Observing & Modeling: Top Stories

White House announces “smart city” funding (September 2016) A sub-award to VIMS post-doctoral researcher Dr. Jon 'Derek' Loftis will support VIMS' efforts to help Newport News better manage coastal flooding.

VIMS model now capable of street-level storm-tide predictions (March 2014)
A study led by Professor Harry Wang demonstrates the ability to predict a hurricane’s storm tide at a much finer scale than current operational methods.

Study projects big thaw for Antarctic sea ice (February 2014)
A modeling study led by Professor Walker Smith shows that warming temperatures will reverse current trend, making Ross Sea largely ice free in summer by 2100.

VIMS researchers monitor harmful algal bloom (September 2013)
Researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science continue to monitor a large but patchy bloom of harmful algae in the York River near VIMS.

Experts call for network to monitor marine biodiversity (April 2013)
Observations could warn of threats to ecosystems on which humans depend.

New faculty member glides into marine research (February 2013)
Physical oceanographer Donglai Gong uses gliders and moorings to study the movement and properties of coastal waters in the mid-Atlantic and Arctic.

Altria provides in-kind gift of scientific equipment to VIMS (January 2013)
In-kind gift of scientific equipment will support studies and monitoring of water quality and ecosystem health in Chesapeake Bay and the coastal ocean.

VIMS partners with NASA, teachers to bring computer modeling into classrooms (August 2012)
Professor Mark Brush and grad student Sam Lake create lesson plans with Virginia teachers as part of a NASA-sponsored program to expand the use of modeling and simulation in high-school classrooms.

Tidewatch forecasts go public (August 2012)
Predictions will help Bay-area residents better prepare for coastal flooding.

As hurricane season rolls in, VIMS rolls out prediction tools (May 2012)
VIMS develops tools to monitor and predict coastal flooding and works with Virginia Sea Grant to spread the word to emergency managers and local residents.

Students will use futuristic technology to dive into the past (November 2011)
Partnership between VIMS and the Watermen's Museum in Yorktown lets schoolchildren use robotic subs to study Yorktown shipwrecks.

VIMS team wins Governor’s Technology Award (September 2011)
VIMS professor Harry Wang and colleagues win a prestigious award for their leading role in developing and applying the Chesapeake Bay Inundation Prediction System.

Long-term monitoring programs throw light on storm impacts (September 2011)
Data will allow researchers to gauge how a large plume of sediment from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee may impact water quality and baygrasses in lower Chesapeake Bay.

VIMS professor uses "WormCams" to study effects of oil spill on Gulf food chain (September 2011)
VIMS professor Bob Diaz is part of a nationwide team that recently received a three-year, $12M grant to study the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Gulf and its marine life.

Observations and modeling show Irene's storm tide lower than that of Isabel and Nor'Ida (August 2011)
Observations and real-time computer modeling of storm tides by VIMS researchers during Irene benefit forecasters and emergency managers.

AUVSI honors VIMS professor with “Member of the Year” award (August 2011)
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International recognizes Mark Patterson with inaugural award.

VIMS prof wins grant to study wind’s effect on “dead zones” (July 2011)
Professor Carl Friedrichs and colleagues have received a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to observe and model how wind affects the development of low-oxygen “dead zones” in Chesapeake Bay and the York River.

Dominion funds underwater video system at VIMS (June 2011)
$50,000 gift from Dominion Foundation will fund purchase of an underwater video system for field studies in Chesapeake Bay.

VIMS assists in International RoboBoat Competition (May 2011)
Professor Mark Patterson will manage logistics for the 4th International RoboBoat Competition from June 9 - 12.

Tests show new biosensor can guide environmental clean ups (May 2011)
The device, small and sturdy enough to be used from a boat, can detect marine pollutants like oil much faster and more cheaply than current technologies.

Smith team glides into polar research (January 2011)
Tests of a free-swimming underwater glider in the icy waters of Antarctica mark the most southerly glider deployment ever and the first successful glider dive beneath the Ross Ice Shelf.

Sea-level study brings good and bad news to Hampton Roads (December 2010)
A new VIMS study of local sea-level trends brings both good and bad news to localities concerned with coastal inundation.

Public-private partnership could transform seafloor imaging (April 2010)
VIMS researchers pursue a unique public-private collaboration that could transform the way scientists view the seafloor.

Menhaden appear to have little net impact on Bay water quality (March 2010)
A recently published VIMS study suggests that filter feeding by Atlantic menhaden has little net effect on overall water quality in Chesapeake Bay.

VIMS professor to serve U.N. climate-modeling group (January 2010)
Dr. Marjorie Friedrichs will provide guidance concerning the computer models that are used to project the magnitude and rate of climate change.

VIMS a partner in Coastal America Award (January 2010)
The Lynnhaven River Oyster Restoration Team is honored for innovative efforts to restore the river's oyster population.

"Son of Ida" may have brought record storm tides to lower Bay (November 2009)
Facility improvements at VIMS help minimize damage to piers and buildings.

Study reveals threat to tidal wetlands (November 2009)
Study shows that continuation of current shoreline-protection strategies will cause more than half of East Coast tidal wetlands to drown beneath rising seas during the coming century.

VIMS refines storm-tide predictions (May 2008)
VIMS researchers work to provide street-level predictions of storm-tide flooding along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline.

Ernesto surprises VIMS (Sep 2006)
Tropical depression packs unexpectedly high winds and a walloping storm tide.

VIMS premieres course (Sep 2005)
A new course gives VIMS students an exceptional opportunity to learn about ocean observing systems, the latest tool in the world of marine research.

Technology grant promises new dimension for oxygen studies (Aug 2005)
A team of VIMS researchers has received a $200,000 technology-development grant to enhance the capabilities of Acrobat, a towed instrument platform that they use to map oxygen-poor waters in Chesapeake Bay.

VIMS scientists quantify Isabel's impacts on the Bay  (Oct 2003)
VIMS sensor provides a unique quantitative record of Hurricane Isabel's significant impact on lower Chesapeake Bay.

"One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" (Oct 2001)
Scientists from VIMS and W&M combine side-scan sonar, image analysis, and robotics to identify and count fish.

Crest Articles

Biosensors promise new era in research
VIMS researchers tap the immune system’s power—and the latest advances in electronic instruments—to address pressing issues in marine science.

Prizm donates robot sub
Prizm Advanced Communication Electronics of Baltimore donates a Fetch-class Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to VIMS.

New faculty brushes aside disciplinary boundaries
Modeler and systems ecologist Dr. Mark Brush combines the high-tech world of computer modeling with the muddy realities of estuarine and coastal ecology.

Researchers test and refine storm-surge models
VIMS researchers work toward street-level predictions of storm-tide flooding along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline.

VIMS acquires new code for model|
Private funds enable VIMS to acquire new code to further expand the capability of its second-generation HEM-3D model.

VIMS launches data buoy
An interdisciplinary team of researchers and technicians launch a  data buoy into the York River. The buoy streams real-time images and data back to the VIMS web site every 15 minutes.

Pair use neural network to predict hurricane wave
Dr. Jerome Maa and graduate student Jun-Young Kim test whether a new type of computer model can improve wave forecasts and thus help mariners better withstand a windstorm’s fury.

Computer modelers solve real-world problems
Researchers use their state-of-the-art computer model to explore the possible environmental impacts of expanding the Craney Island landfill.

VIMS to initiate coastal observing program
Researchers begin to implement a system of instrumented buoys in the lower Chesapeake Bay to measure winds, waves, currents, salinity, nutrients, water density, water quality, and fish stocks.

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