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CERF 2025 Achievement Award RecipientsJoin us in celebrating the 2025 CERF Achievement Award Recipients! The recipients of these awards embody the mission of CERF to advance understanding and wise stewardship of estuarine and coastal ecosystems worldwide by promoting research; supporting the education of scientists, decision-makers, and the public; and facilitating communication among these groups. The Federation thanks our Achievement Awards Committee chair, Kim de Mutsert, as well as all the subcommittee chairs and committee members, for their tireless efforts to recruit and select the outstanding recipients of this year’s awards. CERF also thanks the many nominators and letter writers that supported the exceptional nominations received this year.
Odum Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Odum Award is named for the three outstanding ecological scientists in the Odum family: Dr. Howard T. Odum; Dr. Eugene P. Odum; and Dr. William E. Odum, III. This award recognizes the lifetime achievements of an outstanding estuarine scientist. It honors an individual whose record of sustained accomplishments has made important contributions to our understanding of estuaries and coastal ecosystems.
The awards committee is pleased to announce Dr. Ángel Borja as the recipient of the 2025 Odum Award for Lifetime Achievement. His research has had an enormous impact on colleagues and on the management of estuaries and coasts. Dr. Borja and his research team developed AMBI: AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index and M-AMBI: multivariate-AMBI. The M-AMBI benthic assessment tool “has become the industry standard for marine and estuarine benthic assessments in many countries.” The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) adopted the M-AMBI approach, and it has become “an integral part of the US EPA Coastal Condition Assessment.” One supporting letter highlights the impact of his work: “I know of no other environmental scientist who has been so successful in promoting a holistic, collaborative, and cooperative approach to assessing coastal and estuarine ecosystem health and identifying both protective and remedial pathways.” Dr. Borja’s research expands well beyond the M-AMBI index, with significant contributions related to habitat mapping, biological oceanography, biodiversity, and ecosystem goods and services. Overall, he has been exceptionally productive with more than 325 refereed publications and 30,000 citations. Over the last few years, his work has received more than 2,000 citations annually, reflecting its significant impact on the field. Beyond his research, he is a skilled communicator, speaking effectively on behalf of estuaries and coasts to the public, managers, and policy makers, both in Europe and globally. Dr. Borja has consistently given back to the field by training and mentoring new scientists. “Since 2004, he has been organizing annually a Summer School on marine research, with a high international success (an average of 50–60 attendees/year, 15–20 countries/year); in 2025 it will be the twenty first edition. This school is now a meeting forum for professionals, managers and students, with a program with international level professors bringing new views.” He has completed approximately 50 reviews per year and has been recognized as an outstanding reviewer by multiple journals, including Estuaries and Coasts in 2008. Dr. Borja has been a CERF member since 2006 and despite being in Europe, he has organized sessions for multiple CERF conferences: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2019, and 2021. Cronin Early Achievement AwardThis award recognizes the significant accomplishments of an estuarine scientist who is in the early stages of their career development. The recipient will have shown great promise with work carried out during the first six years past the PhD.
