When the Urban Coast Institute (UCI) launched in 2005, Monmouth University recognized it was in a unique place to leverage the expertise of our faculty and the passion of our students to work with other partners who share our love for the oceans, and to take advantage of our location on the Jersey Shore. Twenty years later, what started as an organization with one full-time employee has grown into a team of a dozen dedicated professionals with diverse expertise in marine science and policy areas. Browse the timeline below for a glimpse at some of the signature events that galvanized the UCI’s efforts in its first two decades.
Guardians of the Coast
Tony MacDonald reflects on his two decades as UCI director, the institute’s impacts, and its ongoing work to protect and sustain our coastal environments in this Q&A with Monmouth Magazine.
300
Student Researchers Supported
100
Student Research Projects Supported
50
Faculty Enrichment Grants Awarded
UCI Timeline
2005
Monmouth University launched the UCI under then-President Paul G. Gaffney II, a retired vice admiral and naval oceanographer. Its first hire was the UCI’s director, Tony MacDonald, Esq., the only person to have been with the institute from its inception to today.
2005
One of the UCI’s first acts was to organize a Champion of the Ocean Awards and Future of the Ocean Symposium on campus. The now annual event has drawn legendary ocean leaders to Monmouth such as Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Leon Panetta, and multiple NOAA administrators.
2009
The UCI began offering competitive grants for student-faculty research projects that support its mission through what is now known as the Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Scholars program. The program has funded equipment purchases, conference participation opportunities, and hands-on research positions that have provided real-world experience to students while helping make a positive impact in coastal communities.
2012
Hurricane Sandy couldn’t have hit closer to home – in fact, the University opened its OceanFirst Bank Center to serve as an emergency shelter for the devastated communities that surround our campus. Sandy sharpened the UCI’s focus on climate change and coastal resilience issues. Today, its Coastal Community Resilience Initiative includes a broad portfolio of projects and expertise, ranging from living shorelines and oyster reef restoration to environmental justice.
2014
The UCI’s Marine Science & Policy Initiative sprung from a successful challenge grant campaign, in which the Rechnitz family pledged $3 million if the University could raise $2 million in matching gifts. Among the Initiative’s many outcomes, it significantly expanded the UCI’s capacity to fund student and faculty research, supported major renovations to the School of Science, and created an endowed professor of marine science position.
2015
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation awarded the UCI a grant to serve as principal investigator for the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal, a publicly accessible site containing 6,000+ map layers depicting marine life distributions, shipping traffic, fishing activity, offshore wind areas and more. It has become an influential tool for informing ocean management decisions and a valuable educational resource. Additional funding from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean has enabled the UCI to continue its Portal work and support regional ocean planning efforts.
2016
The UCI and Rockefeller University Program for the Human Environment kicked off a partnership to conduct research and hold annual conferences on topics of regional and national interest, alternating between the Monmouth campus and RU’s in New York City. From this collaboration sprung Monmouth’s scientific research focus on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for monitoring marine life, which continues today.
2018
The UCI worked with NOAA to transfer a 49-foot research vessel to Monmouth. The vessel was named the Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe in memory of the daughter of Monmouth graduate and former Board of Trustees Chair Bob Sculthorpe. The Heidi Lynn expanded the University’s capacity to conduct research and contract work and enabled it to take full classes and large groups on the water.
2020
In concert with the University’s “Together We Can” scholarship fundraising campaign, the UCI worked with its Advisory Committee and generous donors to establish its first endowed scholarships: the Ann and Alfred L. Ferguson ‘13HN UCI Endowed Scholarship, Rita Mangan UCI Endowed Scholarship, MacDonald Family UCI Endowed Scholarship, and Urban Coast Institute Endowed Scholarship.
2023
Through an agreement with NY/NJ Baykeeper, a portfolio of oyster restoration projects that were started by the organization were transitioned to Monmouth’s management, where they could continue to be expanded. Among them was an artificial reef off the shores of Naval Weapons Station Earle that is restoring the environment while producing valuable data on the power of nature-based solutions for improving coastal resilience.
Upcoming Events
Ocean Bodies, A Solo Exhibit by Kimberly Callas
Feb. 6-April 27, 2025
Rotary Ice House Gallery
Free and open to the public
Future of the Ocean Symposium and Champion of the Ocean Awards
October 2025 (Date TBA)