USGS Science Shared at St. Petersburg Science Festival
The USGS celebrated science with the St. Petersburg community at the St. Petersburg Science Festival
For more than a decade, the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center has partnered with the St. Pete Innovation District to help the community more accurately represent what the program does, since we typically study what is shaping our coastal and marine environments, and don't actually shape it with our science!
This year’s festival gave students and visitors the chance to get hands‑on with our work, from learning how our Vibracore system helps us study the seafloor to exploring coral reef science and our interactive water tank. Our team loved showing how our research supports healthy ecosystems, resilient coastlines, and a better future for marine life.
Why this event matters:
The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) is recognized locally and nationally for leadership in coastal and marine research. The St. Petersburg Science Festival is a unique opportunity for our scientists and support staff to share tools, instruments, and expertise with the Tampa Bay community.
USGS has been involved in the festival since its very first year in 2011—contributing to planning, programming, and on‑site activities. With one of the largest concentrations of marine scientists in the southeastern United States, the festival highlights the strength of our region’s ocean science community, and SPCMSC is proud to be a key part of it.
This year, multiple USGS centers across Florida—including the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC) and the Caribbean‑Florida Water Science Center (CFWSC)—joined us to represent three mission areas: Natural Hazards, Ecosystems, and Water. Together, we showcased how USGS science supports communities and coastal environments across the nation.