On Thursday, April 6, UNCW Biology and Marine Biology assistant professor Dr. Blake Ushijima and his colleagues published a paper detailing their discovery of the first bacterial probiotic that can effectively treat and prevent stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). An ongoing outbreak of SCTLD in the Caribbean Ocean threatens to eradicate many coral species in the region. If left untreated, it could prevent the areas' reefs from providing crucial habitats for marine life, protection from storms and erosion and opportunities for human jobs and recreation.

With no wetsuit, Nelson completed the swim against 12 mph winds, an incoming tide and 66 F ocean water with a total time of seven hours and four minutes. Wetsuits not only serve as a tool to warm the body in cold water temperatures, but also add a small amount of buoyancy which can greatly assist in open water swimming. All of these factors on top of the great distance Nelson covered in the water is hard to fathom, but Nelson simply said, “A recon Marine would rather die than quit.”

The Association of Campus Entertainment, or ACE, recently announced that the new president, Julia Singer, had been elected. The Seahawks reached out to Singer to answer a few questions regarding her new position and where she plans to take ACE in the future.