Environmental Science graduate Jake Gibson is currently working on the Coast-wide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) project. This project is funded through the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and consists of a network of about 400 monitoring sites that are used to evaluate how coastal wetlands are affected by erosion, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and invasive species such as nutria and feral pigs. Jake regularly uses the knowledge and skills he acquired in Loyola’s Environment Program as he collects, evaluates, and analyzes data from the field; operates a variety of boats (including airboats!); assists with maintenance and construction of monitoring equipment; and studies the natural history of Louisiana’s beautiful coastal wetlands.