Geography

Associate Director for Research
Florida Sea Grant College Program
University of Florida
csidman@ufl.edu

Dr. Charles Sidman is an alumnus of the University of Florida’s Geography Department, where he specialized in the application of geospatial technologies to quantify environmental and social impacts related to anchoring and recreational activities in popular southwest Florida boating destinations. He developed and applied this line of research in a decade-long program to characterize the spatial patterns of recreational boating and its impact within Florida’s shallow bays and estuarine environments. These studies were built upon expertise sourced from his Geography Department mentors and through partnerships cultivated with NOAA Sea Grant, the West Coast Inland Navigation District, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. His affiliation with Florida Sea Grant provided the impetus to undertake applied, end-user driven science, integrating research and Extension. These principles of applied science underpin his current role as the program’s Associate Director for Research. More recently, he has assisted the Japanese government in evaluating a 5-year project to motivate co-managed artisanal fisheries in the eastern Caribbean region. In partnership with the NOAA Restoration Center, he currently leads a University of Florida-based team that is implementing a 7-year program, branded Return ‘Em Right. The program blends research, extension, and education within a framework of adaptive management, driven by social media marketing and evaluation, to promote sustainable angling in the Gulf of Mexico. He is honored to serve as a member of the inaugural External Advisory Board for an academic department that has fundamentally shaped his professional development and career.