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UGA helps Brunswick reduce flooding and protect its water supply through green infrastructure

Rhonda Waller has two rain barrels behind her house in the Urbana-Perry Park neighborhood of Brunswick. The stormwater runoff they collect waters her yard and outdoor plants.

She got a third one at a recent rain barrel and rain garden workshop, and plans to use that one to provide water to a drip irrigation system for her rain garden, which stretches across the front of her one-story ranch house.

The rain garden, a mix of native plants resistant to heat and drought, is over a trench layered with rocks, sandy soil and mulch to filter any pollutants from the rainwater before it slowly seeps into the ground.

William Kitts, a resident in the Urbana-Perry Park neighborhood, tends to his rain garden.

Waller and five of her neighbors installed rain gardens as part of the Coastal Georgia Rain Garden program, created by University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Collectively, the Urbana-Perry Park rain gardens infiltrate more than 200,000 gallons of stormwater annually.

“We did it as a community, we helped each other,” Waller said. “We have to do something.”

Since 2016, stormwater management experts from UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant have been working with coastal communities to address challenges caused by heavy rain events, exceptionally high tides and sea level rise. While large scale projects, such as replacing underground drainage systems with larger pipes, require extensive engineering and substantial funding, green infrastructure projects can be done “in-house” with city work crews, in partnership with UGA.

The city’s “Rethinking Runoff” plan, produced in 2022 by Jessica Brown, stormwater specialist with UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, introduced opportunities for Brunswick to reduce flooding and improve water quality using green infrastructure, such as bioretention cells, rain gardens, permeable pavements, rain barrels, and cisterns.

Brown shared this concept of green infrastructure feasibility planning with all of Georgia’s coastal communities. Brunswick was among the first to respond.

Severe storms have become more frequent in recent years, and sea level rise is causing water from the rivers and marshes surrounding much of Brunswick to spill over into the city during high tide.

“When it starts to rain we know we have to go close roads,” said Garrow Alberson, Brunswick’s city engineer and public works director.

“We’re seeing streets flooding at high tide that weren’t flooding five to six years ago.”

The 2018 Stormwater Master Plan for the city of Brunswick included 15 priority projects at an estimated cost of $18.4 million. The projects required large scale construction, including replacing smaller drainage pipes that can no longer accommodate the volume of water, rerouting key roadways that regularly flood or installing tide control devices in areas affected by storm surge.

Those projects can take significant time to complete. The “Rethinking Runoff” projects can be done faster, for less money and can “work to take the demand off these systems,” Alberson said.

Stormwater specialists go over plans for bioretention installation in Brunswick, GA

Garrow Alberson (left) talks with Jessica Brown (second from right) and City of Brunswick Public Works crew about plans for a green infrastructure project.

Working with consultants contracted by the city of Brunswick, Brown used online data to determine the soil suitability for infiltration in vulnerable areas, and looked at GIS data to calculate the amount of stormwater runoff from impervious ground cover. Through the analysis, they identified 28 sites suitable for green infrastructure improvements.

A group plants native vegetation in a bioretention cell in Brunswick, GA

Students in a landscaping course through the Job Corps Center in Brunswick assist with planting the bioretention cell at Howard Coffin Park.

An earlier pilot project proved the effectiveness of green infrastructure. Brown worked with the city in 2018, long before the “Rethinking Runoff” plan, to install a bioretention cell at Howard Coffin Park. Two years later, Brown secured funding for a monitoring project adding equipment, wells and rain gauges, that show the bioretention cell is doing what it’s supposed to. Between August 2020 and December 2021, 83.6% of the runoff from the surrounding area was infiltrated by the cell.

The city is now working to implement green infrastructure projects at other sites identified in Brown’s “Rethinking Runoff” plan, including installing permeable pavement for parking at Goodyear Park, which previously had no dedicated parking; and replacing a concrete parking area with permeable material at Liberty Ship Park, next to the Sidney Lanier Bridge. The city plans to install two bioretention cells at Liberty Ship Park around existing storm drains. Also in the works is a plan to install permeable pavement at the vehicle parking lot next to Fire Station 1 downtown.

