When the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill disaster occurred along the Gulf Coast two years ago, ecologists at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg wanted to dig deep to study the impacts.

Researchers have spent most of their time at test sites like Lake Thoreau Environmental Center in the city, but the Oil Spill opened up a different eco-system to research, along with a new set of challenges.

Dr. Sarah Morgan, associate professor in the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been awarded a $60,000 grant from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation that will be used in her continuing solar cells research.

Morgan’s grant is part of $270,000 awarded by the foundation in research grants for sustainability programs. Other schools receiving grants include Georgia Institute of Technology, Auburn University and Arizona State University.

The following is a message from the City of Petal:

Garbage pick up for Jan. 1 will be picked up on Jan. 2  Please leave your garbage can out on Tuesday Night. The rest of the week will remain the same.

Garbage pick up for Jan. 21 will be picked up on Jan. 22. The rest of the week will remain the same.

For more information, click HERE to go to the City of Petal's official site.