March 30, 2025

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Szulczewski and Grothe Quoted on NOAA, NWS Cuts for FXBG Advance

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Associate Professors of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski

Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski

Professors of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski and Pamela R. Grothe were quoted by the Fredericksburg Advance in an article entitled “How Will NOAA, NWS Cuts Affect Our Region?”

In the article, it says “Many people are not aware that it is actually NOAA that is in charge of protecting all marine species on the Endangered Species List, such as the Atlantic sturgeon, marine mammals (like dolphins), and sea turtles that all spend time in the Bay,” said Dr. Melanie Szulczewski — an associate professor or earth and environmental sciences at the University of Mary Washington — in an email to the Advance.

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Dr. Pamela R. Grothe, also an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at Mary Washington, formerly worked at the NOAA building in Boulder, Colorado. “There are so many functions that NOAA serves to protect our coasts and keep communities and people safe,” she wrote the Advance in an email.

Read the article.

 

UMW Faculty Share Knowledge and Insight on ‘With Good Reason’ Radio Program

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Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Imposter syndrome, photoshopping, the complexities of foreign alliances, political humor, the magic of Disney World and shared musical experiences – these are just a few of the topics on which University of Mary Washington professors have contributed their expertise over the radio airwaves this past year.

UMW is proud to announce the continued success of its collaboration with Virginia Humanities’ With Good Reason radio program, which brings the research and insights of Virginia’s top educators to audiences across the nation. Each week, over 100,000 listeners tune in to 128 radio stations throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., and 38 states to hear thought-provoking discussions with leading academics. Thousands more listen to the episodes through iTunes podcasts.

The partnership between UMW and Virginia Humanities helps showcase valuable work in Virginia’s higher education system. Since last summer, a dozen Mary Washington faculty members were featured on With Good Reason, either as new guests or in re-aired episodes that continue to draw audiences. Read more.

Grothe Talks About Climate Change and Coral Reefs on ‘With Good Reason’

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Professor of Earth and Environmental Science Pamela Grothe was featured in a recent segment of With Good Reason radio titled “Christmas Island Coral Reefs.” Coral reefs are one of the most beautiful ecosystems of the natural world. But they’re more than just a feast for the eyes. Pamela Grothe says coral reefs offer a map to the past, helping researchers track climate history over many hundreds of years. Hear the segment.

Grothe Shares Insight From Research on Ocean Warming on Christmas Island

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Pamela Grothe, a climate scientist at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., is working to understand how much of these El Niño temperature surges are related to the warming climate.

Grothe and her team have traveled to the [Christmas] island several times to collect samples by drilling cores through corals and taking them back to the lab for analysis.

“One millimeter (in the sample) equates to about one month of coral growth, so that equates to a monthly sea surface temperature. We can plot the temperature record right on top of the geochemistry records, and it is actually really amazing,” she said. Read more.

Grothe’s Research Featured in ‘Richmond Times-Dispatch’

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe’s research appeared in a recent article titled “How we know past climate without thermometers” in The Richmond Times-Dispatch. A picture of Grothe drilling into 5,000-year-old coral with help from Florida State University Assistant Professor Alyssa Atwood, as part of their research in 2018 on Christmas (Kiritimati) Island, ran with the article. Read more.

Grothe’s Climate Change Insight Blasts Through Media

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe spoke to The Richmond Times-Dispatch for an article titled “One scientist drills into the past to figure out ocean warming.” Grothe is working to understand how much of these El Niño temperature surges are related to the warming climate. Read more.

Grothe received more than 70 media mentions related to the article, including News & Advance, NWI.Com, Kenosha News, Billings Gazette, Tucson.com, WFMZ, Independent Tribune, Bristol Herald Courier, The Post Star, The Bismark Tribune, Tulsa World and Newsbreak.