This year, the report cards are consolidated in an interactive dashboard and add data from tide gauge stations in Annapolis, MD; Solomons Island, MD; Yorktown, VA; and Fort Myers, FL.

Most sea level projections are based on an understanding of average global sea level rise. However, sea levels do not rise uniformly across the world. Factors such as geological uplift, land subsidence, ocean currents and other processes all impact regional sea level trends.

“Many people who live near the coast want to know what they can reasonably expect over the next few decades, giving them time to make actionable plans and decisions,” says Molly Mitchell, an assistant professor at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS. “Compared to other predictions based on satellite data and global computer models, our reports are created using observed tide gauge data from the past 55 years and reflect the exact experience at the location of the gauge. The annual release of the report cards allows coastal regions to examine if past trends are changing and alter their planning accordingly.”

The reports group localities into East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast and Alaskan Coast regions. Each report card shows values for monthly sea level averages along with high-and low-water levels caused by storms and other transient events, as well as a decadal signal showing the influence of longer-term climate patterns such as El Niño. Observed rates of acceleration are factored into future projections and are displayed in comparison to a linear trendline that does not account for acceleration.

The projections also show the range of sea level rise within the 95% confidence interval, which allows individuals and municipalities to plan adequately for the highest predicted rates of sea level rise caused by things like storm surge and tidal flooding.

Overall, most locations continue a trend of accelerating sea level rise. However, Mitchell notes that projections have remained mostly uniform since reporting began in 2018, apart from a few notable exceptions.

“One interesting new trend is the acceleration occurring in southeastern states such as South Carolina and Georgia,” said Mitchell. “We continue to see the fastest rates of sea level rise in Gulf states like Texas and Louisiana, but many of the East Coast stations are accelerating quite quickly, likely due to patterns of water distribution related to glacial melt from the Greenland ice sheet.”

Mitchell also notes that most West Coast localities have been fairly stable, despite past predictions that they would increase rapidly. “This has led to some questions about why,” she said.

Information about the processes most affecting regional sea levels is listed on the Batten School & VIMS website: List of cities, states and processes.

Emeritus Professor John Boon launched the sea level report cards in 2018 following the publication of the study Anthropocene Sea Level Change: A History of Recent Trends Observed in the U.S. East, Gulf and West Coast Regions, which showed a notable increase in sea level acceleration rates beginning in 2013-2014.

Nitrogen atoms and nitrogen-containing rings, known as heterocycles, play crucial roles in the development of medicines. A research team led by OU Presidential Professor Indrajeet Sharma has found a way to change these rings by adding just one carbon atom using a fast-reacting chemical called sulfenylcarbene. This method, called skeletal editing, transforms existing molecules into new drug candidates.

“By selectively adding one carbon atom to these existing drug heterocycles in the later stages of development, we can change the molecule’s biological and pharmacological properties without changing its functionalities,” he said. “This could open uncharted regions of chemical space in drug discovery.”

Previous studies have demonstrated a similar concept but relied on potentially explosive reagents, exhibited limited functional group compatibility, and posed significant safety concerns for industrial-scale applications.

Sharma’s team has developed a bench-stable reagent that generates sulfenylcarbenes under metal-free conditions at room temperature, achieving yields as high as 98%. Avoiding metal-based carbenes helps reduce environmental and health risks because many metals are known to have some level of human toxicity.

The researchers are also exploring how this chemistry could revolutionize a fast-growing area in pharmaceutical science known as DNA-encoded library (DEL) technology. DEL platforms allow researchers to rapidly screen billions of small molecules for their potential to bind to disease-relevant proteins.

The metal-free, room-temperature conditions of the team’s new carbon insertion strategy make it a compelling candidate for use in DNA-encoded libraries. Unlike other reactions that need harsh chemicals or high heat, this new method works in water-friendly liquids and is gentle enough to use with molecules attached to DNA.

By enabling precise skeletal editing in collaboration with the Damian Young group at the Baylor College of Medicine, Sharma’s approach could significantly enhance the chemical diversity and biological relevance of DEL libraries. Importantly, these are two key bottlenecks in drug discovery.

“The cost of many drugs depends on the number of steps involved in making them, and drug companies are interested in finding ways to reduce these steps. Adding a carbon atom in the late stages of development can make new drugs cheaper. It’s like renovating a building rather than building it from scratch,” Sharma said. “By making these drugs easier to produce at large scale, we could reduce the cost of healthcare for populations around the world.”

Researchers at the University of Leicester have achieved a major milestone in fuel cell recycling, advancing techniques to efficiently separate valuable catalyst materials and fluorinated polymer membranes (PFAS) from catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs).

This development addresses critical environmental challenges posed by PFAS — often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ — which are known to contaminate drinking water and have serious health implications. The Royal Society of Chemistry has urged government intervention to reduce PFAS levels in UK water supplies.

Fuel cells and water electrolysers, essential components of hydrogen-powered energy systems, powering cars, trains and buses, depend on CCMs containing precious platinum group metals. However, the strong adhesion between catalyst layers and PFAS membranes has made recycling difficult. Researchers at Leicester have developed a scalable method using organic solvent soaking and water ultrasonication to effectively separate these materials, revolutionising the recycling process.

Dr Jake Yang from the University of Leicester School of Chemistry said: “This method is simple and scalable. We can now separate PFAS membranes from precious metals without harsh chemicals — revolutionising how we recycle fuel cells. Fuel cells have been heralded for a long time as the breakthrough technology for clean energy but the high cost of platinum group metals has been seen as a limitation. A circular economy in these metals will bring this breakthough technology one step closer to reality.”

Building on this success, a follow-up study introduced a continuous delamination process, using a bespoke blade sonotrode that uses high frequency ultrasound to split the membranes to accelerate recycling. The process creates bubbles that collapse when subjected to high pressure, meaning the precious catalysts can be separated in seconds at room temperature. The innovative process is both sustainable and economically viable, paving the way for widespread adoption.

This groundbreaking research was carried out in collaboration with Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies. Industry-academia partnerships such as this underscore the importance of collective efforts in driving technological progress.

Ross Gordon, Principal Research Scientist at Johnson Matthey, said: “The development of high-intensity ultrasound to separate catalyst-loaded membranes is a game-changer in how we approach fuel cell recycling. At Johnson Matthey, we are proud to collaborate on pioneering solutions that accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered energy while making it more sustainable and economically viable.”

As fuel cell demand continues to grow, this breakthrough contributes to the circular economy by enabling efficient recycling of essential clean energy components. The researchers’ efforts support a greener and more affordable future for fuel cell technology while addressing pressing environmental challenges.