Leading a New Generation of Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies at Fairfield University

  • October 28, 2025 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

  • Fayerweather Yacht Club

    51 Brewster Street
    Bridgeport, Connecticut 06605
This event is now over
Description

We are excited to kick off our fall education series on Tuesday, October 28th, from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Fayerweather Yacht Club. Professor Robert Nazarian of Fairfield University will discuss "Leading a New Generation of Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies at Fairfield University." This is a Members Only event, but you can join at the door or renew your membership. Membership fees are $5 for seniors, $10 for individuals, and $20 for a household. Your membership will be good for the rest of 2025 and all of 2026.

There will food and a cash bar. Please register ahead of time as space is limited. You will need to sign the guest register at the yacht club and check in at our registration desk.

Leading a New Generation of Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies at Fairfield University

Last year, Fairfield University launched the new Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies. Guided by the University’s core mission, the Center was designed to support research related to climate, coastal, and marine systems through inter- and transdisciplinary scholarship. This project, which represents Fairfield’s first center singularly dedicated to research, builds upon the successful, interdisciplinary scholarship of our faculty and students. Created as a home for University-wide scholarship, the Center supports faculty research initiatives across Fairfield’s professional schools and College of Arts and Sciences, in disciplines including: anthropology, applied ethics, biology, chemistry, computer science, counselor education, economics, education studies, English, finance, management, mechanical engineering, physics, politics, sociology, visual and performing arts, and more. In addition to advancing knowledge and developing answers to some of the most pressing questions in this field of climate, coastal and marine systems, the Center promotes the engagement of faculty and students with the community, through varied outreach events, such as today’s event with the Ash Creek Conservation Association. Join us to learn more about the cutting-edge research that our faculty and students are conducting through the Center.

Robert Nazarian, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics, Founding Director, Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies

Speaker

Prof. Robert Nazarian is an Associate Professor in the Physics Department at Fairfield University and Special Assistant to the Associate Vice Provost for Research. Additionally, Rob serves as a member of the Fairfield University Environmental Studies steering committee. Prior to joining Fairfield, Rob was a Lecturer in the Geosciences Department at Princeton University. Rob received his PhD in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at Princeton University and his BA in Physics and Mathematics, magna cum laude, from The College of the Holy Cross.

 

Rob's primary area of research is the physics governing the ocean, atmosphere, and climate. Specifically, Rob uses computational models to answer exciting questions about the dynamics of the ocean, atmosphere, and climate systems, including past and future climates. Many times, the results of these research projects provide key insight into how we can further improve these computational models. Rob has published his findings in the Journal of Climate, the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, and the Journal of Geophysical Research, among other publications.

In recognition of the work of the entire research team, Rob and students in the Research in Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Sciences lab have been the recipients of several awards. For his mentorship of undergraduates in the Nazarian Group, Rob received the 2022 College of Arts and Sciences Award for Distinguished Student Advising and Mentoring. Additionally, he has guided student researchers in securing prestigious national research awards (including a 2022 Goldwater Fellowship) and distinguished campus-wide fellowships, as well as secured several NASA Space Grants to support undergraduate research.

Date & Time

Tue, Oct 28, 2025 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Venue Details

Fayerweather Yacht Club

51 Brewster Street
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06605 Fayerweather Yacht Club
Ash Creek Conservation Association

Our Key Projects

Tidal wetland restoration from erosion in Ash Creek due to storms, dredging, jetty, sea level rise, and human activities

  • Mudflat and north shore barrier spit restoration project by City – ACCA will monitor
  • Save the Sound living shoreline shovel-ready plan – ACCA will serve as local organization
  • ACCA partners with the Town of Fairfield and the City of Bridgeport in a Working Group for the municipalities to jointly manage Ash Creek 

Park restoration at The Preserve at St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea – coastal forest and coastal meadow restoration & bench site (at end of Balmforth, where trees were vandalized)

  • ACCA serves as the project manager for volunteers and fiduciary for funding
  • ACCA partners with the City on maintenance and plantings

Water quality monitoring:

  • Save the Sound’s Unified Water Study in Black Rock Harbor with Aquaculture School (BRASTEC) students and adult volunteers
  • Save the Sound’s Unified Water Study in Bridgeport Harbor with ACCA volunteers
  • Harbor Watch’s Pathogen Monitoring Network in Bridgeport Harbor with ACCA volunteers
  • Member of Waterfront Pathways Working group with National Park Service, Groundwork Bridgeport, Trust for Public Land, UConn, City of Bridgeport, and WPCA
  • Member of Waterfront Advisory Board with Trust for Public Land, Groundwork Bridgeport, UConn, and City of Bridgeport

Stewardship with younger generations:

  • Audubon Wildlife Guard program with inner city students from Bridgeport
  • Jimmy Casey Stewardship clean up days spring through fall
  • Planting and weeding of grass plantings at barrier spit with BRASTEC students
  • B-Wet program, a NOAA-funded program to support experiential learning for K-12 students.  ACCA is partnering with BRASTEC on this. 

