Visionary in Marine Sciences
Ocean health and coastal sustainability are critical national and international issues, and marine scientists at UC Santa Cruz are leaders in addressing these challenges. UCSC has long been on the forefront of marine science research and education. With state-of-the-art facilities and internationally recognized faculty and researchers, the campus's Institute of Marine Sciences supports scientists in a wide range of disciplines. Their investigations range from microscopic plankton to massive blue whales, from the depths of the seafloor to the coastline, and from frigid polar waters to tropical coral reefs. This diversity reflects the many ways in which the oceans affect the global environment and the lives of people, in California and around the world. Through partnerships with state and federal agencies, environmental policy groups, and other organizations studying marine and coastal issues, UCSC has become a major hub for research, training, and outreach activities in marine science and conservation.
Latest news
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Long-term study of elephant seal reproduction shows population’s resilience
Researchers found that a female elephant seal’s age and experience were more important than ocean conditions in determining the condition of her pup at weaning.
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Biologist Roxanne Beltran wins prestigious Packard Fellowship
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded a Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering to Roxanne Beltran, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz.
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NOAA awards recognize scientists in Fisheries Collaborative Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded its prestigious Bronze Award to three researchers affiliated with the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) at UC Santa Cruz.
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Seymour Marine Discovery Center will reopen in October
Beginning in October, guests will once again be welcomed back inside to visit the Seymour Center’s interactive exhibits and enjoy a brand new display featuring stunning photographs of marine life taken by UCSC scientists in the field.
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Researcher honored for work in UCSC-NOAA Fisheries Collaborative Program
James Gilbert, an associate project scientist in the Institute of Marine Sciences, was recognized by the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center with its Staff of the Quarter award.
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Enhanced wetland on UCSC’s Coastal Science Campus will benefit threatened frogs
Construction of a seasonal pond within an existing wetland area in the Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve will create potential aquatic breeding habitat for the California red-legged frog.
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When humans disturb marine mammals, it’s hard to know the long-term impact
Scientists are developing new tools to determine when short-term changes in behavior caused by human activities have biological significance for protected populations.
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Salt marsh resilience compromised by crabs along tidal creek edges
A long-term study in Elkhorn Slough revealed the impact of superabundant crabs on salt marsh vegetation and the vulnerability of tidal creek banks to erosion.
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Seymour Center welcomes new executive director
After an extensive search, the UC Santa Cruz Seymour Marine Discovery Center has chosen Jonathan Andres Hicken to be its new executive director.
