The Center for Coastal Studies 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. 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.