Research Projects
The Ocean Observing and Modeling Group has a diverse portfolio of projects focused on advancing our understanding of marine environments, oceanography, and the interactions of the ocean and atmosphere. Our research focuses on physical oceanography and its impacts on marine biogeochemical processes, contributing critical insights to the scientific community and informing policy for ocean conservation.
We actively collaborate with other academic institutions, governmental agencies, and community organizations to maximize the impact of our work. Through outreach initiatives and educational projects, we engage students, educators, and the wider public, fostering greater awareness and stewardship of the world’s oceans.
Our commitment to scientific excellence is reflected in the breadth and depth of our ongoing projects, each designed to address cutting-edge questions in marine science.
Project Portfolio
Collaborative Research: Caribbean Through-flow Water Mass Transformation Processes
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2025 – 2028
Collaborative Research: CyberTraining: Implementation: Medium: EcoTern: Pioneering a CI Workforce for Sustainable and Transdisciplinary Environmental Science Research
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2024 – 2027
A Novel Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Approach for High-efficiency, High-fidelity Marine Wave Energy Characterization and Assessment for Powering the Blue Economy
Sponsor: Department of Energy
2023 – 2024
PARTNER: An AI/ML Collaborative for Southeast Florida Coastal Environmental Data and Modeling Center
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2023 – 2027
Collaborative Research: CPS: Medium: Enabling Autonomous, Persistent, and Adaptive Mobile Observational Networks Through Energy-Aware Dynamic Coverage
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2022 – 2025
Advancing Gulf of Mexico Operational Forecasting with Application to Fisheries, Industry
Safety, and Natural Hazards (GOFFISH)
Sponsor: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
2022 – 2027
RAPID: A Modeling-Based Investigation in Support of Pioneer Array Relocation Design in the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2021 – 2022
Partnering to Meet the Needs of Coastal Communities for Actionable Information to Protect Lives and Property
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2021 – 2025
Understanding Gulf Ocean System Program: Modeling and Prediction (Extension)
Sponsor: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
2021 – 2022
Using a Coupled Numerical Modeling System to Investigate Flooding Impacts during Hurricane Florence
Sponsor: U.S. Geological Survey
2020 – 2021
NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2020 – 2025
Developing an Integrated Coastal Water Predictive Capability to Promote Resilience to Water Risks
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2019 – 2022
Developing an Integrated Marine Environment Observation and Prediction System in Support of NC Energy Initiatives
Sponsor: Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at North Carolina State University
2020 – 2021
Comprehensive Gulf Stream Ocean Energy Resource Assessment Using an Integrated Observing and Modeling Approach
Sponsor: University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute
2020 – 2021
Dispersal Depth and the Transport of Deep-sea Methane-seep Larvae Around a Biogeographic Barrier
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2019 – 2022
Understanding Gulf Ocean System Program: Modeling and Prediction
Sponsor: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
2019 – 2020
Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Gulf Coast Regional Wave Modeling Project
Sponsor: Department of Energy / Sandia National Labs
2018 – 2019
Advanced Marine Environment Prediction
Sponsor: Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at North Carolina State University
2018 – 2019
Mesoscale and Submesoscale Coastal Ocean Variability Associated with the Western Boundary Currents
Sponsor: C. Kelly Memorial Funds for U.S.–Japan Scientific Cooperation
2018 – 2019
Climate Downscaling of Marine Environment Conditions Off North Carolina
Sponsor: Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at North Carolina State University
2017 – 2018
Virtual Marine Ecosystem, The Ocean at Your Fingertips
Sponsor: Chancellor’s Innovation Funds Award
2017 – 2018
U.S. East Coast Wave Energy Resource Assessment
Sponsor: Department of Energy
2016 – 2017
Comprehensive Gulf Stream Ocean Energy Resource Assessment Using an Integrated Observing and Modeling Approach
Sponsor: University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute
2016 – 2018
Cooperative Regional Glider Observatory
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Southeast Regional Ocean Observing Regional Authority
2016 – 2020
A Coupled Marine Environmental Assessment and Prediction System for the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Ocean in Support of Effective Marine Ecosystem-Based Management, Efficient Marine Operations, and Resilient Coastal Communities
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Southeast Regional Ocean Observing Regional Authority
2016 – 2020
Three-dimensional Gulf Circulation and Biogeochemical Processes Unveiled by State-of-the-Art Profiling Float Technology and Data Assimilative Ocean Models
Sponsor: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative
2016 – 2019
Collaborative Research: Processes driving Exchange At Cape Hatteras (PEACH)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2016 – 2020
Collaborative Research: Contribution of Prydz Bay Shelf Water to Antarctic Bottom Water Formation
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2015 – 2018
Use of a Biophysical Modeling Framework to Develop a Recruitment Index for Inclusion in Stock Assessments in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2015 – 2017
