Research Highlight

GSO doctoral student MC Cicenia recently wrapped up the first field season of the SIMCoast (Socio-Ecological Impacts of Microplastics in Coastal Ecosystems) project. This multidisciplinary initiative brings together researchers from URI, Rhode Island College, Brown University, and Roger Williams University.

Cicenia’s research helps establish a baseline presence of microplastics by sampling a variety of environmental compartments (including water, sediments, and marine organisms) across freshwater, shoreline, and bay habitats. Sampling will continue twice a year for the next two years, helping researchers better understand how microplastics move through coastal ecosystems over time.