Other Stormwater Resources

Brown has worked with other partners to develop coast-wide resources.

Coastal Georgia LID Inventory
A Low Impact Development (LID) inventory was developed in collaboration with Georgia DNR. It features LID practices in Georgia’s 11 coastal counties.

Stormwater Operation, Inspection and Maintenance Tools
In collaboration with Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Brown created photo-based resources for inspectors and maintenance staff to improve long-term function of green infrastructure practices.

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has been promoting the success of the demonstration projects as well as other stormwater initiatives, like the rain garden program, to spread awareness about the importance of green infrastructure. Brown partners with private sector, nonprofit, and state agencies to host workshops, and stays connected to the city’s Neighborhood Planning Assemblies. She attends local, statewide and even national meetings to share efforts underway on the Georgia coast to address stormwater challenges.

The green infrastructure projects are a good way to educate people about stormwater mitigation because they can see examples in their communities, and understand how they work, Brown said. Larger projects, like increasing the capacity of storm drains, are more difficult to understand.

“It’s hard to comprehend because all the pipe is underground,” she said.

Interest from Brunswick residents in green infrastructure has increased over the years. The topic has gained the attention of local civic, youth, and faith-based groups, such as Coastal Outreach Soccer, wanting to get involved.

Brown is also working with other departments at UGA. Earlier this year, she collaborated with UGA Professor Qiong Wang to engage landscape architecture students at the College of Environment and Design in developing green infrastructure feasibility plans for the city of Brunswick as part of their coursework. These students gain valuable skills and learn to incorporate stormwater management into future projects throughout Georgia.

State and federal grants fund many of the stormwater management projects along the Georgia coast, including the ones Brown has partnered with the city of Brunswick to implement.

“This is an unprecedented time for us,” said Brown, who has worked in water management for 15 years. “There is more federal money available than ever before. It’s great to see these dollars at work, reducing the burden for communities like Brunswick.”

UGA study shows recreational fishing brings in millions annually to Georgia’s coastal economy

A recent study by University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, funded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division, sheds light on the economic contributions of saltwater recreational fishing to Georgia’s coastal economy. 

Saltwater recreational fishing is a popular activity that draws anglers to Georgia’s coastal water bodies, including its tidal creeks, sounds and open ocean. This industry encompasses a diverse group of amateur anglers and enthusiasts who cast their lines from personal boats and docks, public beaches and piers.  

The study, led by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Coastal Economist Eugene Frimpong, found that in 2022, over a quarter of a million recreational anglers spent $223.7 million on saltwater fishing activities in Georgia. These activities include purchasing fishing tackle, such as fishing rods, lines, and lures, while also incurring additional expenses related to transportation and food.  

According to Frimpong, money spent on saltwater recreational fishing circulates through Georgia’s economy, creating a multiplier effect where every dollar spent can have a significant impact as it moves across different sectors. Results of the study show that saltwater recreational fishing trips in Georgia supported 3,217 full-time or part-time jobs and contributed $310.6 million in sales in 2022.  

“The study reveals the significant economic contribution of this particular sector to Georgia’s coastal economy,” says Frimpong. “It also provides the state with baseline socioeconomic information to inform management practices that support the economic viability of saltwater recreational fishing and the overall health of our coastal resources.”

According to Carolyn Belcher, marine fisheries section chief at Georgia DNR’s Coastal Resources Division, most fishery management decisions are informed by the health of a fish population, which is determined through stock assessment models. Implementing fishing seasons as well size and catch limits are ways to maintain healthy populations.  

“The effects of these actions are easy to assess on the fish because of the availability of fishery-dependent data sources; however, without socioeconomic information like the data provided by this UGA study, it is difficult to assess how proposed management will affect the people involved in the fishery,” says Belcher.  

Frimpong gathered information for the study through a state-wide survey of recreational anglers. In addition to collecting expenditure data, the survey included demographic and geographic questions to gain insight into who engages in saltwater recreational fishing and where anglers fish.  

