Main Office: Trailer 342, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; main line (805) 893-3765; fax (805) 893-8062; website: http://www.msi.ucsb.edu

Institute Director: Steven D. Gaines (805) 893-3764; fax (805) 893-8062; gaines@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Administrative Director: Shanna Bowers (805) 893-4093; fax (805) 893-8062; shannab@msi.ucsb.edu

Analytical Laboratory Manager: Robert Petty (805) 893-3802; fax (805) 893-2122; petty@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Coastal Research Center: Russ Schmitt, Director (805) 893-2051; fax (805) 893-3777; schmitt@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Marine Biotechnology Center: Daniel E. Morse, Director (805) 893-3157/893-8982; fax (805) 893-7998; d_morse@lifesci.ucsb.edu

National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis:
735 State Street #300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 892-2500; fax (805) 892-2510

Director: O.J. Reichman: (805) 892-2504; reichman@nceas.ucsb.edu
Admin. Manager: Marilyn Snowball (805) 892-2503; snowball@nceas.ucsb.edu

Natural Reserve System: (805) 893-4127; fax (805) 893-8062

Ocean & Coastal Policy Center: Harvey Molotch, Director; Michael McGinnis, Deputy Director (805) 893-5345; fax (805) 893-8062; mcginnis@lifesci.ucsb.edu

* Diving Safety Officer: Dennis Divins (805) 893-4559; fax (805) 893-8659; dennis.divins@ehs.ucsb.edu

* Collectors’ / Divers’ Office: Shane Anderson (805) 893-2873; fax (805) 893-8062; anderson@lifesci.ucsb.edu

* Denotes individuals who are associated with the Marine Science Institute, yet work for other campus departments.

The Marine Science Institute (MSI), an organized research unit at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), was established in 1969. It is the focus for marine, coastal zone, and freshwater research; marine policy studies; and educational outreach in marine science at UCSB. The Institute consists of an administrative and professional research staff; four centers of research activity (Coastal Research Center, Marine Biotechnology Center, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, and Ocean and Coastal Policy Center); an Analytical Laboratory; and a regional headquarters for the management of six University of California Natural Reserve (NRS) reserve sites. Additionally, MSI is in the final stages of creating the following new centers/programs: the Marine Ecotechnology Center; the Coastal Watershed Center; and the LTER Program - Santa Barbara Coastal Ecosystem.

MSI administers and supports research projects involving faculty, professional researchers, technical staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students from various academic departments and programs encompassing the following major scientific disciplines:

MSI PARTICIPANTS, RESEARCH LOCATIONS, AND FUNDING

In 1998-99, research conducted by and for the Institute included close to 60 affiliated faculty, over 40 professional researchers, 50 postdoctoral researchers, 11 postgraduate researchers, 114 graduate students, 180 undergraduate students, and 156 staff (including technical and administrative staff support).

MSI currently has a physical structure which reflects both its organizational complexity and international scope. Faculty, professional researchers, postdoctoral researchers, technical staff and students associated with MSI are housed in various locations across the UCSB campus. Additionally, off-campus components are located in downtown Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Island, Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Antarctica, St. Croix, Bonaire, Moorea, Australia, and aboard oceanographic research vessels around the world.

MSI research is supported by the generosity of numerous federal, private and state/public funding agencies. Included in these agencies is the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of the Interior – Minerals Management Service, the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Department of the Navy, Sea Grant Federal Funds, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the UC Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program.

Coastal Research Center - The Center links academic scientists from a wide variety of disciplines, enhancing the breadth of focus on coastal environmental issues. In order to concentrate basic academic research on critical issues needed to better understand the dynamics of coastal resources, the Center has four major objectives: 1) to act as a center for production and integration of basic scientific information to more fully understand coastal ecosystems and their natural and exploited populations; 2) to evaluate and predict effects of human activities on the coastal marine environment, and to develop measures to compensate for lost natural resources; 3) to train students in basic research on coastal environmental issues that may be applicable to decision-makers; 4) to facilitate and promote interdisciplinary research initiatives. Because of its natural beauty and abundant marine wildlife, the Santa Barbara Channel is not only one of the nation's most precious resources, but also serves as a model system for scientific exploration on coastal issues. The Center’s research will assist in the development of policy and management decisions concerning the coastal zone in general and the Channel in particular and is an essential investment for the continued enjoyment of the Channel environment.

Marine Biotechnology Center - UCSB is recognized internationally for its leadership in Marine Biotechnology. This exciting field uses the latest breakthroughs in modern molecular biology, genetic engineering and cell science to solve basic problems in marine resource biology; to improve the production of medical, chemical, food, and energy resources from the ocean; and to develop new products and industries based on more efficient use of the ocean's resources. The Marine Biotechnology Center is unique in the University of California system. It helps coordinate fifteen different research programs in this area at UCSB, and helps obtain funding for the vitally needed practical training of advanced students and professionals to help meet the future needs and changing requirements of the nation's marine and biotechnology industries. Close interactions with California's biotechnology, aquaculture and pharmaceutical industries provide new products and highly trained scientific personnel to the industrial sector, and provide support from industry for research and training in the University. The $8 million state-of-the-art Marine Biotechnology Laboratory Building, completed in 1990 to provide additional facilities needed to accommodate the rapid growth of research and teaching in Marine Biotechnology on the campus, was the first such facility of its kind in the United States.

