In the News

October 13, 2025 Original story from Stony Brook News When the Chesapeake Bay was officially named a Mission Blue Hope Spot in June, Stony Brook University’s Ellen Pikitch saw it as proof that “hope begets hope.” Pikitch, a professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) and executive director of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science (IOCS), played a key role in expanding the Hope Spot concept from Long Island’s Shinnecock Bay , designated in 202

September 25, 2025 Story from Stony Brook News Researchers at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) are shedding new light on how marine protected areas (MPAs) can secure long-term funding to support conservation efforts worldwide. From left, several of the paper’s co-authors: Christine Santora, Maria Jose Gonzalez, Maria Grima, Joris van Pul, John Bohorquez, Ellen Pikitch, Amilcar Guzman Valladares, Monica Gamboa and Katy de la Garza. A

September 23, 2025 Original story from Stony Brook News His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, was awarded the Stony Brook Council University Medal at Stony Brook Southampton in recognition of his efforts on behalf of climate action, faith-based environmentalism and helping foster interfaith dialogue. The September 20 event, “ Oceans of Hope: The Green Patriarch Recognizes Stony Brook Southampton’s Marine Sciences

In September 2024, we conducted an ambitous eDNA expedition to assess biodiversity in Shinnecock Bay using environmentally friendly and...