Marine Science

Facilities & Resources

The distinguishing resource available to marine science students is the University's location on the banks of the St. Johns River and its close proximity to numerous marine estuaries and the Atlantic Ocean, giving students access to a variety of marine habitats for campus research projects. The Reid Medical Sciences and Nelms Science buildings house the marine science and biology programs. The R/V Dolphin, a 25-foot Boston Whaler with a LORAN navigation system, enables student to participate in off-campus field work assignments. Specialized equipment includes several electronic means of sampling water quality, including a MPM4000 data logger with the capability of recording data continuously for up to one month. The Department of Biology and Marine Science has a working wet lab with an aeration system, numerous aquaria and facilities to maintain various marine and freshwater organisms. A walk-in environmental chamber and an aquaculture compound support freshwater fish aquaculture. The department also provides a variety of spectrophotometers, centrifuges, incubators and microscopes for the use of students and faculty in laboratory and research settings.