February 09, 2023
by Jere W. Morehead, President
Georgia’s coast is one of our state’s most valuable resources, supporting an abundance of wildlife and contributing billions of dollars to our economy. UGA is part of a sea-grant network of partnerships that are helping us better understand, conserve, and utilize our coastal resources here in Georgia and across the nation.
At several locations along the Georgia coast, UGA engages in research, education, and outreach to fulfill our important sea-grant mission. Skidaway Island is home to UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, through which communities can get help to increase coastal resilience, bolster local industries, and address other issues. UGA’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography is home to the research vessel Savannah and other vessels for research and education. Also on Skidaway is the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium, which provides interactive ways for visitors and K-12 students and teachers to learn about marine science.
Nearby on the Isle of Hope, the UGA Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe offers unparalleled opportunities for experiential learning and multidisciplinary research at this ecologically and historically significant site. Down the coast on Sapelo Island, UGA’s Marine Institute annually hosts more than 4,000 students and researchers and serves as the home base for a National Science Foundation-funded project to understand the long-term impacts of humans and environmental change on the coast.
Through these and many other efforts, UGA’s sea-grant mission is helping to ensure the vitality of Georgia’s coast—and our coastal communities—today and well into the future.