Photo Credit: Eunhee Ruby Lee The awards committee is pleased to announce Dr. Kathryn (Kat) Beheshti as the recipient of the 2025 Cronin Award for Early Achievement. Dr. Beheshti is a coastal ecologist whose work bridges fundamental science and applied coastal management. Since earning her PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2021, she has built an impressive career applying ecological insights to conservation, restoration, and resilience-building efforts. Following a California Sea Grant Fellowship with the Ocean Protection Council, where she worked on sea-level rise and coastal resilience initiatives, Dr. Beheshti now serves as an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She also leads as Principal Investigator for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Mitigation Monitoring Program (SONGS MMP), overseeing large-scale coastal mitigation projects and managing a team of eight full-time staff. Dr. Beheshti’s research is unified by a core scientific vision: understanding the loss and recovery dynamics of coastal foundation species to guide their effective management and protection. She has employed a powerful combination of long-term monitoring datasets and experimental fieldwork across estuarine habitats—including salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests—to develop generalizable principles that inform restoration strategies. Her innovative work has not only contributed to advancing estuarine ecological theory but also has had a direct impact on coastal policy and restoration practices throughout California. In addition to her scholarly output, which includes numerous peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and presentations to scientific and public audiences, Dr. Beheshti has distinguished herself through her outreach, applied communication efforts, and commitment to influencing policy. The selection committee was especially impressed by her collaborative leadership across diverse projects and her ability to make science accessible through public-facing media such as blogs and videos. Dr. Beheshti exemplifies the spirit of the Cronin Award, combining academic excellence, real-world application, and service to the coastal science community. CERF is proud to recognize her as a rising leader in estuarine science and looks forward to the continued impact of her work. William A. Niering Outstanding Educator AwardTo recognize the central role that education plays in achieving the objectives of our society, the Federation's Governing Board established an award named for a leader in estuarine education, Dr. William A. Niering. The Award is for an individual who has played a particularly important role in education at any level—from primary school to the graduate level, inside or out of the classroom, or in the education of the general public through outreach activities.
The awards committee is proud to announce Jacqueline Richard as the recipient of the 2025 William A. Niering Outstanding Educator Award. As Director of Coastal Studies and GIS Technology at Nunez Community College, Ms. Richard (known as “Jackie” to her students) has transformed environmental education by empowering her students, leading a diversity of workforce programs aligned with Louisiana's evolving environmental and energy landscape, and dedicating her career to coastal restoration. Students and colleagues describe her as a “passionate and hands-on educator” who “meets students where they are,” recognizing the barriers to entry that many post-secondary education students from the Greater New Orleans area face. At Nunez, she has led the development of technical certificates and diplomas, and forged partnerships to support coastal restoration efforts. A former student wrote, “She embodies education in a way that inspires me to take what I’ve learned and to do something with it.” Ms. Richard’s contribution to education extends well beyond the classroom. She was elected chair of the Louisiana Environmental Education Committee (LEEC), which has developed an Environmental Literacy Plan for the state; co-created the “WaterMarks360” program that provides virtual exploration of coastal habitats; serves on the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Advisory Council; and even brought the NFL green team, Force Blue (a group of marine veterans), Super Bowl host committee, and other volunteers to build an oyster reef with 52 tons of oyster shells in conjunction with Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. It would be nearly impossible to capture the true educational impact Ms. Richard has had both in and out of the classroom in one paragraph. In the end, however, the common thread among letter writers was Ms. Richard’s remarkable dedication to her students and her exceptional contributions to environmental education——and perhaps most importantly, her unwavering willingness to “show up” for her community. For these reasons, we are honored to present the 2025 William A. Niering Outstanding Educator Award to Ms. Jacqueline Richard. Pritchard Outstanding Physical Oceanography Paper AwardThis award was established to honor Dr. Donald W. Pritchard, whose insightful research on the physical dynamics of coastal systems set the stage for much of the research in physical oceanography that is being conducted today. The Pritchard Award recognizes the author(s) of the best physical oceanography paper published in "Estuaries and Coasts" within the two-year interval between CERF conferences.
