About Us

The PSSCEC is preparing and enabling scientific leaders and problem solvers to protect, restore, and sustain Maryland’s diverse coastal ecosystems.  We are located adjacent to the Sinepuxent Bay, near the Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor Center. The 27-mile Assateague Island barrier island system is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by the Sinepuxent and Chincoteague bays, hosting an array of coastal and underwater habitats that harbor vast biodiversity. The undeveloped character of Assateague Island and its close proximity to tourist destination Ocean City, Maryland, provides a unique opportunity to examine a myriad of ecological and biogeochemical questions on the effects of human activities. This facility serves as a field laboratory for UMES’ Graduate Program in Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science, as well as the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center, and various other USDA funded programs.