Skip to main content

Marine Science

Protecting the ocean for future generations

Two scientists on board a boat at sea

Microbiologist Kim Halsey and postdoc Cleo Davie-Martin initiate incubations on the R/V Atlantis to quantify carbon cycling in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The College of Science forms the intellectual core of Oregon State’s Marine Studies Initiative, a bold, campus-wide effort to address the threats facing our oceans with world-leading marine science research and teaching, global leadership and pioneering collaboration with government and industry partners.

Our teams of marine scientists and students, including ecologists and biodiversity researchers, employ the genetic sequencing and data science tools and robotic ocean sensors to deepen our understanding of the biology, ecology and evolution of life in the sea. Our marine science research helps to preserve the ocean’s diversity, better manage fisheries, and safeguard against the impacts of climate change.

Out there, all hands are on deck.

Unique internship opportunities and field courses immerse our students in the coastal ecology of the Pacific Northwest and prepare them for diverse marine science careers. Students work side-by-side with scientists on research vessels out at sea and on land along more than 360 miles of Oregon Coast and in specialized labs at OSU’s world-class Hatfield Marine Science Center.

“If we harness human ingenuity and recognize that a healthy ocean is essential for long-term prosperity, we can tackle the enormous threats facing the ocean.”

Jane Lubchenco,

 Deputy Director for Climate and the Environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology

Marine science careers can take you out there in all directions.

Where will the tides take you?

Oregon State graduates in marine science start careers in academia, industry, government and non-profit organizations to do hands-on research, protect our oceans and other water resources, educate the public, treat illness and disease, engage in policy work and cultivate and harvest aquatic resources sustainably.