ECOHAB: Interannual Variability of PSP Toxicity in Eastern Maine: Testing the Leaky Gyre Hypothesis and Improving Regional Forecasts and Management
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2015 – 2018
Development of a South Atlantic Ecosystem Model: A Coupled Marine Environmental Assessment and Prediction System for the Southeastern U.S. Coastal Ocean in Support of Effective Marine Ecosystem-Based Management
Sponsor: Department of the Interior
2015 – 2017
Developing an Integrated Modeling-Observing Prediction and Assessment System in Support of North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Studies
Sponsor: University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute
2014 – 2015
An Integrated Terrestrial-Coastal Ocean Observation and Modeling Framework for Carbon Management Decision Support
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2014 – 2017
Estimating Discard Morality of Shallow and Deep Water Reef Fishes Using Conventional and Telemetry Tags
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2014 – 2016
Air-Sea CO2 Flux and Carbon Budget Synthesis and Modeling in the Entire Gulf of Mexico
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2014 – 2016
Hurricane Process Study: Numerical Model Investigation of Coastal Erosion and Accretion as a Result of Major Storm Events
Sponsor: U.S. Geological Survey
2014 – 2016
Development of High-Resolution Ocean Circulation Prediction and Assessment System in Support of Ocean Energy Studies
Sponsor: University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute
2013 – 2014
Analysis of Loop Current Observations
Sponsor: SAIC
2013 – 2014
The Impact of Western Boundary Current and Eddies on the Across-shelf Exchange in the South Atlantic Bight: an Integrated Study Using Satellite Altimeters Time Series, In-situ Observations, and Data Assimilative Numerical Modeling
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2013 – 2017
Development of Observational Products and Coupled Models of Land-Ocean-Atmospheric Fluxes in the Mississippi River Watershed and Gulf of Mexico in Support of Carbon Monitoring
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2013 – 2014
Gulf Integrated Spill Response Consortium: Circulation Modeling
Sponsor: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative
2011 – 2015
Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association: An Environmental monitoring and Assessment Program to Support Decision-Makers’ Needs for Coastal and ocean Data and Products
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2011 – 2016
Implementation of an Operational Model for Prediction of Alexandrium fundyense Blooms in the Gulf of Maine
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2011 – 2016
Collaborative Research: Connectivity in Western Atlantic Seep Populations: Oceanographic and Life History Processes Underlying Genetic Structure
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2010 – 2011
Implementation of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing System Support of RCOOS Development
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2010 – 2012
3D Model Forecast of the Vertical and Horizontal Distributions of the Oil Plumes Arising from the Deepwater Horizon Spill
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2010 – 2011
Modeling the Vertical and Horizontal Distributions of the Oil Plumes Arising From the Deepwater Horizon Spill in the Southeast U.S. Coastal Waters
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2010 – 2011
Assessing Impacts of Climate and Land Use Change on Terrestrial-Ocean Fluxes of Carbon and Nutrients and Their Cycling in Coastal Ecosystems
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2010 – 2013
Eddy-Wind-Topography Interaction Dynamics
Sponsor: Office of Naval Research
2010 – 2011
Operational Ocean Forecast System Pilot Project
Sponsor: Department of Energy
2010 – 2012
Collaborative Research: Frontal Interaction and Atmospheric Forcing North of Cape Hatteras: An Analysis and Modeling Study
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
2009 – 2012
NOAA Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology: Connectivity Between Deep and Shallow Ecosystems: Ecosystem-based Management of New Shelf Edge MPAs
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2009 – 2011
Understanding Shelf Hydrography Seasonal Evolution Using Novel Glider Technology
Sponsor: North Carolina State University
2008 – 2009
Coastal Ocean Processes and Sediment Transport Dynamics
Sponsor: U.S. Geological Survey
2007 – 2012
Investigation of Coastal Phytoplankton Dynamics by Adjoint Data Assimilation of Satellite Ocean Color Data
Sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2007 – 2010
Development of a Combined Hydrodynamic, Sediment Transport and Nutrient Response Model System for Falls of the Neuse Reservoir, Neuse River Basin
Sponsor: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
2007 – 2009
Rapid Environmental Assessment Using an Integrated Coastal Ocean Observation and Modeling System
Sponsor: Office of Naval Research
2006 – 2011
Dynamics of Alexandrium fundyense Distributions in the Gulf of Maine – an Observational and Modeling Study of Nearshore and Offshore Shellfish Toxicity, Vertical Toxin Flux, and Bloom Dynamics in a Complex Shelf Sea
Sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2006 – 2012
Community Sediment Transport Modeling
Sponsor: National Oceanographic Partnership Program / Office of Naval Research
2006 – 2008
Data Assimilative Interdisciplinary Modeling of the Adjacent Coastal Water of the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory
Sponsor: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
2006
Evaluation of Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) Hindcast in Providing Open Boundary Conditions for High Resolution Coastal Circulation Modeling
Sponsor: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
2004 – 2006