First Publication‼️ 📖 🐟 - it started as an undergrad project at @purduefnr department and grew into a full meta-analysis published in Fish and Fisheries. Bigger, older female fish accumulate more mercury and PCBs - and pass those toxicants to their eggs, with real consequences for whether offspring hatch and survive. Turns out, bigger isn't always better - at least not for fish living in contaminated waters.
Grateful to Chris Malinowski (@conservation.chris ) and Tomas Höök for being amazing mentors and seeing this through from the very beginning.
Link in bio and below!
open-access 🔗 /10.1111/faf.70089
CCRL is proud to host amazing work such as this one being done by PhD Candidate Paula E Parbon! Get to know the work she is doing under the FISHSCAPE project analyzing foraging behavior of white grunts under different seagrass variables!
RDF Lab and the Institute of Environment welcomed high school seniors for a Living Shorelines Field Trip focused on 3D printing, 3D modeling, and future-ready design skills.
Students were introduced to basic principles of 3D modeling and 3D printing, engaged in Q&A’s before exploring EcoShores, an RDF Lab developed WebApp that allows students to customize ecological seawall tiles and prepare them for 3D printing.
Through this hands-on exercise, students connected digital fabrication with coastal resilience, design thinking, and environmental innovation.
Team:
Ata Bayraktar, Biayna Bogosian, Jose Tashakori, Khadeine Ali, Ryan Montero, Shahin Vassigh, Sheila Vasco
@fiu_carta_dean
#cartacreativeforcesatwork
@fiuenvironment
#fiuenvironment
@noaa
On Earth Day at FIU’s Frost Art Museum, Prof. Shahin Vassigh presented the Living Shorelines project to middle and high school students. The session concluded with hands-on activities with institute of Environment, a walk through the fabrication van and a showcase of the RDF Lab’s habitat tiles.
Thanks to Miriam Machado, Director Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum for the invitation.
RDF Team (A-Z):
Alexander Moore, Ata Bayraktar, Bhavleen Kaur, Biayna Bogosian, Giancarlo Perez, Giselle Rivero, Jesus Perez, Jose Tashakori, Julen Asencor, Julio Aparicio, Khadeine Ali, Ryan Montero, Sara Pezeshk, Shahin Vassigh, Sheila Vasco, Sujay Kumarji
@fiu_carta_dean
#CARTACreativeForcesAtWork
@fiuenvironment
#fiuenvironment
On February 19-20, FIU brought together leaders from academia, government, and industry to address the evolving challenges of higher education as part of Horizon Summit 2026 hosted at Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
At the Summit, we presented our collaborative work with the Institute of Environment (IOE) on robotically 3D-printed living shorelines project focused on coastal resilience.
RDF Team (A-Z):
Alexander Moore, Ata Bayraktar, Bhavleen Kaur, Biayna Bogosian, Giancarlo Perez, Giselle Rivero, Jesus Perez, Jose Tashakori, Julen Asencor, Julio Aparicio, Khadeine Ali, Ryan Montero, Sara Pezeshk, Shahin Vassigh, Sheila Vasco, Sujay Kumarji
@fiu_carta_dean
#cartacreativeforcesatwork
From ocean depths to outer space 🌊
At FIU, innovation dives deep. Home to the Aquarius Reef Base, the world’s only undersea research lab, our scientists are unlocking ocean secrets, training astronauts, and inspiring future explorers worldwide.
As a top 50 public research university, FIU is leading the way in ocean science, technology, and global impact, because protecting our ocean means protecting our future.
Do you have a seawall, or know a person or business that does? You can be part of science! 🪸🌊🐟
The Tropical Fish Ecology Lab at FIU needs to visit FIFTY seawalls this Summer. Our student Danni will be counting fish, surveying the structure, and figuring out what type of marine life calls your seawall home. 🤿🏠
These surveys are non invasive, take about 2 hours, and the main thing we need from seawall owners is simply access to bring our ladder and materials out to the seawall. Survey reporting will not be associated with property owners (we’re just here for the fish) 🐠🪸
Be part of Biscayne Bay and South Florida marine science, scan that QR code to volunteer your seawall for survey!
#marinescience #urbanecology #seawall #miamiflorida #citizenscience
@fiumarinebio@fiubiology@fiuenvironment
Right now, a whale is sending data to an FIU professor. This Earth Day, meet the scientists protecting our oceans, from a lab 60 feet underwater to the international policy tables where shark protections are decided.
🐋Follow the same whales and dolphins our researchers track → link in bio
#AnFIUProfessor #EarthDay2026 #EarthMonth #OceanResearch #ProtectOurOceans
This Tropical Tuesday, we’re heading into the lab to look at plants from the inside out.
Most of what plants do happens where we can’t see it. Inside their structure is where they adapt, grow, defend themselves, and interact with the world around them.
At FIU’s Plant Growth Lab, researchers study these hidden details to better understand how plants survive and how we can protect them.
With the FIFA World Cup 2026™ coming to Miami this summer, the University of Miami Office of Sustainability wants to invite you to reflect on the progress made by the soccer industry on sustainability.
Join us and learn from a fantastic panel of experts moderated by Jennifer Roche - Director of Community & Legacy for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host and Teddy Lhoutellier - Sustainability Director for the University of Miami (UM)
Speakers:
⭐️Kash Siddiqi - Football for Peace
⭐️Jenna DiPaolo - Ocean Conservancy / Protect Where We ⭐️Dr. Todd Crowl – Florida International University
Registration link in bio✨
#WorldCup2026 #onegameonepassion
Happy National Orchid Day! 🌸
Today we’re celebrating the incredible work of “Orchid Hunter” Dr. Pankaj Kumar. For 25 years, he has hiked through Asia’s deepest forests to identify rare species. To date, he has discovered and named over 38 species!
He once waited 10 months for a single bloom “smaller than a fingernail” to reveal its identity, but he has also seen a species he discovered go extinct after its only known mountain habitat was destroyed.
A true scientist and artist, Dr. Kumar hand-draws illustrations of all his finds! He continues this research alongside experts in our Department of Earth and Environment and at Fairchild Tropical Garden. 🎨🥾
As he reminds us: “You cannot protect something which you do not know.” We’re so inspired by the researchers racing against the clock to keep our world blooming.
#FIUCASE #NationalOrchidDay #FIUResearch #botany #OrchidHunter @fiuinstagram@fiuenvironment
This is science you can wear. 🌊
Each bracelet is linked to a real whale or dolphin tagged by an FIU scientist and actively tracked for research. When you purchase, you’re not just accessorizing. You’re fueling the marine conservation work happening right now beneath the surface.
