Extension is a core part of New York Sea Grant’s mission. Our extension specialists serve as trusted links between high-quality research and real-word decision-making, helping residents, businesses, resource managers, and local leaders across New York’s marine and Great Lakes regions apply science to local needs. By translating complex research into usable tools, resources, and programs, NYSG extension plays a critical role in advancing coastal resilience, sustainability, and economic vitality across the state. Additionally, extension specialists are able to communicate the needs of their stakeholders directly to academic researchers and other scientific professionals, ensuring Sea Grant-funded research is applicable to current needs. 

What We Do

Our extension specialists provide technical assistance, training, and outreach across a range of topics important to coastal communities, including:

• Water quality and habitat protection
• Shoreline management and hazard preparedness
• Community resilience and watershed planning
• Recreational and commercial fisheries
• Aquaculture and aquatic foods
• Tourism and economic development

Our approach is collaborative and driven by stakeholder priorities. Specialists build  long-term relationships in the regions they serve that foster trust and locally relevant solutions. We aim to: 

• Identify local needs through relationships and advisory networks

• Translate research into accessible guidance, training, and decision-support tools

• Connect people and expertise through workshops, site visits, and technical assistance

• Co-develop solutions with stakeholders, practitioners, and partner organizations

• Inform future research by sharing real-world challenges with scientists

Where We Work

NYSG has one of the largest extension programs in the Sea Grant network, with more than 20 extension specialists located at fourteen offices across the state, including:

• Great Lakes District Offices: Buffalo, Rochester, Newark, Oswego, Watertown, & Ithaca

• Marine District Offices: Kingston, Elmsford, Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, East Meadow, and Stony Brook

Our specialists participate in numerous local, statewide, and topic-specific partnerships with community members, nonprofit partners, academic institutions, state and federal agencies, and industry groups. Our extension staff are also active members of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes Sea Grant regional networks, contributing to collaborative cross-state projects as well as knowledge and resource exchanges. 

To contact one of NYSG's extension specialists, visit our Staff & Specialists directory.