The Coastal Call Podcast

In this episode of The Coastal Call, Fairfield University’s Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies welcomes Karen Karbiener, PhD, clinical professor at New York University and president of the Walt Whitman Initiative, for a conversation about poetry, place, and environmental awareness. Joined by Rob Nazarian, PhD, Elizabeth Petrino, PhD, and Bryan Ripley Crandall PhD, Dr. Karbiener explores how Walt Whitman’s relationship with the Long Island Sound shaped his poetry, imagination, and understanding of the natural world. The conversation connects literature, coastal environments, K-12 education, and the power of storytelling to deepen care for the places we share. Lis...

In this episode of The Coastal Call, Rob Nazarian, PhD and William F. Vazquez, PhD welcome Jennifer Trudeau Tham, PhD for a conversation about sea level rise, shoreline protection, and how communities value coastal adaptation. From the Long Island Sound to Guatemala and Uruguay, they explore what willingness-to-pay research reveals about public priorities, local differences, and the trade-offs behind climate policy. The episode also looks at flooding, erosion, salinization, and habitat loss, along with the role of maps, modeling, and emerging visualization tools in helping communities understand future risks. It is a thoughtful look at how economics, climate science...

In this episode of The Coastal Call, host Rob Nazarian, PhD welcomes Frank Nitsche, PhD of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Columbia University Climate School, along with Tyler Griffin, PhD assistant professor of biology at Fairfield, for a conversation about what the seafloor can teach us about Earth’s past, and what it can reveal about our future. Dr. Nitsche breaks down marine geophysics, from sonar mapping and seismic tools to the power of 3D data visualization. He shares fieldwork insights from Long Island Sound, the Hudson River, and Antarctica, including how scientists reconstruct glacial retreat to strengthen to...

In this episode of The Coastal Call, host Rob Nazarian, PhD and guest co-host Aishwarya Krutukulam speak with Penny Vlahos, PhD, a biogeochemist at the University of Connecticut, about what Long Island Sound can teach us about coastal change and community resilience. Dr. Vlahos explains how carbon and nitrogen cycling shape water quality, why the western Sound is more vulnerable to hypoxia and seasonal acidification, and how warming trends could reverse some restoration gains over time. She also discusses what effective collaboration looks like across science, policy, and public advocacy, as well as how hands-on research and mentorship can...

Dive into the debut episode of The Coastal Call, a podcast hosted by the Fairfield University Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies. Emmy Award–winning cinematographer Tom Fitz shares captivating stories from beneath the waves—where artistry, science, and stewardship meet. Hear how his work with Schoolyard Films brings environmental storytelling to classrooms worldwide, inspiring the next generation of ocean advocates. Fitz reflects on his journey from marine biology student to celebrated filmmaker, his close encounters with marine life, and the lessons of collaboration, safety, and resilience that guide his craft. The conversation also explores how creativity and scien...