Hemanth Vundavilli Iain T. MacDonald Paper: The Influence of River Plume Discharge and Winds on Sediment Transport into a Coastal Mangrove Environment The Influence of River Plume Discharge and Winds on Sediment Transport into a Coastal Mangrove Environment, Estuaries and Coasts, 47(5), 1236-1254 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-024-01367-2 The awards committee is pleased to announce that the publication The Influence of River Plume Discharge and Winds on Sediment Transport into a Coastal Mangrove Environment by Vundavilli et al. (2024) has been awarded the 2025 Pritchard Award for Outstanding Physical Oceanography Paper. This study stood out for its thoughtful use of process-oriented simulations to explore how tides, winds, and river discharge influence sediment transport along mangrove shorelines. The authors did an excellent job of visualizing complex results and summarizing them in a clear, conceptual diagram. Their effort to distill findings from more than 50 simulations into an accessible and meaningful format was particularly impressive. The paper also introduces a zone-based salinity framework to define different regimes of plume behavior and sediment exchange, adding clarity to how these dynamics operate. This approach makes the work relevant not only to physical oceanography but also to broader topics like coastal geomorphology, hydrology, estuarine ecology, and climate adaptation planning. You can read the article open access online. Margaret A. Davidson Stewardship Achievement AwardThis award was established to honor Margaret A. Davidson's distinguished career in coastal resource management and her support of the application of science to the wise stewardship of estuaries and coasts. The Davidson Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates extraordinary leadership, service, innovation, and commitment to the management of estuarine and coastal systems. Other CERF awards focus on research and education excellence; this award will recognize those who have worked in the estuarine and coastal arena and excelled in management and policy. Nominees are expected to have demonstrated at least 10 years of extraordinary leadership, service, innovation, and commitment to the management of estuarine and coastal systems. Career contributions may include the application of science toward management and policy activities, translation and outreach of findings to engage with citizens and partners and promoting stewardship of estuarine and coastal systems.
The awards committee is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2025 Davidson Award for Individual Stewardship Achievement is Dr. Pamela Borne Blanchard. The success and longevity of the Louisiana State University Coastal Roots Program that Blanchard has co-directed and led for more than 20 years are quite impressive. The nomination materials highlighted the breadth and reach of the education program during that period (i.e., 46 schools, 17 parishes, and 31,000 participants to date) and this was one of the most compelling aspects of the nomination for the awards committee. Dr. Blanchard’s demonstrated commitment to building and preparing young environmental stewards is praiseworthy. Building student identity and agency as environmental stewards from a young age marries well with Margaret Davidson’s legacy in stewardship. Coastal Stewardship Award (Organization)CERF established the Coastal Stewardship Award to honor notable achievements in promoting the wise management of estuarine and coastal systems. This award recognizes specific projects, programs, and organizations for their exemplary stewardship activities, including success in management, policy, restoration, and conservation efforts. CERF appreciates the multiple scales at which impacts may be achieved; accordingly, the Coastal Stewardship Awards are occasional awards and may represent a hierarchy of recognition at CERF biennial conferences.
The awards committee is pleased to announce that the 2025 CERF Achievement Award for Organizational Coastal Stewardship has been awarded to The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). Appropriate for the theme for this conference, “Estuaries: Tradition and Transition,” this Achievement Award recognizes UMCES for 100 years of “research, public service, and education” in support of coastal stewardship. Beginning as the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL) in 1925, UMCES has grown to six units, including the Horn Point Laboratory, the Integration and Application Network, Maryland Sea Grant, the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, and the Appalachian Laboratory. Application of science for public good has always been a central tenet of UMCES, and its faculty and staff are encouraged to engage with state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and the public to provide science and technical assistance in support of stewardship. In particular, but not exclusively, UMCES has played a key role in understanding the Chesapeake Bay and providing information to guide its management and restoration. Scientists at CBL were part of the group that formed the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS) in 1949, which later colluded with the New England Estuarine Research Society to create the Estuarine Research Federation—the forerunner of CERF. The first president of both AERS and ERF was Gene Cronin, the Director of CBL at the time. There are many specific examples of UMCES leadership in understanding, managing, and restoring coastal environments. UMCES has also strengthened the scientific workforce through education of its many graduates that have served coastal stewardship throughout the United States and internationally. In summary, the 100-year anniversary of the beginning of UMCES is an ideal time to recognize its many contributions to coastal stewardship, to CERF, and to the world. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Champion AwardThis award recognizes the significant contributions of an individual who has worked for greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in estuarine and coastal science, management, education, and/or stewardship. It honors a person who demonstrates exceptional long-term or emerging leadership and commitment to positive change.
