Estuary & Ocean Science Center - San Francisco State University

03/31/2025

🧬 Are we there yet? Join us for the next EOS Center Seminar on Wednesday, April 2nd, at 3:30 PM PST at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center or online!

Dr. Susanna Theroux, Principal Scientist at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP), will dive into the evolving role of environmental DNA (eDNA) in shaping environmental management and policy. Her talk will explore how eDNA methods are transforming biodiversity monitoring across California—and what it takes to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world implementation.

From tracking harmful algal blooms to protecting endangered steelhead, Dr. Theroux’s work showcases the promise and challenges of turning molecular tools into practical solutions for conservation and sustainability.

🔬 Come learn how collaboration, standardization, and communication are accelerating the future of eDNA in environmental decision-making!

🔗 Join via Zoom: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82691760362?pwd=TmYrdXMxUWVzMDc5U0l1Z3dpeFRzdz09

📷: Dr. Susie Theroux
🗺️: Bay Conference Center
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03/24/2025

03/18/2025

🌊 This week we have a special seminar treat! Our very own Dr. Wim Kimmerer takes the stage to explore apparent competition among copepod species in the San Francisco Estuary, a critical but food-limited habitat for young smelt.

Join us Wednesday, March 19th, at 3:30 PM PST at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center or online! Dr. Kimmerer will unpack how temperature, freshwater flow, clam predation, and food availability — not direct competition — shape copepod populations and impact the estuary’s food web.

With decades of expertise in estuarine ecology, he’ll reveal how these tiny but mighty organisms influence the balance of this dynamic ecosystem. Don’t miss it!

🔗 Join via Zoom: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82691760362?pwd=TmYrdXMxUWVzMDc5U0l1Z3dpeFRzdz09

📷: Dr. Wim Kimmerer
🗺️: Bay Conference Center
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03/10/2025

🌊 Dive into the power of eDNA! Join us for the next EOS Center Seminar on Wednesday, March 13th, at 3:30 PM PST at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center or online.

Dr. Zachary Gold, Lead Molecular Ecologist at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, will share how environmental DNA (eDNA) is revolutionizing the way we explore and monitor marine ecosystems. By harnessing cutting-edge molecular techniques, his research enhances biodiversity assessments and tracks ecosystem shifts in response to climate change—offering a new lens into the ocean’s ever-changing dynamics.

From deep-sea mysteries to shifting coastal habitats, eDNA is unlocking powerful insights about marine life like never before. Come learn how this technology is shaping the future of ocean science and conservation!

🔗 Join via Zoom: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82691760362?pwd=TmYrdXMxUWVzMDc5U0l1Z3dpeFRzdz09

📷: Dr. Dr. Zach Gold
🗺️: Bay Conference Center
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03/10/2025

As the spring semester continues, we’re excited to keep introducing IMES Cohort 8 — the newest part of the community that makes the EOS Center so special!

Next up, let’s give a big welcome to Angelo LaCommare-Soto — everyone say "Hi Angelo! 👋"

Learn about Angelo and his journey to the EOS Center 👇

🏡 San Francisco, California
🎓 BS in Biology, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
🔬 Angelo’s research focuses on studying the communities of fish that inhabit eelgrass beds in San Francisco Bay and their predation on epifauna.

"I’m looking forward to interning for a local entity in a discipline with which I am not too familiar!"
- Angelo LaCommare-Soto

Welcome to the team, Angelo! 🎉

02/17/2025

🚨 The EOS Center is at Risk — But Together, We Can Save It! 🚨

The Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco Bay’s ONLY marine research lab, is facing imminent closure due to severe budget cuts at SFSU. Without $1 million in annual funding, we risk losing a critical hub for climate research, conservation, and education — along with decades of work protecting California’s coastlines and communities.

