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.

In the News

People Fixing The World: Super Seagrass

Seagrass meadows are one of the world’s most valuable underwater habitats. A University of Maryland Eastern Shore team led by Dr. Stephen Tomasetti, director of the Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center, took BBC reporter Ben Wyatt out into Sinepuxent Bay to see how UMES scientists are looking at a technique called “assisted gene flow” to help seagrass adapt and survive in warming waters. The segment was featured in the BBC podcast titled “People Fixing The World: Super Seagrass.” The UMES team included Dr. Tomasetti, Ph.D. student Katie Tanner and Captain Chris Daniels.

Chesapeake Bay Recognized as a Hope Spot for Nature, History, and Community