The College of Marine Science has specialized laboratories including those for trace metal analysis, water quality, organic and isotope geochemistry, physical chemistry, optical oceanography, satellite imagery, sedimentology, geophysics, physical oceanography, micropaleontology, physiology, benthic ecology, microbiology, planktology, and ichthiology. The College has a large flume facility and laser Doppler velocimeter for interdisciplinary boundary layer studies.
It is often the case that a student's research is primarily conducted at sea. Bayboro Harbor can accommodate any ship in the fleet of the U.S. oceanographic vessels, and is home port to the principal vessels operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography for the entire State University System.Marine science students frequently participate in Gulf of Mexico cruises on either of two FIO vessels, the R/V Suncoaster (110ft) and the R/V Bellows (71ft). Ship time on other vessels in the U.S. fleet of oceanographic vessels, as well as foreign research vessels, is generally obtained through federal funding.
Over the past decade, the College's students and faculty have conducted research in the Antarctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Norwegian, Bering, and Caribbean Seas.
MS and PhD degree programs are offered in Biological, Chemical, Geological, and Physical Oceanography.
Educational Outreach is conducted through various interactive programs; some are web-based, some hands-on.