Our Governmental Partners

  • City of Bridgeport – we work closely with the Parks Department, Manager of Sustainability, and the Parks Commission
  • Town of Fairfield – we work closely with the Conservation Department, Engineering Department, and Parks Department as well as with the Fairfield Harbormaster, Shellfish Commission, Conservation Commission, and Flood and Erosion Control Board 
  • Southwest Conservation District – we consult with them on grants and strategic planning
  • CT DEEP – we work with CT DEEP on enforcement, grants, and planning
  • MetroCOG – we are part of their CTAC Committee focused on conservation and sustainability issues

Our Scientific Advisors

  • Milan Bull – Senior Director of Science and Conservation for Connecticut Audubon
  • Steven Danzer, Ph.D. Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), Certified Soil Scientist, CT Licensed Arborist, Professional Wetland Scientist
  • Richard A. Orson, Ph.D. Certified Senior Ecologist (ESA), Professional Wetland Scientist (SWS) – recommended restoration plan to restore barrier spit to pre-dredged conditions after 2007 dredging by Fairfield
  • Bryan Quinn – Principal and Founder of One Nature LLC, an ecological landscape firm, M.A. in Landscape Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design
  • Anthony Zemba, CHMM – Senior Environmental Analyst at LandTech, certified ecologist, soil scientist, and hazardous materials manager.

Our Strategic Partners

  • Aspetuck Land Trust – owns half of Great Marsh Island
  • Audubon, Connecticut Chapter –supervise their Wildlife Guards program at Ash Creek
  • Black Rock Garden Club – we co-sponsor education programs together   
  • Black Rock NRZ – we discuss Ash Creek issues and potential solutions in a public forum at BR NRZ board meetings
  • CIRCA/UConn – we work with their Sea Grants program
  • CT Audubon – environmental education for our members and the public, spring and fall bird migration walks, birdhouses in The Preserve at St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea
  • Fairfield Museum and History Center – collaborate on projects 
  • Groundwork Bridgeport – we collaborate on local plantings and maintenance projects
  • Harbor Watch – Pathogen Monitoring Program
  • Lights Out Connecticut – bird migration friendly projects
  • Mill River Wetlands Committee – educational projects in Ash Creek
  • Save the Sound – we are the local organization for their Unified Water Study program and for their living shorelines restoration program for the Ash Creek tidal estuary

Our Grants

  • $  5,000            Harbor Watch for Pathogen Monitoring Network (2024)
  • $21,898            Save the Sound for Unified Water Study (2024)
  • $20,094            Save the Sound for Unified Water Study (2023)
  • $10,000            Vincent J. Coates Foundation for park restoration project (2022)
  • $15,000            EFT Fund for Master Plan Revision (2022)
  • $15,000            LIS Stewardship Fund for Master Plan Revision (2022)
  • $15,000            Save the Sound for the Unified Water Study (UWS) (2022)
  • $  5,000            Santa Environmental Foundation for UWS Bridgeport Harbor (2021)
  • $  3,427            Save the Sound for Unified Water Study (2022)
  • $10,000            Vincent J. Coates Foundation for park restoration project (2021)
  • $  3,427            Save the Sound for Unified Water Study (2020)
  • $10,000            Weny Charitable Trust for park restoration project 2020)
  • $  1,395            Save the Sound start- up expenses for the Unified Water Study (2019)
  • $10,000            Vincent J. Coates Foundation for park restoration project (2019)
  • $  5,000            Weny Charitable Trust for park restoration project (2019)
  • $  8,000            Santa Environmental Foundation for Unified Water Study (2019)
  • $  5,000            Fairfield County Community Foundation for Master Plan (2012)
  • $  5,000            Watershed Assistance Small Grants Program for Master Plan (2012)

$168,241      TOTAL          

Our Recent Public Forums

  • Sea Level Rise, Storm Events and Loss of Tidal Wetlands – presentation by Gail Robinson of ACCA for Hurricane Coastal Resiliency Panel moderated by State Senator Tony Hwang (May 22, 2024)
  • Living with Climate Change – presentation by Gail Robinson of ACCA for Panel Presentation on Coastal Resiliency Panel moderated by State Senator Tony Hwang (2023)
  • Ash Creek Master Plan  – 2 public outreach meetings by Bryan Quinn of One Nature & 6 presentations given by Gail Robinson and Rick Landau of ACCA including: Fairfield Shellfish Commission, Fairfield Flood and Erosion Control Board, Fairfield Conservation Commission, Fairfield Harbor Commission, MetroCOG, BR NRZ (2022 & 2023)
  • Ecosystem Collapse at the Ash Creek Tidal Estuary – presentation by Gail Robinson of ACCA for Hurricane Coastal Resiliency Panel moderated by State Senator Tony Hwang (2022)
  • Our Disappearing Sand Spit – public outreach by Gail Robinson of ACCA on erosion report by One Nature (2021)

Our Organization

501 (c) 3 non-profit organization in State of Connecticut 

Established in 2004, 20 years ago

Board of Directors:

  • Gail Robinson, Ph.D., President
  • Kraig Steffen, Ph.D., Vice President
  • Sarah Hock, Secretary
  • John Soltis, Treasurer
  • Jeff Burress
  • John Gibson
  • Rick Landau
  • Richard Mahoney
  • Elizabeth Van Tuyl

Our Publications

  • Ash Creek Tidal Estuary Ecological Master Plan 2012 
  • Ecohistory of the Ash Creek Tidal Estuary 2013
  • Restoration Plans for St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea Barrier Spit 2014
  • Ecological Analysis of the Barrier Spit 2021
  • Ash Creek Tidal Estuary Ecological Master Plan 2023

Publications can be found at SaveOurSpit.org/Documents

Our Online Presence                                                                                                                                          

  • SaveOurSpit.org – issues focused website on Ash Creek erosion
  • AshCreekAssoc.org – our association website
  • Facebook.com/AshCreek
  • Instagram.com/AshCreek
  • YouTube.com/@AshCreekConservation

This web site is maintained by Gail Robinson, please email me with corrections/deletions/additions. All copyrights reserved. ADA Questions? Contact me

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