2024: A year in review
In 2024, IAN achieved remarkable success across several fronts. Our team participated in 38 events, both virtual and in-person, across four continents. We hosted our third cohort of Global Sustainability Scholars and celebrated Alexandra Fries' receipt of the 2024 President’s Award for Outstanding Research Support. Additionally, we launched the ConversatIANs seminar series, featuring guest speakers Ed Sheldon of Fenit Coast Conservation and Dr. Sheryl Hosler from Penn State. Over the year, we forged 34 valuable partnerships, leading to the co-creation of impactful science communication products and assessments. We are deeply grateful to all who contributed to this year's achievements and are excited for the opportunities that 2025 holds, including the centennial celebration of UMCES!
Notable Publications in 2024
- The first-ever Southeast Michigan Report Cards (available in English, Spanish, and Arabic)
- The annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card
- The second Patapsco River Report Card
- The annual Maryland Coastal Bays Report Card
- The annual IAN Report Card
- The first-ever Tool Guide for Stakeholder Engagement in Coastal Communities
Peer-Reviewed Publications
We published 17 papers in 2024. Here are a few highlights:
- Assessment of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed socio-ecological system through the Circles of Coastal Sustainability framework (Frontiers in Water, María Esther Leyva Ollivier, Heath Kelsey)
- Tropicalization of mid-western Atlantic coastal bays by pinfish Lagodon rhomboides: a combined ecological and oceanographic perspective (Marine Ecology Progress Series, Jonathan Lefcheck, Katie May Laumann)
- Integrating monitoring and modeling information to develop an indicator of watershed progress toward nutrient reduction goals (Ecological Indicators, Qian Zhang, Isabella Bertani)
- Controls on Oxygen Variability and Depletion in the Patuxent River Estuary (Estuaries and Coasts, Veronica Malabanan-Lucchese, Qian Zhang)
- Effects of point and nonpoint source controls on total phosphorus load trends across the Chesapeake Bay watershed (Environmental Research Letters, Qian Zhang)
Teaching Science Communication in 2024
- January: REEF School Fellows, Lakeland Community and STEAM Center
- Spring semester: MEES Science Visualization Course
- June: IMET Summer Interns
- Fall semester: MEES Coastal Environment and Community Health
Projects completed supporting EPA Chesapeake Bay Program
Web Team highlights:
- UX Improvements and Accessibility Enhancements: Conducted UX testing and implemented improvements on the ChesapeakeBay.net homepage, navigation, and key templates, enhancing accessibility by remediating 112 of 149 issues.
- Content Updates and Strategic Revisions: Redesigned the search results page and updated multiple content areas, including infographics, ChesapeakeProgress indicators, and ChesapeakeDecisions, with new scientific and strategy data.
Data Analysis Team highlights:
- Chesapeake Bay TMDL Indicator Development: Led the development of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL indicator, integrating monitoring and modeling data to track nutrient reduction progress, which has been officially approved and published on Chesapeake Progress.
- Expansion to Nontidal Network Stations: Extended the TMDL indicator framework to quantify reduction progress at 83 stations for nitrogen, 66 stations for phosphorus, and 66 stations for sediment within the Nontidal Network. See R Shiny app METRIC.
- Water Quality Indicators: Led the annual integration of partner data to update two critical water-quality indicators: (1) Nutrient and sediment loads to the Chesapeake Bay, and (2) Water quality standards attainment indicator. On Chesapeake Progress and supported by enhanced R Shiny apps: Attainment Indicator and Attainment Deficit.
2025–2030 IAN Strategic Plan
The latest IAN Strategic Plan details our objectives for the next five years and highlights our mission, vision, and values. In addition to spotlighting the important work that IAN has done so far, this document specifically provides metrics for achieving success in each objective and will allow us to gauge our progress effectively.