“Knowing the most popular destinations for recreational fishing and whether people are fishing by boat or from a pier helps us determine who and where to target educational resources and programs that help protect and conserve our fisheries resources,” says Bryan Fluech, associate director of extension at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.  

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Guide to Coastal Fishing in Georgia map series feature a map of the inshore coastal waters within each county as well as tips on responsible harvesting practices. Knowing, through the study, that Glynn, Chatham and Camden counties are the top three fishing destinations in coastal Georgia enables extension professionals to make sure tackle shops and marinas in these counties are stocked with the guides and other resources.  

A Trawl to Trash bag hangs on a dock post as a resource for collecting debris along waterways.

This information will also allow UGA staff to target specific counties and sites with outreach programs, like Trawl to Trash, which is designed to educate boaters and beachgoers about the impacts of marine debris and encourage use of recycled trawl bags to collect and remove debris from Georgia’s waterways.  

“Trawl to Trash was launched with recreational anglers in mind, realizing they often need a way to collect and store debris while on the water,” says Fluech. “Knowing that most recreational fishing is happening by boat or from shore validates our efforts to target outreach efforts at marinas and public access points.”  

Georgia’s saltwater recreational fishing sector is intricately linked with multiple industries, including retail, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism. It not only generates government revenue through taxes and fees but also plays a crucial role in supporting conservation efforts. The economic significance and cultural popularity of the industry underscores the importance of adopting sustainable practices and effective management to ensure the industry’s sustainable growth and success in Georgia.


Writer
: Emily Kenworthy,ekenworthy@uga.edu, 336-466-1520 
Contact: Eugene Frimpong, eugene.frimpong@uga.edu, 912-262-2379

 


 

“We Know Georgia” showcases how UGA is using its expertise and resources to spur economic prosperity across the state and uphold its commitment to serve Georgia. We are sharing stories of resiliency, entrepreneurship, sustainability and economic prosperity to show how UGA works with communities to make life better for Georgians. Learn more here.

Marine educator awarded PSO Spotlight Award for developing virtual programming during the pandemic

Kayla Clark, a public program coordinator and educator at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, is the most recent Public Service and Outreach Employee Spotlight awardee.

“We are so proud of your work and its impact. Both really embody the spirit of this award,” PSO Vice President Jennifer Frum said in presenting the award at the start of a Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Zoom meeting.

A framed certificate and a box of treats were delivered to Clark, who is based at the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant office on Skidaway Island.

Clark was nominated for the award by Anne Lindsay, associate director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. In her nomination Lindsay cited Clark’s role in researching, creating and implementing virtual activities for the summer, when the UGA Aquarium was closed because of the pandemic.

“The result of her leadership has provided the public with a series of exciting online explorations that show the world the work of our unit and the impact Public Service and Outreach has on the State,” Lindsay wrote in her nomination.

“Kayla makes us proud to be her colleague each and every day, but especially so over the last several months,” Lindsay wrote. “She sets the bar higher for all of us! Her foundational work now provides us with a springboard for developing and implementing virtual programming through the school year.”

Clark came to UGA in 2015 for a one-year Sea Grant Marine Education Fellowship. She was hired as a public programs coordinator when she completed her fellowship in 2016. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is working on a master’s degree in biology from Miami University of Ohio in Oxford, Ohio.

Clark is the sixth PSO employee to receive the spotlight award since it was launched by the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach in November 2019.

New sustainable ecotourism certificate aims to protect shorebirds while supporting tourism

UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is partnering with the nonprofit Manomet Inc. to develop a new certification program for water-based tour companies that provides them with the tools to implement best practices when it comes to birding-related tourism activities.

Georgia’s beaches provide vital habitat for shorebird species throughout the year. Many of the more remote habitats used by shorebirds are also areas used by recreational boaters and serve as a destination for guided tours. Beachgoers enjoying the warming weather may unintentionally disturb shorebirds’ nesting, resting and feeding behavior. Increasing awareness among boaters and beachgoers on how and why to give shorebirds space is a key step in conserving these unique animals.

