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Marine

Physical Oceanography, Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Circulation

This area focuses on coastal and shelf circulation, air–sea coupling, boundary-layer processes, and numerical modeling, linking atmospheric forcing to ocean dynamics, coastal variability, climate-relevant processes and global ocean circulation. The Ocean Observing and Modeling Group in this area works on developing predictive models for ocean circulation and air-sea-wave interactions.

Marine Geology and Coastal and Ocean Biogeochemistry

This research area addresses sediment transport, coastal and continental-margin geology, and carbon and nutrient cycling at the land–ocean interface, integrating field observations and geochemical approaches to understand environmental change across timescales.

Plankton Ecology, Biogeochemistry and Harmful Algal Blooms

This group emphasizes phytoplankton and microbial ecology, nutrient dynamics, and harmful algal blooms, particularly in estuarine and coastal systems influenced by climate forcing and anthropogenic inputs.

Marine Ecology, Biodiversity, Fisheries and Restoration

This cluster encompasses community and ecosystem ecology of marine and estuarine systems, including biodiversity, species interactions, fisheries, habitat structure, and anthropogenic change, with strong applications to ecosystem-based management, conservation, and restoration.

Earth

Earth Surface Processes, Geomorphology, and Natural Hazards

A central strength of Earth Science research in MEAS is the study of Earth surface processes and landscape evolution across a range of tectonic and climatic settings. Faculty investigate Quaternary geology, geomorphology, and the coupling between tectonics, climate, and surface processes, with direct implications for seismic, landslide, and volcanic hazards. Research in this area integrates field-based studies with quantitative dating techniques, physical and numerical modeling, and high-resolution geospatial analysis to assess rates of landscape change and natural hazard risk.

Tectonics, Volcanology, and Crustal Dynamics

MEAS Earth scientists examine the forces that shape the Earth’s crust through research in structural geology, active tectonics, and volcanic and magmatic systems. This work spans continental and marine environments and includes experimental investigations of lava flow dynamics, studies of crustal deformation, and geophysical analyses of tectonic and volcanic processes. Marine geophysics and underwater acoustics research provide a direct bridge between solid-Earth processes and ocean systems, thereby reinforcing the department’s cross-pillar integration.

Sedimentary Systems, Earth System History, and Paleoclimate

Faculty research in sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, and paleoclimatology provides a long-term perspective on Earth system evolution. Using sedimentary archives from terrestrial, coastal, and marine environments, researchers reconstruct past climate variability, glaciological change, tectonics, and environmental transitions. These studies place modern climate and environmental change into a deep-time context and strengthen connections between Earth Science, Marine Science, and Atmospheric Science research within MEAS. 

Hydrology, Geochemistry, and Water-Climate Interactions

Hydrology and geochemistry research within MEAS addresses groundwater flow, water resources, biogeochemical cycling, and contaminant transport, including persistent environmental challenges such as PFAS contamination. Faculty apply chemical tracers, geochemical analyses, and hydrologic modeling to understand water–climate interactions across surface and subsurface systems. This work is directly relevant to environmental sustainability, water security, and ecosystem health, and further integrates Earth Science research with atmospheric and marine processes.

Geoscience Education and Workforce Development

Complementing research excellence, MEAS Earth scientists contribute nationally recognized scholarship in geoscience education. Faculty integrate active research into field, laboratory, and classroom instruction; develop innovative visualization-rich pedagogies; and study effective approaches to teaching Earth system science. These efforts strengthen the department’s educational mission and prepare students for careers in geoscience, environmental science, and related fields. 

Atmosphere

Weather and Climate

A longstanding area of research strength in MEAS is the investigation of mesoscale and synoptic-scale processes and systems, including the dynamics of severe local storms, winter storms, tropical cyclones, and analysis of the role of climate change in altering the dynamics and impacts of weather extremes. Our faculty have provided leadership in observational field campaigns to study severe convection and winter storms, for example, and use radar, satellite, in-situ instrumentation, and research aircraft to gather unique, cutting-edge datasets with which to study cloud microphysics and storm structures via a data analytics approach.

Atmospheric Composition, Air Quality, and Earth System Interactions

Research in this area advances understanding of air quality, atmospheric composition, climate processes, and environmental change through a blend of observations, modeling, remote sensing, and analysis of pollutants and climate change mechanisms. This group investigates how natural and human sources influence atmospheric chemistry and aerosols, how air–sea interactions and fire emissions affect climate and ocean systems, and how air pollutants and greenhouse gases are transported, transformed, and impact ecosystems and human health, with applications to policy and environmental management.

Climate Dynamics and Air-Sea Interaction

This group studies air–sea interaction, climate variability, dynamics and prediction, and the interplay between land/vegetation and atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and boundary-layer processes, with applications to understanding climate change, and biosphere–atmosphere interactions. Investigators in this area explore air-sea interactions and large-scale climate variability, and use statistical and AI methods to understand seasonal tropical cyclone variability and air-sea interaction.

