Center for Coastal Studies

NEW! Tropical Ecology Courses in Costa Rica for 2012 (pdf)

Who We Are
The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) is an interdisciplinary marine research institute. CCS conducts basic and applied research, ecological monitoring, public education outreach, and graduate-level education and research programs. CCS scientists and students work on marine topics from the local area of the Texas Coastal Bend to the farthest reaches of the Gulf of Mexico on Mexico’s southeastern coasts and beyond, with projects that also include the east and west coasts, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These scientists and students reflect a heritage of nearly 40 years of scientific endeavors. Their efforts contribute significantly to our understanding of the marine environments on which much of the quality of our lives is dependent.

Research areas include: wetlands ecology, habitat restoration, creation, and enhancement; coastal habitat ecology and impacts; endangered species use of coastal habitats; benthic ecology; environmental physiology; coral reef ecology, environmental monitoring and impacts; oil spill impacts and habitat recovery; offshore artificial reef studies (including fisheries); and marine ecotoxicology.

The CCS has grown significantly since its founding in 1984 and will continue to increase its professional staff, scope of activities, facilities, and influence throughout the twenty-first century, destined to be a premier marine science center located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The rotating photos at the top of this page are by Dave & Liz Smith, TeamSmith Photography. All of the images were taken along the Texas Coast and were contributed by the photographers to the Center for Coastal Studies' Conservation Science & Communication Digital Database.