A sandpiper bird stands among shells on the sandy beach.

A sandpiper looks for food along the Georgia beach. Photo by Emily Kenworthy.

“These habitats are very important for nesting species and for migrating shorebirds who need to rest and refuel,” says Abby Sterling, shorebird biologist for Manomet’s Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative and partner on the project. “Our objective of partnering with the ecotourism industry means that we can work together to increase knowledge and reduce disturbance by incentivizing responsible behavior through a marketable ecotourism credential to protect these truly special places we all love.”

The Coastal Awareness and Responsible Ecotourism program will consist of a series of workshops designed for the public and ecotourism operators who will receive a certificate after completing the program. The workshops will highlight the important role Georgia’s coast plays for nesting and migrating shorebirds and how residents, tourists and tourism companies can work together to protect these fragile habitats.

“The program will allow us to leverage protection of our wild Georgia coast while also supporting local small business tour operators,” says Katie Higgins, project lead and marine educator and volunteer coordinator at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, a UGA Public Service and Outreach unit.

“Ecotourism really provides an opportunity to build support for conservation action among coastal residents,” Higgins says.

The first workshop is scheduled for May 20 from 4-5 p.m. The event is open to the public but pre-registration is required. During the program, Higgins and Sterling will be joined by ecotourism operators Fran and Kathryn Lapolla of Savannah Coastal Ecotours who will talk about their experience running an ecotourism kayaking business.

Additional information and online registration for the event is available at https://t.uga.edu/5Xb

Manomet is a sustainability nonprofit grounded in science, named for the coastal village in New England where its headquarters have been located since the Manomet Bird Observatory was founded in 1969.

Friends of the Aquarium help expand educational programming on the coast

It takes fourth grader Ariona Taylor a few minutes before she is ready to touch the horseshoe crab in the touch tank at the UGA Aquarium. With a few words of encouragement from Marine Education Fellow Rachel Wilson, Ariona takes a deep breath and places her hand on top of its carapace with a huge grin on her face.

Ariona, along with several of her classmates at Andrea B. Williams Elementary school, are visiting the UGA Aquarium for the first time through giving from Friends of the UGA Aquarium.

The charitable support provided scholarships for 100 underserved students in the Savannah-Chatham area to participate in a half day Estuary Exploration program led by marine educators and marine education fellows at the aquarium.

“This funding provides opportunities for students and teachers whose budgets do not allow for science-based field trips and experiential learning away from their school site,” says Anne Lindsay, associate director of marine education at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. “The program also adds to the learning done in the classroom and increases awareness of Georgia’s coastal environments.”

little kids in the marsh

Andrea B. Williams Elementary school students learn about salt marsh habitats and wildlife.

The Estuary Exploration program includes lab, field, and live animal experiences. During the program, students practice microscope and scientific observation skills while learning more about the natural world around them and their role in protecting coastal resources.

“You could see the ocean and all the animals,” says Ariona in explaining why exploring the salt marsh was her favorite part of the trip.

“Science is cool!” adds classmate Rawshawn Nix.

These hands-on educational experiences allow students to expand their knowledge of coastal habitats and become inspired to steward the resources of the natural environment in the Savannah area.

UGA receives $50,000 grant from AT&T to address flooding in Athens-Clarke County

A grant from AT&T will help an interdisciplinary team of UGA faculty assess long-term flood frequency and severity for Athens-Clarke County in order to better plan for future development and infrastructure investments.

Paul Chambers Jr., regional director of external affairs for AT&T presented the check to Jennifer Frum, UGA vice president for Public Service and Outreach, and Mark Risse, director of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Risse will work with Shana Jones, planning and environmental services program manager at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, and Brian Bledsoe, the UGA Athletic Association Professor in Resilient Infrastructure, in the UGA College of Engineering. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government are UGA public service and outreach units.

The UGA project will assess potential future flooding issues for Athens-Clarke County. The county and UGA’s Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems will work together to develop flood inundation maps, visualizations and a modeling framework for rapidly assessing flooding pressure points at the municipal scale. These products will create an improved understanding of future flood hazards and inform long-term planning and infrastructure investment priorities.

