University of South Florida College of Marine Science

University of South Florida College of Marine Science The College of Marine Science (CMS) at USF St. Petersburg is a leader in graduate education and ocean research. Petersburg Innovation District.

Buoyed by world-renowned faculty and research facilities, CMS is the backbone of the largest hub of oceanography in the Southeast. Founded in 1967, the CMS holds broad expertise in coastal resiliency, long-term sea level rise, paleoclimate change, ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, fisheries management, oil spill response and recovery, water quality, shoreline change, ocean circulation, an

d more. It is also the backbone to the largest hub of marine science expertise in the Southeast that includes: USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Institute of Oceanography, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, US Coast Guard, and the St. The CMS is also the home institution for the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research & Innovation, a state-funded initiative. The Flood Hub will harness expertise from across a suite of academic, private and government entities to accomplish its mission: to improve our ability to model and forecast the scale of these events with finer precision than ever before and effectively inform economic assessments and mitigation strategies. About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida, a high-impact global research university dedicated to student success, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. Over the past 10 years, no other public university in the country has risen faster in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings than USF. Serving more than 50,000 students on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF is designated as a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, placing it in the most elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF has earned widespread national recognition for its success graduating under-represented minority and limited-income students at rates equal to or higher than white and higher income students. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

We were proud to have the annual meeting of the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ocean Biology and B...
06/03/2026

We were proud to have the annual meeting of the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry program at the USF St. Petersburg campus! This meeting provides a venue for NASA-funded researchers to report their results and discuss existing gaps in research.

Brian Barnes, research assistant professor at the College of Marine Science, helped organize the event and served as plenary speaker to start off the meeting. Researchers from the college's Optical Oceanography Lab and Institute of Marine Remove Sensing participated in the meeting, sharing their use of NASA satellites to study water quality, harmful algal blooms, and more.

Distinguished University Professors Chuanmin Hu and Frank Muller-Karger served as moderator and speaker for the event, respectively, which had over 150 researchers in attendance.

The event highlighted how collaboration between organizations can drive impactful research and showcased the college’s significant contributions to the field of optics.

The Ocean Circulation Lab is back on the water but not without a proper sendoff 🌊As the crew departed aboard Florida Ins...
05/27/2026

The Ocean Circulation Lab is back on the water but not without a proper sendoff 🌊

As the crew departed aboard Florida Institute of Oceanography's R/V Weatherbird this week, they shared their appreciation for the St. Petersburg Innovation District, Councilmember Gina Driscoll, the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, and the broader community, who have shown endless support for the College of Marine Science over the past few weeks. Thanks to their help, the college continues its critical research, including maintaining buoys in the Gulf to monitor ocean conditions that influence hurricanes.

Bon voyage to the crew aboard the Weatherbird and thank you again to our incredible community!

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response shown to the University of South Florida College of Marine Scie...
05/22/2026

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response shown to the University of South Florida College of Marine Science during this time of recovery.

Thanks to everyone who has pledged support to the Marine Science Operating Fund. At last check, we’ve raised more than $400,000 because of the generosity of more than 150 supporters from all over the world!

Your generosity helps power our critical ocean research, graduate education, and outreach to develop the next generation of marine scientists.

While there is still much work ahead, we are touched by the sentiments and resilience of our community. With your support, we know the College of Marine Science will bounce back stronger than ever.

Additional donations to the Marine Science Operating Fund can be made here: https://giving.usf.edu/impact/marine-science-fund

Congratulations to College of Marine Science graduate student AJ Gross! Gross received the prestigious National Science ...
05/21/2026

Congratulations to College of Marine Science graduate student AJ Gross!

Gross received the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, which is awarded to outstanding students who have demonstrated potential for significant achievements in research.

Co-advised by Mya Breitbart and Steve Murawski, Gross studies emerging chemical contaminants, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses in oysters throughout Tampa Bay. His research contributes to the Tampa Bay Surveillance Project.

Congrats, AJ! We look forward to seeing the continued impact of your research.

As a leader in the use of autonomous systems for ocean research, the College of Marine Science is proud to host the Unde...
05/20/2026

As a leader in the use of autonomous systems for ocean research, the College of Marine Science is proud to host the Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) workshop from May 18-20 on the USF St. Petersburg campus. UG2 was established by the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) and U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System to bolster collaboration and information exchange between glider operators, manufacturers, academia, and government agencies.

Attendees of the workshop were welcomed by Chad Lembke, research assistant professor with the Ocean Technology Group, which operate the USF fleet of gliders. These autonomous underwater vehicles are a cost-effective way to gather ocean data, helping improve hurricane models, map marine ecosystems, and monitor harmful algal blooms such as red tide.

The workshop has offered an opportunity for the glider community to come together and share data, insights, and ideas to refine the use of these innovative systems.

We have heard over the past few days from countless colleagues, friends, and supporters of the College of Marine Science...
05/06/2026

We have heard over the past few days from countless colleagues, friends, and supporters of the College of Marine Science. Many have asked for ways to support the students, staff, and faculty affected by the fire at the Marine Science Lab.

The USF Foundation has launched the Marine Science Operating Fund (linked below) through which people can make financial contributions to the college.

Thank you for the continued support of our college and the global research we conduct.

https://usf.to/USFMarineScience

Dean Tom Frazer shares a message to the family, friends, and community of the College of Marine Science.
05/05/2026

Dean Tom Frazer shares a message to the family, friends, and community of the College of Marine Science.

05/03/2026

An update from President Moez Limayem on the structure fire in the MSL building on our USF St. Petersburg campus.

05/03/2026

An update on the structure fire in the MSL building on our USF St. Petersburg campus.

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140 7th Avenue South
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