Our Mission Statement

The Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center (PSSCEC), under the administrative authority of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, is a teaching, research and public outreach facility that houses initiatives related to the conservation, restoration, and understanding of the natural ecology and living resources of Maryland’s coastal waters. The Center’s mission is to inspire and empower scientific leaders — both current and future — to drive collaboration and innovation in protecting, restoring, and sustaining Maryland’s diverse coastal ecosystems for a resilient future. Since 2005, the PSSCEC has fostered and sustained partnerships among University System of Maryland institutions, the National and State Park Service, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation, and other local and non-governmental organizations. The center serves as an undergraduate and graduate research and teaching facility in addition to an educational and interpretive center for public outreach which includes programs for teachers and students at the K-12 levels.