Guiding Our State, Nation, and World Toward a More Sustainable Future
Leading the way toward better management of Maryland’s natural resources and the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay
Shaping the Next Generation of Environmental Scientists
Our graduate programs offer unparalleled access to world-class research facilities, mentorship from leading scientists, and hands-on experience in the field. From applied ecology to molecular science, students at UMCES are making discoveries that shape policy and protect ecosystems.
Informing Public Policy with Scientific Research
A trusted scientific advisor to state and national leaders, our scientists provide unbiased research to inform public policy. UMCES has been a key leader in the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.
Advancing Environmental Science Through World-Class Research
Our scientists work across disciplines to understand and protect the environment. Explore the diverse research areas that define UMCES’s contributions to environmental science.
A Network of Laboratories Across Maryland
From the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, our research laboratories and partner programs tackle the most pressing environmental challenges. Each campus is uniquely positioned to study different aspects of the environment, offering world-class facilities and access to diverse ecosystems.
Our graduate programs prepare students for careers in environmental science through hands-on research, interdisciplinary coursework, and mentorship from world-class faculty across four laboratories spanning Maryland’s diverse ecosystems.
From advanced laboratory equipment to environmental monitoring networks, UMCES provides the tools and services researchers need to make groundbreaking discoveries. Our shared resources support scientists across disciplines and institutions.
A globally eminent research institution aimed at advancing scientific knowledge of the environment, UMCES has research locations from the mountains to the sea—the Appalachian Laboratory in the mountains of western Maryland, the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory at the mouth of the Patuxent River, the Horn Point Laboratory on the Eastern Shore, and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore.
Our Integration and Application Network produces the annual Chesapeake Bay Report Card and assesses ecosystem health around the world, and we administer the Maryland Sea Grant College.