(Photo by CRC)

Welcome to the C-StREAM Symposium 2022 page!

At the beginning of August 2022, we held our end-of-summer C-StREAM Symposium. C-StREAM fellows gave presentations on their research and work in front of an invited audience of mentors and guests from the Chesapeake Bay Program, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, and the Chesapeake Research Consortium. You can view the symposium below as well view the students’ presentations.

Symposium Video

Presentations

Andrew Bawiec – University of Southern California

Title: Flooding Inequity in Maryland and Beyond

Abstract: This summer, I explored existing literature, news articles, and public datasets to compare flood risk, mitigation efforts, and responses to DEIJ metrics in Maryland and the broader US. I then created an ArcGIS Story Map detailing historic flood inequities to tell the story of vulnerable communities left behind in the wake of climate change.

Mackenzie Smith – Towson University

Title: Community Level Connections

Abstract:This summer I was given the opportunity to act as a capacity building liaison between the CBP & the non-profit Backyard Basecamp in assisting in the goals of improving the non-formal environmental education of youth-based groups.

Katie Delph – Morgan State University

Title: Assessing hunter opinion and economic impact associated with Sika deer hunting and management on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Abstract: This summer I utilized Stata software programming to prepare datasets from our Sika deer hunter survey. Using Stata, I wrote over 7,000 commands to manipulate our data to generate average trip-related expenditures from the responses hunters provided. Utilizing data from our own survey as well as hunter surveys from the MDDNR, I was able to form an equation to calculate the total annual spending of sika deer hunters and analyze the economic impacts. I began constructing the deliverable report for the Maryland.

Bianca Penn – University of Miami

Title: DEIJ Resources and Outreach for Chesapeake Bay Healthy Watersheds

Abstract: This summer, I worked on gathering DEIJ resources and outreach opportunities for the Healthy Watersheds Goal Implementation Team. I read literature of what types of outreach worked for other healthy watersheds across the country, as well as created an ArcGIS map that provides minority serving organizations within healthy watersheds that the CBP may wish to reach out to.

Joseph Lopez-Riviera – University of Puerto Rico

Title: Coastal Resilience: From Outreach to Research

Abstract: I primarily worked in an outreach workshop breakout session with the topic Building Climate-Resilient Rural Communities, wherein I helped plan, oversee, and create handouts. In addition, I engaged in fieldwork in research related to living shorelines, worked in literature review related to UAV for tidal marsh research, verified and edited the VIMS Center of Coastal Resources Management website, and elaborated the About Page of a website concerning models predicting septic systems affected by sea level rise.

Khadija Smith – Morgan State University

Title: Preserving African American History on the Shore

Abstract: This presentation will highlight the significance of preserving historical African American culture and natural resources. The longstanding history of the African American beach “Carr’s Beach” continues to be preserved by community efforts that have set forth for an upcoming city park in the city of Annapolis on one of the last remaining historical beach parcels of Elktonia.

Katie Simi – NC State

Title: Visualizing the Causes and Effects of Hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay

Abstract: Using visualization resources such as Adobe Illustrator and Python, I have created an educational infographic, plots, and animations depicting the causes and effects of hypoxia and rising temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay. Multiple trips out into the Bay to assist in buoy maintenance helped me understand the process associated with maintaining these buoys and how the sensors work.

Jackson Martingayle

Title: Analyzing the Underlying Methodology and Metrics in Jurisdictional and Regional Tidal Marsh Resilience Tools

Abstract: In assistance to the GIT-funded large scale tidal marsh restoration project, I analyzed 7 different jurisdictional and regional resilience tools used to target locations for tidal marsh restoration projects, noting how the tools compared in their use of different metrics to form a single resilience layer. In the process of this analysis, I created a comprehensive annotated resilience tool compilation, a color-coded spreadsheet, and a final report to compare the methodology and metrics used by the tools to describe coastal resilience.

Marcelina Lewis – Washington College

Title: Environmental Literacy and Data Visualization

Abstract: For this internship my focus was helping create and assess environmental literacy materials for K-12 educators. Throughout the summer I aided in the planning and execution of multiple different workshops for environmental educators by creating projects and interactive presentations. In addition to environmental literacy, I also worked on using GIS to visualize B-WET (Bay Watershed Education and Training) grants information.

Michaela Jones – Pitzer College

Title: Developing Best Practices for Engaging with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and TEK Knowledge Holders

Abstract: This summer I investigated and developed best practices for engaging with various Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) holders and for applying TEK and Indigenous science to NOAA work. I conducted a literature review and numerous informational interviews with NOAA and other federal agency staffers who have worked with Indigenous and local communities and who have applied TEK to restoration and climate resilience work. The culmination of this work is a report summarizing the best practices.

Anna He – Duke University

Title: Rapid Assessment of Oyster Reef Habitat in Harris Creek

Abstract: Using a novel rapid assessment protocol, I collected underwater GoPro photos of over 500 oyster reef sites in Harris Creek. I then categorized the level of oyster reef coverage in each photo and used ArcGIS/Excel to analyze the impact of different restoration treatments on restoration success, providing a clearer image of Harris Creek post-restoration.