For 70 years, the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, located in Morehead City, has provided a home for Carolina scientists — from undergraduate students to tenured professors — to study the complex marine and coastal systems of North Carolina and beyond.
The Institute of Marine Sciences began in 1947 as the Institute of Fisheries Research. In the 1960s, the institute was renamed the Institute of Marine Sciences to meet the changing needs of research. Today, the institute’s mission is to serve the state and the nation by conducting cutting-edge research, training young scientists, providing expertise to governmental agencies and industry and promoting new knowledge to inform public policy.
The Institute is located on 6.33 acres of waterfront property on the central North Carolina coast. The unique environment, the Croatan-Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, is the second largest estuarine system in the United States and an ideal site to study the ecology, conservation and restoration of coastal marine resources and to develop and apply new technologies in research.
Research at IMS ranges from water quality, coastal system functions, coastal and estuarine assessment’s and restoration, coastal hazards and the exploration of alternative energy sources.
On Oct. 21, IMS will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a community open house from 1-4 p.m. at its Morehead City location. The free event will feature tours, scientific demonstrations, and activities for children.
Read more about the history of the Institute of Marine Sciences and the research underway at IMS at Endeavors.
By Mary Lide Parker, UNC Research Communications