The awards committee is delighted to announce Dr. Kim de Mutsert as the recipient of the 2025 CERF DEIJ Champion Award for exemplifying sustained and impactful leadership in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in coastal and estuarine science. Dr. De Mutsert has made significant contributions at George Mason University and the University of Southern Mississippi, where she is widely recognized for cultivating inclusive research environments and mentoring students across a wide range of backgrounds and career stages. Her mentees describe a research culture that is both academically rigorous and deeply compassionate, reflecting her commitment to equitable and supportive mentorship. Dr. De Mutsert’s leadership extends across professional societies and institutions. Within CERF, she has chaired the DEIJ Champion Award Subcommittee, the Equity in Awards Task Force, and the CERF Achievement Awards Committee. At the University of Southern Mississippi, she chairs both the School of Ocean Science and Engineering’s DEI Committee and the Fellowship Admissions Review Committee, and she has served on the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award Committee. Dr. De Mutsert’s community engagement efforts are equally inspiring. She has contributed to public education, supported professional development for women in marine science, and facilitated early STEM exposure for high school students. Her letters of support shared compelling stories of students and colleagues whose personal and professional paths have been shaped by her advocacy, mentorship, and tireless work to build a more inclusive scientific community. We celebrate Dr. De Mutsert for her extraordinary efforts and leadership, which continue to inspire and transform the field of coastal and estuarine science. Distinguished Service AwardThe Distinguished Service Award recipient is selected by the CERF President for their exceptional volunteer service to the Federation
CERF is pleased to announce Dr. Paul Montagna as the recipient of the 2025 CERF Distinguished Service Award. Throughout his professional career, Dr. Montagna has been an active member of affiliate societies and ERF, now CERF, beginning when he won the best graduate student paper awards at both the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society meeting and ERF conference in 1982. He has served on the Governing Board twice—first as member at large (1997-2001) and then as the Gulf Estuarine Research Society (GERS) President (2005-2007). He organized the 1995 ERF conference and the 2006 GERS meeting. He has served on multiple committees and received the Niering Award for Outstanding Educator in 2013. Yet, his most notable contribution may be his service to (C)ERF publications. For over 30 years, Dr. Montagna has been actively involved with Estuaries and Estuaries and Coasts (ESCO) as Associate Editor, Publications Committee member, and special issue guest editor, among other roles. Perhaps most significant is his role as ESCO coeditor in chief since January 2017; he will be stepping down at the end of 2025 after nine years in this critical position. CERF’s success depends on ESCO, and ESCO’s success reflects Dr. Montagna’s dedication to strengthening the journal, supporting the Associate Editors and peer reviewers, and serving the authors who submit their manuscripts. Because of his commitment to CERF and ESCO, the state of the journal is strong. During his tenure as coeditor in chief, he has been instrumental in maintaining the integrity and quality of the review process during a period where the number of submitted manuscripts has dramatically increased. He individually oversees the review of about 325 manuscripts each year and provides support for more than 50 Associate Editors. In concert with the Editorial Board and peer reviewers, he oversaw a reduction in the time from submission to first decision; in the first six months of 2025, it is down to just 27 days. He has been at the helm during a time of evolving CERF priorities and a rapidly shifting industry, leading ESCO through a myriad of changes including new publishing models and agreements, an increase in open access, new article types to highlight research with management application and on under-characterized systems, increased recognition of the work of the Editorial Board and peer reviewers, the recent conversion to continuous publishing, and the establishment of “collections,” all of which benefit the journal, authors, and members. He is a recognized expert on the impact of publishing industry changes on scientific society journals and was invited to represent CERF and ESCO on a panel for the US House Science, Space, and Technology Committee staff in November 2024. Dr. Montagna has never hesitated to volunteer for difficult assignments in any way that he could. He is a consistent voice of reason, bringing his analytical skills and logic to ESCO and the Federation. He has given his time and expertise tirelessly and unselfishly to ERF and CERF. For these reasons, he is a clear choice for the CERF Distinguished Service Award. |
