Institute of Marine Sciences

This year, 2022, the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) turns 75.  Yes, it is our Diamond Anniversary.  Since 1947, gifts from donors like you have helped protect one of North Carolina’s most valuable resources – our water:   

• the water you drink, 
• the water where you play and recharge, or 
• the water in which your favorite fish swims before ending up on your plate.

North Carolina’s water – salt and fresh – has an immeasurable impact on your daily life.  

For 75 years scientists at IMS have been producing world-class research to help protect our waters for future generations of North Carolinians, focusing on practical science that makes real world differences.  

Whether leading the state’s wastewater research to monitor covid in our communities, predicting flooding during hurricanes to support emergency response, or running the oldest shark survey in the country, IMS conducts science for North Carolina. 

Our work focuses on four key themes: 

• Fisheries 
• Water Quality 
• Coastal Ecosystems 
• Coastal Hazards Resilience 

and is used to provide our state’s leadership with innovative, science-based information about the myriad issues associated with these themes.  

For 75 years, policy makers have counted on IMS to provide useful, practical science for the good of the state. Can we count on you to help us continue the tradition? 

To learn more about the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, visit our website today!