Marine Sciences Department

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Marine Sciences Department

Diversity Statement:  The Department of Marine Sciences supports the University's core values encouraging diversity and equal educational and employment opportunities throughout the University community.  These values are articulated in the University's non-discrimination policy and by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

Department of Marine Sciences (MASC) is an interdisciplinary unit of the College of Arts and Sciences. As such, it draws faculty and student participation from a number of UNC-CH units. The department's mission is to provide academic leadership in marine sciences; its goals are to:

• provide an effective graduate training program, emphasizing critical thinking and independent research, that prepares students for successful careers in science, education, technology and public service;
• deliver innovative, excellent instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• conduct high quality scientific research and effectively communicate results, through publication and presentation, to both academic and public audiences;
• extend technical assistance to the state in addressing marine sciences-related issues and concerns; and
• address, as appropriate, regional, national and international issues and concerns.

Because the department's instructional emphasis is on training M.S. and Ph.D. students, a broad range of graduate coursework is offered. Introductory courses and an undergraduate minor for students interested in gaining an overview of the field and some practical "hands on" experience also are available. Most classes are taught on main campus in Chapel Hill during the regular school year; however, some summer classes are offered both on campus and at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City.

Research is an integral part of teaching, especially at the graduate and advanced undergraduate levels. Faculty members maintain active research programs throughout the year. All graduate students and a select number of undergraduate students participate in faculty-directed research projects, often receiving financial support from grants.

Location and Facilities

The Department of Marine Sciences is located on main campus in Chapel Hill. This location fosters interactions with faculty, students and staff from other UNC-CH departments, nearby research institutions (e.g., Duke, NCSU) and companies (e.g., Glaxo-Wellcome); places scientists within easy reach of RDU International Airport, allowing for the convenient transport of equipment and personnel to distant ports and field locations; and provides ready access to RTP's advanced computational resources. The department's sister unit, the Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City, provides coastal access for field studies and instruction. Shared, flexible laboratory space is also now available at the Institute since the addition of a new wing.

Now located in the newly restored and built Venable Hall, the department contains faculty, student and staff offices, large and small conference rooms, one large lecture hall, and a number of seminar rooms, a science library, an aquatic salt water lab, numerous research laboratories and one teaching laboratory, computer rooms and a storage room for field equipment. Some of the laboratories are equipped for general studies, while others are customized to meet unique faculty research needs.

Computational facilities consist of a local network of high performance Unix work stations, Macintosh and IBM-compatible personal computers, b/w and color printers, scanners and communication devices for observational instrumentation. Direct, high-speed access to the coNCert network, Internet, and the North Carolina Supercomputing Center is available throughout the department.

Specialized analytical equipment and facilities include low background alpha, beta and gamma detectors, a dedicated GC/MS system, a state-of-the-art isotope ratio monitoring mass spectrometry facility for compound specific carbon analyses, high capacity light- and temperature-controlled incubators, and a full range of specialized chromatographic and spectroscopic gear.

Observational instrumentation for field use includes a suite of current meters and temperature/pressure sensors, near-bottom and sub-bottom water samplers and profilers, and a specially built a sensor and data system for aircraft sampling of the coastal ocean and atmosphere.