Research UGA’s multidisciplinary researchers work together to study the ecosystems and impact of the world’s oceans
The world’s oceans sustain millions of species and provide resources that support entire economies. Across the University of Georgia, researchers are advancing marine research, bridging connections between land and sea, and uncovering solutions that span from coastal waters to the deep blue. As a land- and sea-grant institution, UGA rises to meet the challenges our oceans face, addressing them not as a single discipline but through collaborative and multidisciplinary efforts.
Tracking Plastics & Transforming Policies
Eight million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. Jenna Jambeck, recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Grant, and a faculty member in the College of Engineering, aims to halt this immense plastic pollution problem with smart data.
“We’re rethinking the way plastic is made, used, and disposed of,” said Jambeck.
She’s won awards and distinctions, been the SEC Professor of the Year, and partnered with Morgan Stanley and National Geographic to launch the Marine Debris Tracker app. Her work led to the Circularity Informatics Lab at the UGA New Materials Institute, which works with communities to understand waste, where it goes, and how to mitigate impacts through sustainable design.
Jambeck is also working to solve the problems at the source, lessening the burden on oceans and waterways for generations to come.
A Fragile Balance Beneath the Waves
Microbes tell a story of balance in our oceans—and how environmental impacts and human intervention are rapidly influencing it. Samantha Joye, a leading oceanographer, is uncovering how microscopic organisms interact with their environment, what controls their activity, and how they influence ocean chemistry on a global scale.
“Through interdisciplinary collaborations with engineers, modelers, and chemists, we explore extreme environments, such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents, to better understand the mechanisms that shape life on Earth,” said Joye.
Her work has been essential to understanding the effects of large-scale events, like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She joined a team of scientists to investigate oil plumes, discovering the complexities of microbial responses to environmental disturbances in the aftermath. They discovered these microbes respond quickly to cleaning up and breaking down pollution, but they alone cannot clean up large-scale disasters. So, understanding the limits of microbial cleanup is key to developing better strategies for protecting ocean health in the face of future crises.
From tackling plastic pollution to understanding ocean resilience, UGA’s efforts are creating real, lasting change. The university is shaping the next generation of researchers, conservationists, and changemakers by studying and discovering solutions to the ocean’s biggest problems.
UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in Marine Sciences | Tiny Organisms Drive Ocean's Biggest Processes
Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Environmental Engineering | Where We Track Plastics, We Transform Policies
Athletic Association Professor of Arts & Sciences and Regents’ Professor | Understanding Biogeochemical Functions of Oceans in a Warming World
An award-winning UGA program trains these ecotour guides to give enriching tours without disturbing fragile ecosystems.
