The University of Georgia Marine Institute At Sapelo Island
The southeastern US was hit by a historic snowstorm on Jan 21, 2025, and we had snow on Sapelo Island for the first time in almost 40 years (since 1986). The Island lost power, with some areas out for several days, and UGAMI was closed from Jan 21-24. When the ice cleared there were limbs down throughout campus, but things are all picked up thanks to our facilities crew.
We have been working hard over the past year to renovate the South End Apartment building on the main quad of the UGAMI campus. The renovations were necessary to address structural deterioration and required replacing the flooring system. Phase I renovations were focused on what was formerly Apartments 1&2. Although the outside of the building hasn’t changed – there is still a cozy screened in porch in the entryway and the fireplace is intact – it no longer leads into two apartments, but rather one large space with modernized bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and living room. Phase II renovations, which will be in what is currently Apartments 3&4, are scheduled to start this month. We are really excited to have the new space!
The Sapelo Island ferry is using the smaller, side dock now that the ramp is gone
The UGA Marine Institute is deeply saddened by the tragic collapse of the ramp at the Sapelo Island ferry this past weekend. Our hearts go out to all.
The Friends of UGAMI hard at work on Labor Day weekend 2024.
The Friends of UGAMI visited the Institute over Labor Day for one of their “work weekends”, and got down to it. They power-washed and started painting the BIRL dormitory and also worked on repairing the Teal Boardwalk. They were joined by Anna Stenport, Dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at UGA, and family, who provided additional sets of hands that were all very much appreciated. To learn more about the Friends of UGAMI, contact Beth Richardson: bethrichardson@uga.edu
The University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island (https://ugami.uga.edu/) is seeking to hire an Assistant Director for Academics to develop and provide oversight of the Institute’s residential instructional programs for University students. The candidate will serve on the UGAMI leadership team, contribute to outreach and development efforts, and teach courses in their area of specialization. This position is classified as an Academic Professional, which is a non-tenure track faculty position.
A Ph.D. in Marine Science or a related discipline is required. A complete description and application materials can be found on the university’s faculty job portal https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/392515. Applications received by October 11, 2024 are assured full consideration. The position has a target start date of January 2025. Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Merryl Alber, Chair of the Search Committee (ugamidir@uga.edu), with the subject line: Academic Professional.
Morning talks in the UGAMI power house
Poster session at the Hog Hammock Library
UGAMI partnered with the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve to organize the 2nd annual Sapelo Symposium, which was held on Thursday, July 25. The day began with lightning talks at UGAMI that highlighted research being conducted on the Island, followed by lunch and a poster session in the Hog Hammock community. Approximately 70 people attended the event, including 8 students from the UGAMI summer semester program and 3 from the GCE-LTER, each of whom presented posters about their research. It was great to have an opportunity to celebrate Sapelo’s role as a hub for scientific activity.
The 2024 Coastal Summer Semester program ended on Friday, June 28 with our thirteen students presenting their final research projects, which ran the gamut from plant physiology to community ecology to animal behavior. Dr. Tom Hancock, who co-led the course, said “To go from research proposal to finished product in less than two weeks is remarkable. Watching their final research presentations gave me a glimpse into what the next generation of scientists will be able to achieve.” We wish them all the best of luck!
It is with sadness that we pass along the news that John Teal passed away on June 14, 2024. John began his career at the UGA Marine Institute and his legacy carries on. We routinely use the “Teal boardwalk” to access the marsh, and we explain to students and other visitors how influential his early work was in terms of evaluating the energy balance of a salt marsh. We continue to build on that work today as part of the research that is conducted by the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research Project. John’s books are on display in our visitor’s center along with the original sketch for the boardwalk. We also have a disc golf course that we call the “Teal 9”. To read more see https://www.whoi.edu/who-we-are/about-us/people/obituary/john-moline-teal/
This summer, 6 student interns are in residence at the UGA Marine Institute conducting research with GCE-LTER investigators. 2 Univ. of Houston students are working with Dr. Steve Pennings on salt marsh disturbance experiments; 1 student (Dalton State College) is working with the GCE field crew on sampling and monitoring; 2 students (Creighton Univ.) are working with Dr. John Schalles on ground-truthing field survey data; and 1 student (Univ. of Georgia) is working with Dr. Jeb Byers on predator-prey dynamics in ephemeral habitat. We wish them all an excellent summer and success in all their future endeavors!
Thirteen undergraduate students arrived at UGAMI on June 1st to begin their month-long residential academic experience. During the first two weeks of June the students take ECOL 4225, Methods in Marine Ecology, which introduces them to Sapelo Island ecosystems and organisms, and provides experience in a multitude of techniques used in ecological research. During the second two weeks, students get to apply this knowledge and conduct an independent research project. Students earn eight hours of credit for their efforts, all while making new friends, meeting professionals in the field, and advancing their careers. For more information contact Dr. Tom Hancock.
