History and Work of the Coastal Research Institute
In November 2017, the Coastal Research Institute (CRI) was established as a program of the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and The Bay Foundation (TBF). The goals of CRI are to engage LMU faculty, undergraduate and graduate students in multidisciplinary, hands-on approaches to research related to coastal resource management in Los Angeles. Research focuses on environmental and social challenges affecting Santa Monica Bay and its watersheds and contributes to furthering policies and actions that improve the health of the Bay and watershed.
Co-Directors
Tom Ford
Co-Executive Director, CRI
Chief Executive Officer, TBF
Director, Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program
Part-Time Faculty, LMU
Dr. Lambert Doezema
Co-Executive Director, CRI
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, LMU
Director, Environmental Science Program, LMU
Karina Johnston
Director of Programs, CRI
Science Director, TBF
CRI offers applied research studies, faculty fellowships, student internships, and contributes to coastal science through publications, presentations, and technical documents. CRI also contributes research and results to the State of the Bay Report which comprehensively describes the condition and trends of habitats in the Santa Monica Bay and its watershed.
Since CRI’s initiation in 2017, over 60 undergraduate and graduate LMU student internships have been funded, with dozens of other students engaged through completing university units or volunteering. TBF and LMU expect these efforts to continue to increase, attracting more students and researchers to explore the issues that matter most to our urban coastlines.