Flagler News

A talented group of Coastal Environmental Science students recently joined professors from Flagler’s Natural Sciences Department on a trip to Portland, Ore., where they presented research at the national Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF).

This week, Flagler College alum Ashleigh Glickley set sail for a month-long exploration of deep-sea biodiversity in Pacific waters near the Johnston Atoll, but her teacher duties weren’t left ashore.

When the Brown Innovation Center opened this past spring at Flagler, it wasn’t just a chance to show off the lab’s fancy 3D printers and laser cutter, but also to foster multidisciplinary collaboration across campus to find solutions for pressing challenges.

A 2014 Coastal Environmental Science trip to Bermuda was the catalyst for a young working relationship between Flagler College and Bermuda College that was made official through the signing of an articulation agreement last month.

For almost 20 years, Professor Barbara Blonder has been a beloved faculty member of Flagler’s Natural Sciences Department. During her time at Flagler, Blonder has left a lasting impact on the College. She has served as Director of Undergraduate Research, Chair of the Faculty Senate, and was an instrumental figure in establishing the Coastal Environmental Science major. In 2020, Blonder extended her impact into the local community, being elected as a Commissioner for the City of St. Augustine.

Through off-campus adventures, Professor Sam McMillan hopes his students can use experiences in “the wilderness,” to gain new perspectives about the topics covered in his class.

Dr. Courtney Kersten is an Assistant Professor of English. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Idaho and a PhD in Literature and Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She was a Fulbright Fellow to Riga, Latvia, and is the author of Daughter in Retrograde (University of Wisconsin 2018).

On June 23rd, the Science Advisory Board of Flagler College hosted the Science Sunset Cruise, aboard the luxury catamaran, Sabrage, to benefit the college's growing Coastal Environmental Science & Biology programs.