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UNCW is an internationally recognized leader in coastal and marine science research and education.
Our faculty, staff and students explore topics of regional, national and international importance. With waterside facilities at Myrtle Grove and Wrightsville Beach, we have immediate access to a variety of marine ecosystems.
Half a Century of Marine Research and Education
Marine science at UNCW spans over 50 years! Our work covers diverse fields, including oceanography, coastal and wetland studies, estuarine science, marine physiology and genetics, fisheries, aquaculture, marine biotechnology, and all aspects of marine biology, marine and atmospheric chemistry, marine geology, environmental science and physical oceanography.
And we keep expanding the breadth of our programs. In 2022, we launched the Ph.D. in Applied Coastal and Ocean Sciences degree program. We also are the first U.S. university to offer a bachelor’s degree in coastal engineering.
We also support research in specialized topics such as coastal policy, geography, economics and health and human services.
Safe and Healthy Coasts
Keeping Tabs on Our Oceans & Coast
CMS advances research and teaching of the highest quality, enhancing your UNCW experience whether you are a graduate or undergraduate student in marine science. Our respected faculty support research that addresses current and future questions about the environment and the life and health of our oceans, sounds and tidal waterways.
We are recognized as a world-class site for applied marine science, especially in the areas of biotechnology and drug discovery, mariculture and living resources, and coastal monitoring and technology. Many of our researchers are developing and marketing products from the ocean, such as new pharmaceuticals.
Outstanding Facilities
Our state-of-the-art facilities include ample laboratory space, a shellfish research hatchery, a marine biotechnology building and an aquaculture complex. Docking space and a fleet of research vessels facilitate water-based research activities.
Associate Professor Joseph Covi Among National Class of Emerging Inventors
Department of Biology and Marine Biology Associate Professor Joseph Covi is among 162 honorees recognized this year by the National Academy of Inventors.

Zachary Long Receives 2025 UNC BOG Teaching Award
Zachary Long, associate professor in UNCW’s Department of Biology and Marine Biology, is a recipient of the 2025 UNC Board of Governors Teaching Excellence Award.

UNCW Awarded $1.5M for Coastal Research
UNCW has received $1.5 million in grant funding to lead the TEAL-SHIPS Transect Expedition, a groundbreaking project aimed at studying coastal land-to-sea habitats.

Research Team Headed to Antarctica to Study Sea Urchins
Jake Warner, an assistant professor in UNC Wilmington's Department of Biology and Marine Biology, is leading a research expedition to McMurdo Station in Antarctica to study the genomic adaptation of sea urchins to the Antarctic environment.

UNCW Doctoral Student Receives NOSAMS Funding
UNCW applied coastal and ocean sciences doctoral student, Chris Blanco, has been awarded over $10,000 in radiocarbon analyses by the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (NOSAMS) facility at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) to advance his research.

Two UNCW Students Appointed to Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
UNC Wilmington graduate students Maylyn Hinson ’24M and Delaney McBride have been named to one of the nation’s most prestigious marine science fellowships.

McLean Lab Receives NSF EMBRACE Grant for North Sea Research
UNCW Assistant Professor of Biology and Marine Biology Matthew McLean and doctoral student Adrian Gonzalez-Ortiz have received a $400,000 NSF EMBRACE (EMpowering BRoader Academic Capacity and Education) grant.

UNCW Honors Excellence in Research and Innovation
The achievements, scholarly productivity and creative works of UNCW’s research leaders were formally applauded at the annual research celebration on Sept. 26.

UNCW Alumni Receive Pharmaceutical Chemistry Fellowships
Three UNCW alumni have been awarded fellowships in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s Pharmaceutical Chemistry doctoral program. Caitlyn Agee, Sarah Barr and Jared Wood are the first cohort of doctoral fellows for Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

UNCW Announces Major Addition to Research Vessel Fleet
The Center for Marine Science at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is acquiring a cutting-edge 73-foot research vessel for its fleet. This vessel will greatly enhance the center's marine research capabilities, supporting a variety of scientific missions and community outreach programs.

Tours & Events
CMS Policy for Tours
The Center for Marine Science (CMS) invites the general public to tour campus each fall at our Open House, typically held on one of the first couple of weekends in October – weather permitting.
CMS does offer tours for prospective students, these tours are conducted by a current graduate student who can share their student experience. Prospective students may register through our form.
Meeting spaces for the general public are limited, the Center does try to accommodate requests from educational, professional, environmental or civic groups when space is available. For availability and fees, contact CMS_EA@uncw.edu.
For more information call 910.962.2408.
Contact CMS
Center for Marine Science
Phone: (910) 962-2408
Fax: (910) 962-2410
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.