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Sargassum season is underway, and FIU experts are available to provide insight into this growing coastal challenge. FIU researchers are studying sargassum from multiple angles, including its ecological role, the economic toll on beach communities, and efforts to manage and find new uses for sargassum. Experts are available to discuss topics including sargassum's impact on beaches, tourism and marine life and the environmental factors driving record blooms. A full list of experts can be found on this page.
For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:
Stephen Leatherman
Professor
Earth and Environment
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Stephen Leatherman is a professor in FIU's Department of Earth and Environment, widely known as "Dr. Beach" for his annual Top 10 U.S. beach rankings, which he has issued since 1991. In recent years, sargassum has become a major factor in his beach evaluations, with Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park excluded from his 2026 Top 10 list because of excessive seaweed buildup. Leatherman has written about how sargassum blooms, once rare before 2011, now regularly inundate the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Florida coastlines each summer, driving away tourists, harming fishing industries, and requiring costly cleanups. Leatherman can speak to the ecological role sargassum plays at sea; its damaging effects on beaches, sea turtles, manatees, and coral reefs; and the economic toll it takes on Florida's coastal communities
Office: 305-348-8364
Email: leatherm@fiu.edu
For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu
Imran Ahmad
Research Assistant Professor
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Imran Ahmad is a research associate professor and food scientist at FIU's top-ranked Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He has 16 years of experience in food industry research and academia, with expertise in quality management, agri-food supply chains, and predictive modeling. Ahmad is part of a multi-institutional research team exploring how sargassum could be turned from an environmental nuisance into a valuable food ingredient used to stabilize and thicken foods like ice cream, soups, and sports nutrition products. Ahmad can speak to the environmental and economic impact of sargassum blooms in South Florida, as well as the science behind transforming this seasonal nuisance into a sustainable food resource.
Office: 305-919-4533
Email: iahmad@fiu.edu
For help, contact:
Ivonne Yee-Amor
305-919-4500
iamor@fiu.edu
Robert Tomasetti
Postdoctoral Associate
FIU Institute of Environment
Robert Tomasetti is a postdoctoral associate at FIU's Institute of Environment. His research examines why certain seaweeds in Biscayne Bay and South Florida form blooms while others do not, even under similar nutrient and temperature conditions. By tracking carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus ratios in local seaweeds over time, he studies the environmental factors that drive bloom formation. Tomasetti can discuss the record-breaking Sargassum season, the science behind seasonal blooms, and Florida’s capacity to manage and remove the seaweed from its beaches.
Email: retti002@fiu.edu
For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu
Alain Duran
Assistant Teaching Professor
Institute of Environment
College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Alain Duran is director of FIU’s Coastal Conservation and Restoration Laboratory. His research focuses on coral reef ecology, macroalgae and the ecological processes that shape reef health and resilience. As sargassum blooms continue to increase across South Florida and the Caribbean, Duran can provide insight into how excessive algae affect coral reefs and other coastal ecosystems. Duran can speak to the ecological impacts of sargassum, its interactions with coral reefs and marine life, and what these blooms mean for the long-term health of Florida’s coastal ecosystems.
Office: 305-348-2201
Email: alduran@fiu.edu
For help, contact:
Christine Fernandez
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu
Contact us
For help contacting any of our experts, please contact the Office of Media Relations:
Media Relations
Madeline Baró
Senior Director of Media Relations
305-310-9665
mbaro@fiu.edu
Brian Zimmerman
Senior Media Relations Specialist
305-348-8448
bzimmerm@fiu.edu
College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Christine Fernandez
Senior Account Manager, Communications
305-348-9987
chcalvo@fiu.edu
Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Ivonne Yee-Amor
Communications, PR & Marketing Director
305-919-4500
iamor@fiu.edu