VISION and Story

Our vision is to become a leading nexus of environmental education, research, and community engagement, across public, private, and non-profit sectors to create a resilient future that prepares and lessens anthropogenic impacts on South Florida ecosystems and human communities while serving as a model for other regions across the state, region, and globe.   

RESEARCH

Located in a region at the forefront of challenges that much of the world is facing due to the intersection of the natural environment with a rapidly growing urban population. Six FAU campuses in South Florida span a region where growing urban areas impact the natural world, from the accelerating risks of climate change (e.g., rising temperatures, coastal erosion, more frequent and intense storms and floods) to habitat destruction, environmental contamination, and harmful algal blooms. With its robust programs in environmental research, education, and community engagement, FAU and ECOS have the opportunity to provide leadership and guidance to enhance the resilience of South Florida's ecological systems and human population. 

Our faculty and scientists are widely published and funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Geological Survey, the South Florida Water Management District, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Transportation, and a range of other public and private sources.