Mike Muglia is the Assistant Director of Science and Research for the NC Ocean Energy Program and an Associate Research Professor at the East Carolina University Coastal Studies Institute on the Outer Banks of NC. His scientific interests include understanding variability in position and transport of western boundary currents; the complex confluence of different shelf water masses; shelf and deep ocean exchange processes; meridional overturning circulation linkages between western boundary currents and deep western boundary currents; and developing renewable ocean energy solutions. Ongoing research specifics include:

• Understanding high-frequency variability in the cyclonic shear zone of the Gulf Stream with HF radars
• Quantifying the variability in the available hydrokinetic energy resource from the Gulf Stream for the state of NC
• Gulf Stream, Mid Atlantic Bight, South Atlantic Bight, Chesapeake Bay Outflow, and Slope Sea water mass dynamics off NC Mike has extensive experience integrating, deploying, maintaining, and recovering ocean observing systems; analyzing oceanographic observations; instructing students; and managing field projects with faculty, graduate students, and private industry partners.

He has BS degrees in marine science, biology, and physics, an MS degree in physics, and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from UNC-Chapel Hill.