First Pritchards Island Research Symposium
Please join us for the inaugural symposium which will bring together researchers, partners, and supporters engaged in the science, stewardship, and management of Pritchards Island. The day will highlight ongoing and emerging research efforts, foster collaboration across disciplines and organizations, and celebrate the growing community invested in this unique barrier island as a living laboratory.
Pritchards Island Research Symposium
April 7, 2026 | Fripp Island Beach Club
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast
Light breakfast, coffee, and tea available
9:00 – 9:15 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Dr. Al Panu, Chancellor, USCB
Dr. Kimberly Ritchie, Associate Professor & Director, Pritchards Island Research,
USCB
Warren Parker, Pritchards Island Research and Living Shorelines Coalition (PIRLS)
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Keynote Address
Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Measuring the Vital Signs of a Changing Ocean for a Resilient and Healthy Future
10:00 – 10:40 AM
Session I: Sea Turtles & Coastal Conservation
Moderator: Taylor DeSilva
Michelle Pate, SCDNR
Historical Flipper Tagging Project
Chris Kehrer, Port Royal Sound Foundation
Hard Shells and Fragile Habitats: Beginning a Long-Term Monitoring Project of Eastern
Diamondback Terrapins
10:40 – 10:55 AM
Morning Break
10:55 – 11:20 AM
Dr. Eric Montie, USCB
Listening to and Remotely Sensing Marine Life Surrounding Pritchards Island
11:20 AM – 12:20 PM
Session II: Wildlife Ecology & Natural History
Moderator: Loren Quintana
Lydia Moore
Seasonal Patterns in Bat Community Composition at Pritchards Island
Tom O’Brian & William Oakley
Birds of Pritchards Island: What We Know and Where We Are Headed
Dr. Ryan Hanscom, USCB
Next-Generation Natural History on Pritchards Island
12:20 – 1:15 PM
Lunch & Networking
1:15 – 1:55 PM
Student Lightning Talks
Moderators: Mary Claire Garland & Piper Davis
Taylor DeSilva – Sea Turtle Conservation Program
Matty Holt – Beneficial Bacteria from Sea Turtle Eggs
Hayden Dunning – Bottlenose Dolphin Monitoring Expansion
Loren Quintana – Wildlife Activity via Camera Trapping
1:55 – 2:35 PM
Session III: Coastal Change, Monitoring & Resilience
Moderator: Matty Holt
Courtney Kimmel
RSET Stations & Marsh Elevation Change
Dr. Daniel “Tye” Pettay, USCB
Historic Shoreline Change of Beaufort Barrier Islands
2:35 – 2:45 PM
Afternoon Break
2:45 – 3:05 PM
Session IV: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Moderator: Hayden Dunning
Joanna Angell
Art and Science on Pritchards Island
3:05 – 3:30 PM
Closing Remarks
Reflections and Future Directions
3:30 – 4:15 PM
Optional Networking
Informal discussion and collaboration
Pritchards Island is a Pristine Research Site
Amid burgeoning growth and tourism, a pristine barrier island offers the profound
opportunity to conserve, educate, and cherish our imperiled Sea Islands, which hold
significant ecological, cultural, and economic value to the Lowcountry and have defined
the coastal southeast for millennia.
– Pritchards Island Vision Statement
A Generous Gift
Pritchards Island is a pristine example of the Sea Islands that dot the coast of the Lowcountry. Donated to USCB by Philip Rhodes in the 1980s, it is a two and a half mile-long barrier island on the edge of Beaufort County. Rhodes additionally funded the construction of a marine laboratory on the island to assist with research and education efforts.
Philip Rhodes’ vision was to conserve his island, use it to educate the public and provide research scientists the opportunity to better understand barrier islands. He will forever be associated with Pritchards Island. USCB is indebted to Mr. Rhodes for his foresight and intends to continue this vision well into the future.
Long-term Goals for USCB's Science Program on Pritchards Island
- Be effective stewards of Pritchards Island
- Establish an undergraduate research experience focused on barrier island biology, ecology, chemistry and geomorphology
- Characterize the differences between pristine and impacted barrier islands
- Identify the impacts of environmental change on the coastal Lowcountry
- Support the continued monitoring of loggerhead turtle nesting
Research Opportunities on Pritchards Island
Research opportunities (both funded and unfunded) that are consistent with the above-mentioned long-term goals abound. Beginning in January 2026, to ensure transparency, consistency, and balance in awarding research grants and/or authorizing unfunded research, USCB will issue a call for proposals. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost and awards for funding and/or approved research will be announced in late February.
Deadline for submission extended until 5:00pm Friday, February 6, 2026
Funding Needs
Recently, the South Carolina Legislature approved $500,000 of state appropriations towards the establishment and maintenance of a Pritchards Island Research Program. Current appropriations will support educational, research and outreach activities on the island. However, additional funds are needed to purchase the following:
- Large research/education vessel
- Small research vessel
- Passenger van to transport students & researchers
- Additional laboratory and field equipment
Current funding will support the following ongoing projects:
- Full-time teaching postdoctoral fellow
- Full-time field/lab technician
- Scholarships for students
- Summer housing for students
- Sea turtle nesting monitoring
- Research supplies
- Travel to and from the island
- Marketing materials
- Salaries for students & researchers
Erosion on Pritchards Island
Shoreline erosion has occurred at a rapid pace on Pritchards Island over the last several decades. Pritchards Island does not receive beach renourishment that is used to battle erosion on Hilton Head Island and some other barrier islands. Pritchards is valuable as a living laboratory where faculty, visiting scientists and students can study natural erosion patterns.
Meet the Pritchards Island Team
USCB faculty involved with Pritchards Island include Dr. Joe Staton, Dr. Kim Ritchie, Dr. Mercer Brugler and Dr. Tye Pettay. These marine biologists’ research interests are wide ranging. They are assisted by undergraduate research assistants.
Contact Us
Kim B. Ritchie, PhD
Associate Professor of Genetics and Prokaryotic Cell Biology
Department of Natural Sciences
