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North Carolina Sea Grant Web Site Honored


Contact:
Katie Mosher, 919/515-9069, katie_mosher@ncsu.edu

Posted Tuesday, July 7, 2009

North Carolina Sea Grant's online presence — www.ncseagrant.org — is among the "most improved" Web sites honored in the 2009 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence.

The national awards are based on "excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the success of the entry — in the opinion of the judges — in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence." There were 3,785 total entries evaluated, with 267 entries in the Web and Intranet site category.

Kathleen Angione, Sea Grant senior writer and Web editor, and Matt Haught, Sea Grant technology specialist, were the force behind the site update. Angione and Haught worked with Capstrat, a Raleigh-based communications agency, to transform the site and to make it more accessible and appealing.

"As a research-based university program charged with putting objective information into the hands of coastal resource stakeholders, Sea Grant's communications channels need to be attractive and effective. This award reflects most positively on our efforts to continually improve those channels at every opportunity," notes Michael Voiland, Sea Grant executive director.

The updated site, which debuted in December 2008, is easily navigable by five main headings: About NCSG, Research, Coastal Connections, Resource Library, and Coastwatch. Search engines enable users to find content quickly and easily. The design includes bright colors that are eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing.

Angione joined the Sea Grant staff in 2005 after serving as the program's first Science Communications Fellow. She received a bachelor's degree in environmental policy from Eckerd College and a master's in technical communication from North Carolina State University.

Part of the Sea Grant team since 2006, Haught is also a member of the Office of Information Technology division at North Carolina State University. He received a bachelor's degree in biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College and has worked in the Web development field for nine years.

Several other programs within the national Sea Grant network and North Carolina State University also were honored by APEX in various categories.

View the complete list of the 2009 APEX awards: www.apexawards.com/A2009_Win.List.pdf.

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North Carolina Sea Grant: Your link to research and resources for a healthier coast