It is with a heavy heart we report George August Maul, a leader in oceanography and SECOORA, passed away Wednesday, September 16.
Dr. Maul was instrumental to the success of SECOORA. As a founding member, he brought not only expertise but an unfailingly kind and respectful demeanor. He helped lead SECOORA to where we are today – serving on our Board for a total of 12 years. During that time, he served as SECOORA chair, Treasurer and in other leadership roles.
Dr. Maul recognized the critical importance of investing in ocean monitoring to save lives. In 2016, Dr. Maul wrote a guest editorial in Florida Today about the importance of High Frequency Radar data for Coast Guard Search and Rescue missions. His editorial caught the attention of congressional leaders. As a result, Congressman Posey became an advocate for SECOORA and secured additional funding to install two High Frequency Radars to monitor ocean surface currents off the East coast of Florida.
On behalf of SECOORA members, SECOORA is making a donation to the Maul Family Student Scholar Award in Oceanology at the Florida Institute of Technology. If you are interested in donating, please mail a check to Office of Development, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne 32901 with the attention “Maul Family Student Scholar Award in Oceanology”.
Related news
SET Webinar Series: Exploring Coastal Change: Digital Coast Resources
Join us on August 28, 2026, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM for the SECOORA SET Webinar Series, where we will explore coastal change using NOAA's Digital Coast resources. This webinar will bring together SET Community of Practice members and partners to learn how geospatial data and tools can support SET monitoring and place site-level observations within a broader landscape context.
SECOORA Hosts the Second Surface Elevation Table (SET) Community of Practice Workshop In Person in Charleston
The 2nd SECOORA SET Workshop convened in person on July 16-17, 2026 in Charleston, SC. More than 30 Community of Practice members and stakeholders joined this collaborative workshop to discuss SET monitoring, coastal resilience, and data-driven decision making in the Southeast.
Claire McGrath Joins SECOORA as Program and Development Manager
SECOORA welcomes Claire McGrath as Program and Development Manager, supporting the Southeast & Caribbean Coastal Disaster Resilience Partnership and membership growth.