In our latest Going Coastal episode, we sat down with two seasoned academics in the coastal field:

Dr. Jens Figlus (Texas A&M University) and Dr. Peter Ruggiero (Oregon State University), who shared their career journeys, advice for students and early professionals, and a candid look into the realities of grant writing and research funding.

From fieldwork to proposal writing to finding your place in a tight-knit community, this episode dives into both the passion and practical skills needed to thrive in the field.

If you’re a student, educator, or coastal professional looking for real-world insights into research careers and growing the next generation in coastal science, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Going Coastal, co-hosts Jon Miller and Deb Fernandes are joined by Dr. Nicole Elko, Executive Director of ASBPA and Co-Executive Director of the U.S. Coastal Research Program, and Emily Patrolia, founder of ESP Advisors. Together, they unpack what really happens during Coast Week in Washington, D.C.!

We talk about:

• - How coastlines are showing up on Capitol Hill
• - Practical tips for introverts navigating policy events
• - Why your voice matters — even as a student or early-career professional
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If you’ve ever wondered how science meets policy, or how YOU can get involved in shaping the future of our coasts, this one’s for you.

Enjoying this episode? Like, share, subscribe! For any inquiries or sponsoring opportunities, contact us at podcastgoingcoastal@gmail.com

What do a soon-to-be PhD, a recent master’s grad, and two coastal professionals have in common? A love for all things coastal —and a healthy dose of imposter syndrome.

In this month’s Going Coastal, Jon and Marissa have a fun discussion about student research with Amy Bredes (Stevens Institute of Technology) and Constance Hickman (University of South Alabama), diving into nature-based solutions, modeling shoreline protection and the very real post-grad job hunt.

Whether you're curious about XBeach modeling, interdisciplinary challenges in NBS, or the truth about Jon’s hair, or even how a dirty martini fits into a coastal engineering career—this one's for you!

Tune in for inspiration, laughs, and real talk from the future of coastal science.