UGA is one of five southeastern institutions selected for AT&T’s Climate Resiliency Community Challenge, a project designed to help communities in the United State build a resistance to climate change. The teams will use data commissioned by AT&T from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and funding from AT&T to conduct innovative research on climate impacts and community responses in the southeastern United States.

Tackling trash – and public health – on the Georgia coast

We know picking up trash helps keep our environment clean, but could it also improve human health?

Jennifer Gay, an associate professor in the UGA College of Public Health, is studying the impact of volunteer litter cleanups on the environment and human health in coastal communities.

A UGA Public Service and Outreach Faculty Fellow, Gay is partnering with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant to learn more about the amount or type of physical activity that occurs in coastal environments, or how the environment contributes to healthy lifestyles.

“Through this study, we want to engage people who are participating in litter debris cleanups to assess the amount of physical activity they’re getting and how much energy they’re expending during these events,” said Gay, who researches physical activity and public health.

As part of the study, Gay worked with Katy Smith, water quality program coordinator for UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, to figure out how to apply the study in the Golden Isles community. Smith, who leads education and outreach initiatives focused on marine debris topics, has strong connections to the volunteer community through partnerships with conservation organizations like Keep Golden Isles Beautiful and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, which host volunteer cleanups throughout the year.

“I’m excited to see what type of data we capture,” Smith said. “We’ve got people out there cleaning the environment, but what else are they gaining? Hopefully we can use the data to get more people involved in conservation efforts.”

Smith is helping Gay survey people in Brunswick, St. Simons and Jekyll Island to understand how they perceive the coastal environment. They are recruiting volunteers to wear monitoring equipment that collects data on physical activity during cleanups. Those that agree to participate wear heart rate monitors and accelerometers that track frequency, intensity and duration of an activity, as well as step counts over a one- to two-week period.

Sharon Hindery, who worked in a medical laboratory for several years before retiring, jumped at the chance to participate in the study.

Eventually I’d like to see what the data shows, said Hindery, who is particularly interested in the heart rate data following a cleanup event.

“I imagine that would be some kind of an indicator of satisfaction. After the event is over, you sit back and realize what you’ve done. Maybe that is kind of calming. Who knows?” she said.

Hindery and her husband Rick have lived in Brunswick for six years. During that time, they have helped with several debris removal volunteer efforts, even adopting a section of Highway 17 that they are responsible for cleaning throughout the year.

“I always joke that it’s exercise with a purpose,” Hindery said. “I go out and I pull a bag or two of trash off the marsh or the side of the road, and I look back at it and I feel better.”

Next steps in the study involve recruiting more volunteers so the team has a larger set of data to assess. Smith hopes to bring in several volunteers ahead of the World Oceans Day Beach Sweep on June 8, hosted by Keep Golden Isles Beautiful and Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and sponsored by Yamaha. More information is available here http://bit.ly/2JflIPI

Those interested in volunteering for the study are encouraged to reach out to Katy Smith at klaustin@uga.edu.

After analyzing the data, the research team plans to develop educational outreach materials designed to engage people who are aren’t as active or involved in litter debris cleanups as a way to get them involved in physical activity and environmental stewardship.

The Public Service and Outreach (PSO) Fellowship Program provides departmental support for tenure-track and tenured professors to immerse themselves in the work of a PSO unit for one semester. The experience offers opportunities for fellows to enhance their academic courses, conduct research and apply their academic expertise to outreach initiatives. An anticipated outcome of the fellowship experience is the sustained involvement with Public Service and Outreach after the semester ends.

Writer: Emily Kenworthy, ewoodward@uga.edu, 912-598-2348 ext. 107

 

Message from the director

Time flies when you’re having fun! We’ve certainly enjoyed our summer and hope that you have too. Our marine educators just wrapped up the 25th year of Summer Marine Science Camp at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium. Roughly 250 campers participated in camp this summer, engaging with our interns and staff in hands-on, feet-in activities designed to educate them about Georgia’s coastal habitats.

