Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

06/03/2026

Our Summer Field Program kicked off yesterday with a full first day of tours and a Science Café! 🌊🔬

We’re excited to welcome students for another season full of field work, exploration, and engaging conversations about coastal and marine science. From exploring our facilities to getting a closer look at ongoing research, there’s plenty to discover.

During Monday evening's Science Café, graduate student presenters shared their academic journeys—offering insight into their career paths, research experiences, and what led them to where they are today.

Special thanks to Micayla Cochran, Hailee Nigro, Alyssa Pagel, and Michael Zarske for sharing your academic journeys!

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Zachary Darnell for receiving the Butch Oustalet Distinguished Professorship Excellence Awards in teaching, service and research!

One of his current projects focuses on improving sustainability in blue crab fishery in the Gulf.

In partnership with researchers from Mississippi State University and the University of South Alabama, this project aims to better understand and reduce “discard mortality”—the loss of crabs that are unintentionally caught and released, known as bycatch.

By combining field experiments, bycatch surveys, and insights from working crabbers, the team is developing practical strategies to reduce these losses and support the long-term health of the blue crab fishery.

06/01/2026

🌿 Save the Date! 🌊

Join us at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory for our big annual Open House on Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Come experience one of our favorite events of the year! Whether you’re curious about marine life, coastal research, or just looking for a fun and educational day by the water, there’s something for everyone.

We hope to see you there!

06/01/2026

Summer Science Cafe!

Please join us for our next GCRL Science Café!

Instead of our typical end-of-month schedule, we’re kicking things off on June 1 with a special Student Research Spotlight featuring four graduate students from the Division of Coastal Sciences (COA). They’ll share insights into their research and their journeys to GCRL.

🗓 Monday, June 1, 2026
⏰ 6:00–7:30 p.m.
📍Caylor Auditorium
703 East Beach Drive Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Come out to support our students and learn more about the exciting work happening at GCRL!

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

On May 19, the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation recently toured several of our coastal campuses, experiencing firsthand the impact of our marine research and education.

Stops included the Gulf Park campus and Marine Research Center, the Roger Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise, the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, and the Cedar Point campus—featuring the Marine Education Center and Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center.

We’re grateful for the Foundation’s continued support of Southern Miss coastal programs.

05/27/2026

As part of the American Fisheries Society, graduate students from the Gulf Coast Research volunteered earlier this month at the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament.

Working behind the scenes, these students and many others played a key role in the tournament by counting and measuring lionfish brought in by participants. Their efforts contribute to valuable data collection that supports ongoing research and management of this invasive species in the Gulf.

Opportunities like this highlight the hands-on experience GCRL students gain while making a meaningful impact on marine conservation.

05/26/2026

While the Blue Boat was deployed with sensors to measure surface water quality conditions, a recent field day with Dr. Kim de Mutsert’s lab also included the use of water sampling equipment to collect and analyze samples from different depths in the water column.

A sealed sampling bottle attached to a line is used to collect water from a chosen depth. The bottle is carefully lowered to that exact depth, and a messenger weight is sent down the line to trigger the closure, trapping water from that specific layer without mixing with water above or below it.

Once the sample is brought back to the surface, LaMotte test kits, handheld meters, or laboratory equipment are used to measure key water quality factors such as dissolved oxygen, nutrients, pH, and salinity. These measurements are taken as soon as possible to ensure they accurately reflect the conditions at the sampled depth.

05/22/2026

New at Mississippi Aquarium!

Toxic Beauty: Plastic’s Hidden Cost — an interactive art exhibit created in partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering. Open now through Sept. 7, the exhibit transforms thousands of pounds of debris collected from Gulf Coast cleanups into striking works of art that highlight the impact of plastic pollution on marine life and human health.

If you’re on the Coast this summer, this is one worth experiencing in person. It’s a reminder that art can do more than decorate a space — it can challenge the way we think about the world around us. 🌎♻️

Read more: https://ow.ly/nNEx50Z1bvv