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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The achievements, scholarly productivity and creative works of UNCW’s research leaders were formally applauded at the annual research celebration on Sept. 26.
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.
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.
Three UNCW labs are among those collaborating on physical and biological monitoring in support of a floodwater-mitigation project at Battleship North Carolina called Living with Water.
A team of UNCW researchers has identified a previously undescribed species of trematode parasite infecting native bay scallops in North Carolina.
Five UNCW Seahawks are recipients of prestigious fellowships and scholarships that will allow them to delve deeper into their research and potential careers.
A team led by Eman Ghoneim, University of North Carolina Wilmington earth and ocean sciences professor, has discovered the pyramids in Egypt were built along a now abandoned branch of the Nile River, highlighting the importance of the river as a cultural artery and demonstrating how humans have historically been impacted by environmental change.
National Science Foundation powers multi-institutional research on seismic activity and tsunami hazards on the west coast.
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.
Center for Marine Science
Phone: (910) 962-2408
Fax: (910) 962-2410
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.