Free Online Video Series Open to the Public ‘Understanding Harmful Algal Blooms in Florida’

The 2021 explosion of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Estuary in southeast Florida has been gaining local and national media attention because of impacts on public health, the environment, tourism and the economy.

Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Environmental Studies (CES) in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has a long-time partnership with the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Sciences Program and recently developed a series of online modules that can assist in understanding the science and challenges related to algal blooms and improving communication among decision makers and others.

The online series of short videos are designed to provide basic, jargon-free scientific information on HABs: what they are; where they live and grow; and causes, impacts, and potential mitigation of blooms. Accompanying each video is a one-page fact sheet with the important take-away concepts from each video. This free, online education series is directed toward resource managers and decision-makers, but also is a great resource for the general public who desire to have a better understanding of HABs.  

For more information about the series, visit www.ces.fau.edu/usgs/understanding-algae/, or contact Alana Edwards, education and training coordinator at FAU’s CES, at [email protected]

– FAU –

About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

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