Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 5/3/21



Several years ago, while Natalie Nelson was visiting her family in St. Petersburg, Florida, she saw the tidewaters swallow much of the coast around her as a thunderstorm came in. 

“It was just your average thunderstorm for that time of year, but its timing with the high tide caused severe flooding in the roadways and yards,” said Nelson, an assistant professor and engineer in NC State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “I was curious to see how flooding events like this might affect water quality on coastal systems, as these floods could pick up fecal matter and associated bacteria from wildlife, pests and sewage systems.”

Nelson’s curiosity led to a five-year, $500,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. Each year, this prestigious award supports around 50 early-career faculty across the U.S. who show promise as future leaders in science. 

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