(excerpt from Florida State University Coastal and Marine Lab story)

Florida’s coastal waters — as well as Florida State University students — will be the beneficiaries of a $100,000 gift to the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory.

FSU alumni Tommy Warren and Kathy Villacorta’s gift creates the Coastal and Marine Conservation Student Research Endowment to provide support for graduate student research into protecting and conserving coastal and marine habitats, ecologically and economically important marine species, and sustainable fisheries.

“There’s a lot going on out there,” Warren said. “Like the canary in the coal mine, the health of the Gulf tells us a lot about what’s going on around the planet. These scientists are at the cutting edge of that. (Their research) is important for, in our view, trying to make the planet a better place. And graduate students fit into that overall plan.”