Sea Turtle Research

NSU Researchers Are Ambassadors for Sea Turtles

In fact, the Nova Southeastern University Halmos College of Arts and Sciences has managed the local sea turtle conservation program in partnership with Broward County for more than 30 years. Our team of researchers and volunteers monitor 24 miles of coastline to track nesting activity for three endangered or threatened species.

As a student participant in our sea turtle research, you can contribute to laboratory studies, field studies and educational efforts through the NSU Marine Environmental Education Centeror assist with our surveillance and tracking.

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Featured Sea Turtle Research

See the Latest from the Shoreline on Instagram

Brighten up your Instagram feed by following our sea turtle surveillance efforts. See the latest reports from our surveillance team. Meet the dedicated researchers and volunteers. See baby sea turtles. What more could you want?

Follow Our Efforts

Group of people looking at a baby sea turtle in a classroom

Explore the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center

The work to educate our community on the importance of our marine environment never stops, even when the world pauses. During the pandemic, Derek Burkholder, Ph.D., and his staff created classroom resources and sent our educational green sea turtle ambassador, Captain, out into the community while the center was closed to visitors. But the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center and Captain are now open for visitors!

See Educational Resources from the NSU Education Center

Researcher Spotlight: Derek Burkholder, Ph.D.

Dr. Burkholder is the principal investigator for the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program and a research scientist with the NSU Guy Harvey Research Institute and Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center. He enjoys working with students and the community to promote understanding of sea turtles and our coastal marine ecosystems.

Derek Burkholdern posing for a picture outdoors

Student Spotlight: Taylor Apter, M.S. in marine science candidate and volunteer coordinator for the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center

Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine vertebrate biology from Stony Brook University. Her passion for scuba diving and marine biology brought her to the warmer weather of South Florida.

Taylor is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in marine science at the NSU Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. She serves as the volunteer coordinator at the NSU Marine Environmental Education Center, as well as pursuing her thesis research on trophic dynamics and heavy metal contaminant levels in threatened northern sea otters in collaboration with Associate Professor Amy C. Hirons, Ph.D.

Our Sea Turtle Research

The coastline of Broward County, Florida, where Nova Southeastern University is located, provides critical nesting locations for three important sea turtle species.

Our team of NSU researchers and volunteers monitor the entire coastline of the county – from Deerfield Beach in the north to Hollywood Beach in the south. The goal of the program is to provide daily monitoring of nesting activity for the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

Learn About the Broward County Sea Turtle Conservation Program

Baby sea turtles hatching

How You Can Get Involved in Our Sea Turtle Research

As a student at the NSU Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, you can participate directly in our marine biology research and conservation efforts through volunteer opportunities, student organizations, research assistant positions and your own studies. Get in touch with us for details.

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