- Success Stories
- Environmental Resource Assessment & Management
Studying Mesophotic Coral Health
Mesophotic coral can live at depths of 500 feet below the ocean surface. Even at this depth, some of the mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Our coral scientists supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science are studying the extent of this impact.
Three of our employee owners participated in a mission to extract the corals from the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico) that were then transported to laboratories in Galveston, Texas, Gainesville, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina. Once the Charleston specimens were housed in custom-made tanks, our scientists began studying and caring for the corals. They feed the colony multiple times daily, and study their growth and reproduction. In an effort to restore the damaged coral colonies in the Gulf of Mexico, the team is studying how to maximize growth and outplanting at a larger scale.
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Hosting a Back-to-School Drive for Refugee Children in North Carolina
In August 2025, CSS hosted a back-to-school drive for child refugees in the North Carolina Triangle through CWS Durham, a non-profit specializing in refugee resettlement. With the help of many generous friends and family members, CSS successfully procured a backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, and clothes for 103 children, as well as stockpiles of 34 different essentials, covering school supplies, sanitary/hygiene items, food, and gift…
New Video: How NOAA and Engineers Are Future-Proofing America’s Infrastructure
CSS team members supporting NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) industry initiative are working with the architecture and engineering, insurance and reinsurance, and retail sectors to co-develop environmental data tools that are accessible and actionable, helping industries and communities build weather resilience. A new video showcases how NOAA data products, and this initiative, are equipping professionals to design…
Developing a Stream Assessment Protocol
CSS has been a significant contributor to the development and implementation of the Oregon Stream Function Assessment Method (SFAM) for more than 10 years. SFAM is a key component of the Oregon Stream Mitigation Program administered by the Oregon Department of State Lands. The mitigation program is designed to address damage to aquatic resources caused…