In addition to welcoming summer campers, we were able to work with a record number of interns over the past couple of months. Ten undergraduate interns worked on everything from animal husbandry and shellfish research to helping our extension faculty with stormwater and fisheries projects. Most were supported by Friends of the UGA Aquarium or private grants, so many of you are to thank for allowing us to provide workforce development opportunities for these students. Hopefully their new skills and experiences will better prepare them for the future.

The date for our next Oyster Roast for a Reason has been set for November 17, 2018, and supporting interns is just one of many uses for these funds.

We also have several staffing changes that are occurring.  Mare Timmons, a long-time educator at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium will retire on August 31 after 23 years of service to the University of Georgia. Timmons has had tremendous impact on many members of Georgia’s coastal community, particularly undergraduate students, educators and youth.  Also, Marty Higgens will retire on the same day after more than 33 years of helping shrimpers and fishermen on-board the R/V Georgia Bulldog and from the warehouse at our Brunswick facility. I want to take this opportunity to thank both for their service to Marine Extension and Georgia Sea grant. I also want to introduce some new hires.  Heather Cotton is our new public relations specialist based in Brunswick. She’ll be assisting with promoting our programs through social media and our website. Sara Karlsson is our new Sea Grant fiscal officer based in Athens, and John Pelli has been hired to help with research projects at our Shellfish lab. Please join me in welcoming these new folks.

As we wrap up the summer and move into fall, make sure to mark your calendars for our third annual Oyster Roast for a Reason fundraising event taking place Nov. 17.

I hope to connect with all of you in the coming months. As always, please feel free to share your comments, concerns, or ideas with me!

– Mark Risse, Director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

 

 

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant faculty and staff among 2018 Public Service & Outreach award recipients

The Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach recognized faculty and staff members for outstanding service to the state and UGA April 16 at the 27th annual Public Service and Outreach Meeting and Awards Luncheon. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s James Marty Higgins and Tori Stivers were among those recognized for their dedication to public service. 

Walter Barnard Hill Award

The Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach recognizes faculty members and service professionals for their contributions to the improvement of the quality of life in Georgia and beyond.

Tori Stivers is the seafood and marketing specialist for UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. She provides guidance and training to the seafood industry, helping businesses meet food safety regulations and ensuring that Georgia seafood is safe for consumers. Stivers also educates consumers across the state on the health benefits of eating seafood and works to ensure that markets are available for Georgia seafood products.

Stivers has directly impacted hundreds of seafood businesses in the Southeast by providing the federally-mandated Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) training to industry professionals. This training teaches employees how to analyze their seafood products and processing systems and develop a plan to control hazards that may impact their products. It is essential to ensuring consumer safety. Stivers is one of few certified instructors in Georgia who provide the HACCP training for seafood. Without this service, companies would not be allowed to operate, which would negatively impact about 165 seafood retailers in the state.

Stivers further supports the seafood industry through marketing efforts. She has taken a lead role in promoting Georgia seafood, not only on the coast, but to inland markets in Atlanta and Athens. Stivers individually matches potential buyers with suppliers and identifies niche markets for Georgia seafood. She developed the Georgia Seafood Directory, an online resource listing certified seafood wholesalers and retailers in Georgia. This tool has increased the visibility and sales of small seafood businesses that that don’t have the time or expertise to host website platform. It also serves as a resource for visitors to the coast who want to purchase local seafood.

Stivers serves on many regional and national committees, including the Seafood HACCP Alliance Steering Committee and the International Association for Food Protection.

“Due to Tori’s dedication and highly motivated work ethic, she is recognized as a national leader and voice for many educational efforts related to seafood,” said David Wiggins, southeast regional shellfish specialist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Under Tori’s leadership, Georgia is known to have one of the best, if not the best, programs in the country.”

Read about the other recipients of the 2018 Walter Barnard Hill Award here.

PSO Staff Award for Excellence

The Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence is the most prestigious award for staff members and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a strong work ethic, commitment to service, and exceptional job performance.

