- Employee Spotlight
- Environmental Resource Assessment & Management
NOAA Diversity in External Services Award Winner

Congratulations to Melis Ӧkter for receiving the first, annual NOAA Diversity in External Services Award. Melis is one of our coastal management specialists supporting our subcontract with NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. This award recognizes Melis’ work establishing partnerships and networks to create a safe space to learn and share about diversity and equity issues. Melis provided information and resources, such as risk communication and nature-based solutions, from the client to underserved communities. In addition, Melis is a leader of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, whose staff work closely with local communities. A big congratulations to Melis on this well-deserved award!
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Happy 50th Birthday, Coastal Zone Management Act!
The Coastal Zone Management Act turns 50 this year! Many of our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract teams support this important piece of legislation. We have staff on the ground in many geographies working with state and U.S. territorial coastal programs. These staff work closely with these programs to provide guidance and support…
Discovering the Urchin Killer
A diver collects a long-spined sea urchin. Credit: Blake Gardner Our employee owners were recently part of a team of detectives on a mission to discover the killer of long-spined sea urchins, Diadema antillarumy, throughout the Caribbean Sea. The infected urchins lose their spines, leaving them more vulnerable to predation or dying after a few…
World Seagrass Day!
Seagrasses are critical to coastal and ocean ecosystems, protecting coastlines from erosion, stabilizing ocean sediment, and improving water clarity. They provide food and shelter for aquatic life, including seahorses, turtles, thousands of species of fish, and more. In addition, they are amazing carbon sequesters, meaning they absorb atmospheric carbon reducing greenhouse gases. On World Seagrass Day, we…
