Introduction

The Marine Science Center (MSC) was established at UCLA in 1989 to recognize and coordinate marine-related teaching and research in the separate academic departments on the UCLA campus. Over the past 50 years the marine environment has become of major interest to a large number of UCLA's faculty and students in various disciplines, but historically most of the faculty involved have worked independently. Creation of the MSC has facilitated interaction across departmental boundaries of faculty and students with similar interests in marine science. Now UCLA offers one of the broadest interdisciplinary educational programs in the United States in marine sciences.

Field trips for marine-related courses and access to research sites in the Santa Monica Bay, Channel Islands and the Southern California Bight are provided by UCLA's 68 foot research vessel, which provides oceanographic sampling equipment and which can carry 40 passengers on day trips.

UCLA recognizes that it must also be an educational center for the Los Angeles basin, and through outreach programs sponsored by the Marine Science Center UCLA offers a variety of educational opportunities in marine science to schools and to the public. Undergraduate and graduate students in marine sciences at UCLA are involved in presenting these outreach programs to the public. Hands-on activities that use marine science as an integrative approach to science education are provided to school groups both on board UCLA's research ship and at the Ocean Discovery Center on the Santa Monica pier. Selected elementary and secondary teachers participate in a teacher enhancement project, funded by a grant to the MSC from the National Science Foundation, in which the teachers are trained in an integrated curriculum, using the common theme of the marine environment, and in developing leadership skills for training other teachers to use marine science as an integrative teaching theme.

For additional information about the UCLA Marine Science Center contact:

Director: Dr. William Hamner
email: hamner@biology.ucla.edu
tel. (310) 206-8247
fax (310) 206-3987

Marine Science Center Main Page
Department of Biology
Life Sciences Division Main Page