The 2018 recipient of the Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence is Marty Higgins, a marine resource specialist for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. For 33 years, Higgins has assisted in the research and development of fisheries gear and advised conservation research while serving as the first mate of the R/V Georgia Bulldog. His work has helped conserve coastal resources while keeping fishermen in business.

Born and raised in Brunswick, Higgins has developed a deep, trusting relationship with Georgia’s coastal fishing community. When UGA Marine Extension was at the forefront of assisting in the development and certification of turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, which prevent sea turtles from being caught in shrimp nets, Higgins provided countless hours of technical assistance and consultation to ensure the devices not only met conservation standards but also minimized economic loss to fishermen.

Higgins has spent most of his ­career on the water, advising hundreds of research projects and making sure field gear meets state and federal ­standards for safety and performance. He has maintained the 40-year-old R/V Georgia Bulldog, allowing the crew to continue to support fisheries and conservation research on Georgia’s most valuable coastal resources, including loggerhead sea turtles and the North Atlantic right whale.

He also operates the Brunswick station’s smaller research vessels for both water quality and fishery needs and provides maintenance and support for the entire Brunswick facility so that faculty and staff work safely and efficiently as they carry out the service mission of the university.

Higgins provides welding and mechanical services to visiting scientists and local fishermen. His ability to repair, rebuild and maintain fishing and research gear has saved fishermen thousands of dollars on boat repairs and kept them on the water. Higgins’ commitment to public service has established UGA’s Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant program as one that is nationally recognized for being responsive to the public.

“If we had more people like Marty in this world, [the fishing industry] would have a lot less problems,” said Bruce Collins, the packing house manager with City Market Seafood in Brunswick. “He’s kept us educated about new fishing equipment and ways the university is supporting the industry. He’s probably helped every fisherman on the waterfront.”

Job opening for Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant fiscal officer

Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is seeking a administrative manager/fiscal officer to be based at the program’s headquarters offices in Athens, Ga. The fiscal officer works closely with the Director of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the Sea Grant Associate Director, and the Administrative Financial Director in areas of program management and administration. Grant management responsibilities include serving as a liaison between Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the UGA’s Sponsored Projects, and the National Sea Grant Office. This position is responsible for assisting faculty in proposal preparation, processing, and award administration. Fiscal Officer is also responsible for financial and administrative management of awards, including management of awards during pre-award stage; monitoring all stages of award implementation, preparing status updates for faculty; and termination of contract or grant. This position is responsible for coordinating accounting, budgeting, auditing, and other financial or related functions to ensure financial integrity of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

Duties/Responsibilities

  • Manage and provide oversight for all fiscal and accounting aspects of grants management for funds awarded to Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant from federal and other sources.
  • Maintain all summary accounting records for fiscal reports to awarding agencies.
  • Maintain database and grants management system for use by the Director and Associate Directors in monitoring project expenditures and cost-sharing commitments for all Marine Extension and Sea Grant awards.
  • Work closely with Sea Grant Associate Director to manage all awards using electronic Sea Grant (eSG) system.
  • Work closely with the UGA Sponsored Projects in writing and awarding subcontracts to all statewide university, agency and institutional recipients of Marine Extension and Sea Grant funds.
  • Prepare all fiscal documents and other certifying financial instruments and audit all grants awarded and provide responses to all audit questions relating to compliance with state or federal regulations.
  • Represent Georgia Sea Grant in Sea Grant’s Fiscal Officer network, serve as a fiscal liaison between Georgia Sea Grant and the National Sea Grant Office, represent Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in UGA’s OneSource Grants assignments/training, other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field and four years management experience; OR eight (8) years related management experience; OR equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and/or Competencies

Must be proficient with Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

To Apply

The direct link to the posting is: http://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/17779. Posting number is S00499P

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and contact information, including phone numbers, for three professional references. All applications received by March 30, 2018, will be assured consideration.

 

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status.  Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (facultyjobs@uga.edu). Please do not contact the department or search committee with such requests.

 

 

 

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