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Research News

image: Glory Kidimbu sampling in sand.

Mar 31, 2026

The Disease Detective

Glory Kidimbu, a Mountains to Sea Fellow with the NC Water Resources Research Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant, is investigating the transmission of parasitic pathogens to waterways.
image: landfill.

Mar 17, 2026

Measuring Leachate Contamination in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico Watersheds

A new study from a joint fellow with the NC Water Resources Research Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant investigates what happens as increasingly frequent extreme weather events flush contaminants -- including landfill leachate -- into coastal waterways.

Dec 10, 2025

Waste Not, Want Not

As population growth puts pressure on existing resources, a new study explores wastewater renewal, thanks to a Community Collaborative Research Grant from North Carolina Sea Grant, the NC Water Resources Research Institute, and the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science. The CCRG Program is currently accepting proposals.

Sep 18, 2025

New Tool Helps Wastewater Treatment Plants Across North Carolina

When is the last time you thought about your sewer system? While often overlooked, sewer systems play a crucial role in transporting and treating wastewater and are an integral part…

Aug 25, 2025

A New World for Microbes

“Do microplastics alter ecosystem processes in their respective habitats?”

Jun 18, 2025

Announcing Our 2025 CCRG Grant Recipients

Four new projects have received funding from the Community Collaborative Research Grant Program (CCRG). North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) and North Carolina Sea Grant administer the CCRG Program…

May 6, 2025

New NC WRRI and NC Sea Grant Fellows to Conduct Research on Invasive Species, Stormwater Runoff, Algal Blooms, and More

Seven fellows were selected for WRRI’s “Mountains to Sea” request for proposals, focusing on coastal and freshwater resources across the state. Six student fellows are funded by the North Carolina…
graphic: water and magnifying glass.

Apr 29, 2025

New Research Projects Focus on PFAS, A Contaminant of Emerging Concern

WRRI is pleased to announce two new projects, funded in partnership with the Urban Water Consortium, that address testing and treatment of water and wastewater for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances…

Nov 7, 2024

Plastic from the Mountains to the Sea

From the Fall 2024 issue of Coastwatch: From plastic trash along creeks and rivers, to microplastics in waterways — and in our bloodstreams — plastic pollution is present on every…

Oct 17, 2024

Now Accepting Applications for Mountains to Sea Graduate Research Fellowship

The North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute, in collaboration with North Carolina Sea Grant, is accepting applications for proposals focused on North Carolina coastal and freshwater resources. Graduate students in…