The National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) - NCEAS is located in downtown Santa Barbara, 10 miles from the UCSB campus. The Center focuses on the use of collaborative and synthetic approaches to solve fundamental ecological and environmental problems, and emphasizes application of up-to-date analytical tools to existing data sets and models. It fosters new techniques in mathematical modeling, dynamic simulation, visualization of ecological systems, and digital mapping of complex ecological phenomena. NCEAS supports a variety of activities for visitors to address important ecological issues. Working Groups collaborate at the Center for periods of between 2 weeks and 6 months at a time. Conferences and workshops broaden participation in the Center and help to disseminate findings and formulate new research problems. NCEAS’ scientific computing staff provides technical training and support. Support is also available for training workshops in computational methods. NCEAS appoints Center Fellows for periods of 3-12 months, Postdoctoral Fellows for up to two years, and provides special educational opportunities to graduate students and young scientists. As part of its outreach mission, NCEAS maintains the Kids do Ecology program. NCEAS’ website, http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu, contains Center-related information and findings.

Ocean and Coastal Policy Center - The Center’s major purpose is the development and application of the knowledge and analytical capabilities of the university to achieve wise utilization, conservation, and management of the ocean and coastal resources for current and future world populations. Work at the center is interdisciplinary, involving perspectives from the different social science disciplines (broadly defined as political science, economics, law, history, anthropology, sociology, geography and aspects of environmental studies) and from the natural and physical sciences. In addition to interdisciplinary research, the Center engages in applied projects which directly relate research to specific marine policy problems. Activities in this area include cooperative projects with government and industry, problem-solving seminars, conferences, and workshops, and dissemination of information about significant marine issues to the public. Major themes of the center include: impacts of ocean development on proximate urban communities; comparative ocean policy; international ocean policy; and socioeconomics of resource development. These themes build on work already being conducted at UCSB and are aimed at maximizing responsiveness to current areas of public concern.

The MSI Analytical Lab is a shared-use facility for chemical analysis. It was established in 1977 to provide UCSB marine scientists with state-of-the-art analytical instruments which might otherwise be difficult for individual researchers to obtain and/or maintain. The objective of the lab is to improve the efficiency and quality of current research efforts, and to provide advanced research capabilities for new and expanded programs. Professionally managed by a Ph.D. chemist (Robert Petty), the facility is now recognized campus wide as well as nationally as a resource for high-quality analytical services, with a regular user base of over 40 faculty and professional researchers. Use of the Analytical Lab is not restricted to MSI researchers, nor even to UCSB investigators. Recent users include faculty and graduate students numerous UCSB departments as well as such off-campus institutions as USC, UCLA, Oregon State University, the University of Alaska, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (Florida).

The mission of the UC Natural Reserve System is to contribute to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California. Under the auspices of MSI, UCSB oversees six of the thirty-three UC Natural Reserve System (NRS) sites with habitats as diverse as Carpinteria Salt Marsh coastal wetlands, Coal Oil Point coastal dunes and rocky intertidal, Sedgwick Ranch oak woodland and grassland, Santa Cruz Island marine and terrestrial environments, and the mountain and Great Basin environments of the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory (SNARL) and Camp, the two component sites of the Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve, near Mammoth Lakes. Unlike wilderness areas that are available for recreation, the University reserves are devoted entirely to teaching and research. The reserves serve as "living laboratories", where researchers, teachers, and students can pose questions of the natural world that can only be answered by study in the natural environment.

The Young Marine Scientists Program
The goal of the Young Marine Scientists Program (YMS) is to familiarize students and their teachers with scientific and social aspects of the marine ecosystem. The YMS provides research opportunities to university undergraduate students, K-12 teachers and their students, as well as to parents who join the Young Scientists in their investigations. Hands-on activities and practical materials have been developed for teaching science, aimed at appealing to the natural fascination with the marine environment which is experienced by people of all ages. Important YMS goals are to make university researchers accessible to teachers in the community in order to encourage them to become involved in research and gain confidence in their approach to teaching the sciences. Dr. Miriam Polne-Fuller is the creator and director of the YMS program.

Tour Program and Future Plans
Realizing the value and importance of public education, orientation, and outreach programs, the Marine Science Institute has been actively involved in various endeavors, the largest one being guided tours of the marine laboratory. Held for one week at the end of each quarter, these tours provide an introduction to local marine life and allow participants to view and hold live marine animals. During 1998-1999, over 5,400 people from over 150 different groups, including schools, educational organizations, after-school programs, scouts, senior citizen groups, and developmentally and physically disabled groups were guided by marine science students through this extremely popular one-hour presentation. In addition to the YMS and the Tours program, MSI is actively pursuing the development of future education and outreach programs. The Institute plans to vastly expand its education/outreach activities in the coming year.

The Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science
The Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science at UCSB offers graduate studies leading to the Masters of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Marine Science. Faculty participating in the program come from 7 departments on campus including the Departments of Anthropology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, Geological Sciences, Geography, Mechanical and Environmental Engineering, and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. All faculty maintain strong marine-oriented research programs that accommodate students from both the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science and their own individual departmental graduate programs.

The Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science was formed in recognition of the intrinsic inter-disciplinary nature of modern marine science and the necessity for cross-disciplinary graduate-level training. Students in this program typically pursue areas such as biological, chemical, and physical oceanography, marine optics and remote sensing, marine geology, marine geophysics, marine biology, paleoceanography, ocean engineering and marine anthropology and resource management. Some of our students focus on a particular disciplinary area for their research (e.g. biological oceanography, marine geology, ocean physics, etc.), but seek a broader training in marine science than can be provided within the framework of traditional departmental programs. Others complete interdisciplinary dissertations involving expertise in two or more subdisciplines within marine science. Most students work toward a doctorate. The master's program is small. More information can be found at http://marinegp.ucsb.edu.