UVI's Center for Marine and Environmental Studies is located (MacLean Marine Science Center) is located behind the air traffic tower for the Charlotte Amalie airport. Give our close location to the open water, access to our ideal research destinations can be achieved rather optimally!

Our Oceanographic lab is a recent addition to the facility. This lab contains numerous oceanographic equipment utilized by researchers to measure ocean temperature, salinity, pH, etc. There are several work stations for students as well as a fume hood. Additional equipment housed within this lab include: Zooplankton nets of various sizes, Dissecting and inverted microscopes, Hydrolab sondes, CTD, Sechi disks, Niskin Bottles, and a Trilogy Lab Fluorometer

The downstairs portion of the facility features several indoor and outdoor recirculating salt water shallow tables where students and faculty can conduct research on marine invertebrates as well as vertebrates. Fresh seawater is pumped to all tanks through a constant flow gravity-feed system. Any use of these tables should be cleared first with Ian Byrne (Boat and Facilities Specialist) @ 340-693-1379.

Their is a classroom in the downstairs facility that is used primarily by faculty to teach various marine/biology courses offered at UVI. The room features a projector that can be used for classroom presentations. A maximum capacity of approximately 20 students can be seated comfortably in this room. There are fees associated with outside use of this room which can be seen on our "Boat and lab fee schedule" page.

There are a total of four laboratories located in the lower level of the MacLean Marine Science Center. These labs contain numerous equipment that our researcher use to conduct experiments primarily with assessing coral health, monitoring fish spawning, as well equipment for the Ecology class. A sediment burner is also available for use.

The CMES dive program is a member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). Dive facilities include equipment rental (mask, fins, snorkel not included), air fills and enriched air fills (up to 49%) for certified divers. We are also capable of filling bottles with 100% medi-pure oxygen for support of closed circuit rebreather diving. CMES research vessels are available for use by students and faculty. For more information on our diving operations, please contact Stephen Prosterman (Diving and Marine Officer) @ 340-693-1399.

The new concrete dock is 170 feet long, approximately 90 feet longer than the last dock which was built in 1997, following Hurricane Marilyn. It has space for eight boats at one time. Funding for the new dock came from two separate National Science Foundation (NSF)-Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants. The majority of the funds came from the current grant, NSF award Mare Nostrum Caribbean: Stewardship through Strategic Research and Workforce Development. The total cost of the project was just over $1 million, which covered the dock, boat ramp, road work, shed and landscaping.