NOAA Hollings Scholars Charlotte Eckmann (University of South Carolina) and Pamela Betancourt (Florida State University) spent their summer at the NCCOS laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina researching the effects of oil spill dispersants on estuarine shrimp.

Eckmann compared dispersant toxicity under different salinities, while Betancourt investigateddispersant effects on shrimp development. Their findings will be used to inform decisions on dispersant use in future oil spills. The students presented their results at the NOAA Office of Education's Science and Education Symposium on July 29 during a session on resilient coastal communities and economies.

For more information, contact Marie.Delorenzo@noaa.gov or Pete.Key@noaa.gov.

Pamela Betancourt, 2015 NOAA Hollings Scholar from Florida State University. Credit: NOAA.

Charlotte Eckmann, 2015 NOAA Hollings Scholar from the University of South Carolina. Credit: NOAA.