about
The Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) is an off-campus research, education, and service unit of UNC-CH that, together with the on-campus Department of Marine Sciences, forms the internationally recognized UNC Marine Sciences Program.
The Institute’s mission is to conduct cutting-edge research, train young scientists, provide expertise to governmental agencies and industry, and to promote new knowledge to inform public policy.
The Institute is strategically located in North Carolina’s central coastal region on 6.5 acres of waterfront property on Bogue Sound. The unique environment, the Croatan-Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, is the second largest estuarine system in the U.S. 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+education+service
Research at IMS ranges from water quality, oil spill impacts, sustainable fisheries, coastal hazards, sea level rise, and climate change to offshore wind power. IMS faculty hold joint appointments in multiple UNC departments including Marine Sciences, Biology, Geology, Ecology, and Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Many of their ongoing research activities reflect this diversity and are highly interdisciplinary, such as such as studies of the impacts of military training operations at Camp Lejeune, NC on adjacent coastal ecosystems and landforms.
In addition to providing the opportunity for innovative research, the Institute’s location is ideally suited for experiential learning. The adjacent sounds, outdoor ponds (concrete and earthen), and indoor aquarium facilities provide habitats for controlled and natural experiments. A fleet of trucks and vans, outboard motor-powered boats ranging in length from 17-25 feet and a modern 48 ft coastal vessel, the R.V. Capricorn, are available for field studies.
As part of its service mission, IMS faculty provide expertise to governmental agencies and industry and advocate for the application of new knowledge to marine policy. IMS faculty participate on over 30 state and national advisory panels, including the Pew Trust Panel for Restoration of the Gulf of Mexico, the NC Environmental Management Commission, the NC Legislative Advisory Committee for Offshore Energy Exploration, National Research Council Committees, and Scientific Advisory Boards to the US EPA and NOAA.
IMS faculty regularly appear in national and state media outlets communicating new research. In 2011, for example, Rick Luettich appeared on the Weather Channel, NPR and other outlets, discussing the impacts of a potential hurricane on the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Rachel Noble was quoted on the front page of USA Today about water quality testing, and Pete Peterson was interviewed on NPR on the potential for wind power development in NC.
Additionally, IMS faculty have a strong commitment to the local community through programs such as the Coastal Science Cafe, a series which helps the public connect with science in a relaxed exchange of information and ideas; the Carteret County Economic Development Council; and collaborations with the k-12 school system.