This isn’t just about one lab — it’s about the future of SF Bay and beyond. Keeping the EOS Center open means:
✅ Vital climate adaptation research will continue, helping protect coastal communities from rising sea levels and extreme weather.
✅ Graduate students and faculty can keep advancing marine science and training the next generation of environmental leaders.
✅ Eelgrass restoration & fisheries conservation projects will thrive, preserving biodiversity and ecosystem health.
✅ A $5.8M NOAA grant will fund an Aquatic Research & Training facility, expanding research and education opportunities.
✅ Cutting-edge science will continue informing policies that strengthen coastal resilience and sustainability.

For 45 years, the EOS Center has been a leader in climate resilience, marine research, and hands-on student training. With community support and sustained funding, we can secure its future and ensure that its critical work continues.

📢 We need your voice, your support, and your action — NOW. Spread the word, share this post, interact with our content, advocate for funding, and help protect the future of marine science in the Bay Area!

🔗 Learn more & get involved: eoscenter.sfsu.edu/closure
📩 Contact: Dr. Katharyn Boyer ([email protected])

02/11/2025

🌊 Join us for the next EOS Center Seminar! Get ready for an exciting look into the dynamic world of predator-prey interactions in coastal ecosystems!

On Wednesday, February 12th, at 3:30 PM PST, Dr. Jaime Jahncke, Director of the California Current Group at Point Blue Conservation Science, will take us on a journey through the forces that shape marine life along the Peruvian and Californian coasts.

From seabird foraging and diet studies to the latest innovations in drones, machine learning, and automated surveys, this talk will highlight groundbreaking research on how climate change, marine heatwaves, and human activity impact ocean ecosystems.

🔗 Join via Zoom: https://sfsu.zoom.us/j/82691760362?pwd=TmYrdXMxUWVzMDc5U0l1Z3dpeFRzdz09

📷: Dr. Jaime Jahncke
🗺️: Bay Conference Center
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01/17/2025

Whether you already follow us, just found out about us, or have no idea who we are – we’re so glad you’re here! 💙

As we continue to grow as a research and educational center, we want our impact to grow with us. 🌟 Spreading our mission across multiple platforms and engaging with all of YOU is a great place to start!

Following the EOS Center is a fantastic way to stay informed about cutting-edge research, exciting events, and the latest in marine science and conservation. 🌊

💬 Engage with us by liking, commenting, and sharing our posts – and don’t forget to share our mission with your friends and family! Together, we can make waves of change.

Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn and be part of the journey! 🌱

11/21/2024

05/01/2024

Found this little southern alligator lizard making his way into the Delta Hall here at the EOS Center. As temperatures rise for summer, make sure to check areas where animals may try to get into: for some nice cool shade. Sometimes they get into places they really shouldn’t be. This guy is lucky I was passing through, and we released him back into the hillside next to the center where we have seen these lizards before.

04/25/2024

We would love to invite you all to attend the DEEP LOOK Film Night May 8th at 6:00 PM at the EOS Center, which we are doing in collaboration with KQED. The films are fantastic and many EOS staff and students worked with KQED providing plants, animals and assistance to help make them. Josh Cassidy from KQED will also be there to talk more about the production of the films.

You have to register on eventbrite to attend, since we have limited space in the Bay Conference Center. There is the QR code you can use or the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kqed-deep-look-film-night-at-the-estuary-ocean-science-center-tickets-865658045517. Hope to see you there!

04/22/2024

Happy Earth Day! We are proud to say that our very own Katharyn Boyer has been awarded the 2024 Bay Nature Local Hero Awards! ✨

If you don’t know, professor Katharyn Boyer is the interim executive director here at San Francisco State University’s Estuary and Ocean Science Center. She conducts amazing work on topics like wetland and coastal ecology and restoration, community ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, nutrient dynamics, trophic interactions, and habitat structure.

Every year, the Bay Nature board chooses four community-nominated leaders who are changing Bay Area nature and communities for the better: we definitely agree that Katharyn’s work at the EOS Center has been nothing short of extraordinary. Learn more about the Boyer Lab at their website: katboyerlab.org and read more about the Bay Nature Award tagged in the photo!

🎨: Violeta Encarnación
📷: Boyer Lab
🗺️: EOS Center
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