Interdisciplinary

Climate Variability, Extremes, and Atmospheric Processes

Atmospheric dynamics, weather systems, and climate variability.

The department has a strong and sustained research portfolio in climate and atmospheric science, with emphasis on variability, extremes, and the physical processes that govern weather and climate across scales. Faculty research spans synoptic and mesoscale dynamics, climate trend detection, and the characterization of extreme temperature and precipitation events. Recent peer-reviewed work demonstrates a growing emphasis on high-temporal-resolution observations and physically informed statistical approaches, allowing researchers to identify climate signals that are directly relevant to impacts and decision-making. Collectively, this research contributes to improved understanding of how climate change manifests through extremes and variability, rather than solely through changes in long-term means.

Coastal, Marine, and Estuarine Systems

Coastal oceanography, marine ecosystems, and biogeochemical processes

Research in marine and coastal systems represents a central pillar of the department’s scholarly activity. Faculty investigate physical, chemical, and biological processes in coastal oceans and estuaries, including circulation, sediment dynamics, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystem response to environmental stressors. Recent peer-reviewed publications emphasize the impacts of extreme events such as hurricanes and flooding on coastal morphology, water quality, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem function. This work is frequently rooted in regional coastal environments while addressing broader questions of coastal resilience and change, positioning the department’s marine science research as both place-based and broadly relevant.

Future work within this cluster will deepen integration across physical and biological processes, with increasing emphasis on climate-driven change, compound coastal hazards, and the application of marine science to coastal management and resilience planning.

Human Dimensions and Environmental Policy

Marine policy, governance, and socio-environmental systems

The department’s research portfolio includes a significant and growing body of work on the human dimensions of environmental and marine systems. Faculty examine how scientific knowledge interacts with governance, policy, and stakeholder decision-making, particularly in fisheries management, marine energy development, and coastal resource use. Recent peer-reviewed studies emphasize the integration of social, economic, and technical considerations, reflecting an interdisciplinary approach to environmental problem-solving. This research strengthens the department’s ability to address complex socio-environmental challenges and highlights the importance of coupling physical science with policy and institutional analysis.

This cluster is positioned to expand its role in interdisciplinary research and education, particularly at the interface of climate change, energy transitions, and coastal governance, strengthening connections between natural science research and policy-relevant outcomes. MEAS recently began to focus on a new dimension in this area that connects physical and social science in practical ways, and that can provide training and insight to our students, allowing them to more efficiently apply their work to the benefit of society.

Data-Driven and Computational Approaches to Earth System Science

Environmental data science, modeling, and quantitative methods

MEAS is strongly committed to methodological innovation and data-driven inquiry. Faculty employ advanced statistical methods, high-resolution numerical modeling, machine learning, and geospatial analysis to address questions in atmospheric, marine, and Earth sciences. Recent publications highlight the use of large observational datasets and novel analytical frameworks to improve understanding and prediction of environmental processes. These computational approaches serve as a unifying element across the department’s research portfolio, enabling integration across disciplines and enhancing the rigor and impact of our scholarly output. The department anticipates continued growth in environmental data science, including greater integration of machine learning with physical understanding and expanded use of high-resolution datasets to address prediction, attribution, and decision-support challenges. Importantly, faculty contribute significantly to allied endeavors across campus, including as principles and fellows in the Center for Marine Science and Technology, North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, Center for Geospatial Analytics, the Data Science and AI-Academy, the Blue Economy Innovation Center, and the Climate and Sustainability Academy.

Integrated Earth System Perspective and Interdisciplinary Research

Earth system interactions and cross-disciplinary synthesis

A defining characteristic of the department’s research portfolio is its integrated Earth system perspective. Faculty research frequently crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries, linking atmospheric processes with marine and terrestrial systems and, in some cases, with human and policy dimensions. This integrative approach is reflected in peer-reviewed work that connects physical mechanisms to environmental impacts and societal relevance. As a result, the department’s research portfolio is both scientifically cohesive and well aligned with contemporary priorities in Earth and environmental science, including climate change, coastal resilience, and sustainable resource management.

These five research areas illustrate a portfolio that is both cohesive and diverse, unified by an Earth system perspective and a strong emphasis on societally relevant environmental challenges. The department combines depth in core disciplinary areas with cross-cutting strengths in data-driven methods and policy-relevant research. Recent peer-reviewed publications demonstrate increasing integration across earth, atmospheric, marine, and human systems, positioning the department to contribute meaningfully to research on climate change, coastal resilience, natural hazards, and environmental sustainability. This balance of disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinary integration defines the department’s research identity and provides a strong foundation for future growth.