for undergraduate students from underrepresented and underserved groups in the Gulf of Mexico. 

For over thirty years, the Marine Education Center (MEC) at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has provided transformative educational experiences for K-12 students, emphasizing ocean and coastal habitat exploration. In this project, the MEC introduced middle and high school students, along with their teachers, to STEM careers within coastal Mississippi's blue economy through immersive outdoor programs. The flagship initiative, "Blue Tech Field Day," offered high school students' opportunities to explore ocean technology, fostered pathways to careers in research, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Students were encouraged to consider high-paying local jobs, such as those in hydrography or green vehicle technology, that are critical to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
A central component of the program was a half-day research cruise aboard USM's R/V Jim Franks. During this cruise, students engaged in an environmental monitoring project that replicates real-world research. The data collection was conducted in collaboration with researchers' from USM's School of Ocean Science and Engineering, the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, and the Center for Fisheries Research and Development. Through these hands-on experiences, participants gained insight into ongoing research in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
In its initial year, the Blue Tech Field Day program engaged 114 students from various Mississippi and Louisiana schools. The program demonstrated a significant increase in student interest in STEM careers, particularly in ocean technology, and reshaped their understanding of the essential technologies involved in regional marine research.

Explore the Mississippi Aquarium, a 501c(3) non-profit organization and local leader in coastal conservation, education and community participation. The Mississippi Aquarium creates a connection with the aquatic world inspiring and empowering our guests to take action for conservation. How do we maintain and care for so many unique animals? Insight will be offered into what is needed to maintain this premier institute. We will explore the Mississippi Aquarium's 3 pillars of Education, Conservation, and Community and the programs used to support these goals. Our Volunteer Program is designed for individuals interested in giving back to the community, sharing a passion for the aquatic world surrounded by like-minded individuals, and having fun!  The Mississippi Education Program includes Field trips, Homeschool Days, Educational Outreach, Camps, Virtual Outreach and more. Explore Project SAIL which brings the wonders of the oceans to under privileged students by supporting low-income schools with field trip funding. The Mississippi Aquarium will share research endeavors, an insider look into future habitats, upcoming events, and our current conservation efforts. The Aquarium operates without subsidies and every contribution supports animal care and health, education and conservation initiatives, aquatic research and future growth.