The Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies

NOAA conducts first comprehensive aerial survey of ice seals in the Arctic

By NOAA Fisheries
Scientists flew more than 24,000 miles over sea ice to study the abundance and distribution of seals in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. 

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

One Half Century of California Sea Lion Data Underpins Predictive Models for Management Decision-Making

 
By Elizabeth McHuron, UW CICOES, with contributions from Sharon Melin, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center
San Miguel Island
Perched atop a cliff, on an island less than 30 miles from the southern California coast, sits a small unassuming research station that—on a clear day—boasts million-dollar views of white sandy beaches, sparkling blue waters, and magnificent sunsets. 

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John Horne reappointed as CICOES director, and other leadership updates around the College of the Environment

The College of the Environment recently provided updates about the leadership of several units within the College, including the news that John Horne has been reappointed as the director of the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies. 

Read the full update from the College of the Environment

New compendium opens access to 47 years of data on Alaska waters

By Heather Tabisola with contributions by Joe Selmont
Understanding how Alaska’s vast marine ecosystems are changing requires long, consistent records — something scientists have rarely had access to in one place. 

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International survey counts bowhead and beluga whales in the Beaufort Sea

By NOAA Fisheries
In 2025, NOAA and the Alaska North Slope Borough successfully completed a survey to count bowhead and beluga whales in the U.S. 

Read the full story at NOAA Fisheries

From survivor to scientist: A childhood hurricane set Ángel Adames-Corraliza on course for a MacArthur award

When Ángel Adames-Corraliza was 10, a Category 4 tropical cyclone named Hurricane Georges tore its way across Puerto Rico. 

Read the full story in the UW Magazine

Deep-sea earthquakes fuel huge plankton blooms in Antarctica

Eighteen hundred meters below Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, a volcanic ridge lined by hydrothermal vents burbles in the dark. 

Read the Full Story at Science.org

Communicating Science to Journalists; Delivering Information to the Public

By Norm Mah, UW CICOES
The work of CICOES and NOAA scientists advances understanding of how the global ocean interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere, ecosystems, and climate systems, providing vital data that supports improved weather and climate predictions, sustainable fisheries management, and enhanced coastal community resilience. 

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19th century corals unlock a new understanding of ocean acidification in the California Current and Salish Sea

By Joe Selmont, CICOES
For more than a century, a collection of orange cup coral skeletons bided their time in the Smithsonian’s archives. 

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The chilling effect of air pollution

By Gillian Dohrn, UW News
Earth is reflecting less sunlight, and absorbing more heat, than it did several decades ago. 

Read the full story at UW News