Researcher Earns Funding for Two Environmental Projects

– Dr. John Trefry, Florida Tech professor of oceanography, has received $50,000 from the
St. Johns River Water Management District to continue his studies of the composition and sources of fine-grained sediments in Mosquito Lagoon. The lagoon,
a long, narrow, shallow estuary, is part of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary in Brevard County and is a renowned fishing site. The sediments contribute to
turbidity in the lagoon, which can block light for the growth of sea grass, a vital component of the lagoon’s food chain.

Additionally, Trefry has received $20,000 in research funding from Williams Gas Pipelines for a follow-up study supporting Trefry’s work in the Gulf of
Mexico. The study is to determine sources of mercury that may enter the environment as a result of offshore oil production off the coast of Texas.

Trefry, who earned the prestigious 2002 gold medal from the Florida Academy of Sciences, has a 27-year history of studying potential environmental impacts
from offshore oil exploration and production.