For generations of Florida marine science students, the first taste of life as a research scientist on the seas probably began with the help of the Florida Institute of Oceanography. Each year, FIO vessels host scores of undergraduate and graduate students from member institutions on board the R/V Weatherbird II and R/V Hogarth as floating classrooms. Marine science faculty at Florida universities can apply for free ship time which allows them to take students into the environment they study. Learn more about our Multi-University Courses.
The Keys Marine Laboratory also has played a major role in Florida’s marine science education program. Equipped with classrooms, living quarters and access to vessels, students come there to learn sampling techniques and how to collect data in the field.
Through our history, the FIO also has supported educational programs which introduce middle school and high school students to the ocean sciences. If you’re interested in bringing a class or group to Bayboro Harbor for a tour of one of FIO’s world-class research vessels, Email us!
Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program (FLRACEP) priority areas include coastal fisheries, wildlife, and ecosystem research/monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region; and comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico. These priorities were selected from among the eligible RESTORE Act disciplines after a public scoping/public input process (see FLRACEP Program Rules and Policies 2016 (PDF) for additional detail).