Florida Tech Earns $25,000 Keys Coral Reef Monitoring Grant

– Coral reefs, one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet are extremely sensitive to temperature increases. Because an increase of just a few
degrees can kill off a reef by causing coral bleaching, monitoring is essential.

Supporting the coral reef monitoring work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is Florida
Tech physical oceanography graduate student Aurelie Moulin. During the past year she has participated in a data project to track bottom temperatures at 33
sites in the keys, between Biscayne Bay and the Dry Tortugas. A NOAA grant of almost $25,000, recently awarded to Florida Tech, will support analysis of
bottom temperature data from the sites collected since 1988.

Dr. George Maul, head of Florida Tech’s Department of Marine and Environmental Systems and professor of oceanography, is the project’s principal
investigator. Aurelie will be principal research assistant under the grant, which will fund salaries, scientific equipment and travel. The data will be
analyzed at Florida Tech.

The Department of Marine and Environmental Systems integrates the expertise and skills of scientists, engineers, and resource managers. DMES offers
undergraduate and graduate degrees in oceanography, environmental science, ocean engineering and meteorology.