Virginia Institute of Marine Science

$100M gift to establish W&M’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences A transformational $100 million gift from philanthropist Jane Batten HON ’17, L.H.D. ’19 will catalyze the newly named Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences.

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News & Features

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In the News 2024 Dead Zone Report Card This year's report card suggests that the volume of hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay was somewhat larger than the long-term average from 1985-2023 but the duration was slightly shorter.

In the News Current Models May Overestimate Future Bay Dead Zones A Batten School & VIMS study found surprising variability in the results of different modeling methodologies for predicting future dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay.

In the News “The Arts and Sciences Have a Lot in Common, and that’s Our Love for the Planet” Professional painter Tricia Bass recently partnered with William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS for an Artist-in-Residence pilot program, with the idea that art can generate interest in marine science.

In the News Winners of 25th Annual Photo Contest Announced The annual photo contest at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS recognizes the most noteworthy images captured by faculty, staff and students while in the field and laboratory. One Grand Prize winner was selected, as well as five category winners.

In the News A Poor Year for Juvenile Striped Bass in Virginia Waters The 2024 Juvenile Striped Bass Seine Survey recorded a mean value of 3.43 fish per seine haul in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay, marking the second consecutive year of below-average recruitment in Virginia tributaries.

In the News Study Suggests Decline in Striped Bass Nursery Habitat in the Chesapeake Bay A study by researchers at William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS suggests that a loss of suitable nursery habitat for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay may be contributing to lower numbers of juvenile fish.

In the News Comeback Continues for Virginia's Bay Scallops Thanks to more than a decade of restoration efforts, the population of bay scallops in Virginia's southern coastal bays may be approaching sustainable levels.

In the News Tack Lecture Brings Salt Marsh to Sadler Center Dive into the salt marsh with marine ecologist David Johnson at William & Mary’s fall Tack Lecture on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium.

In the News Marine Life Day Breaks Records, Inspires Hundreds at Eastern Shore Lab William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS researchers, students and volunteers introduced a record number of attendees to a broad spectrum of marine science experiences.

In the News Summer Camps Provide Hands-On Learning for Young Students William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS welcome rising third through eighth graders for week-long programs focused on the Chesapeake Bay, coastal ecosystems and environmental stewardship.

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What We Do

Photo of two children seining on the York River.

What We Do

Research & Advisory Services

VIMS is a premier coastal and marine sciences research institute and a state agency with a mandate to conduct research and provide sound scientific advice to the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the years since our founding in 1940, we have developed unique capabilities in people, practices and infrastructure that allow us to provide the honest, unbiased science and guidance needed to help address the pressing issues facing our rivers, estuaries, coasts and oceans.

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Batten School

William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences at VIMS is a preeminent graduate school, providing a world-class education in coastal and marine sciences. M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs prepare students to address societal and global challenges in estuarine, coastal and marine systems. Opportunities also exist for undergraduate students, who can conduct hands-on research and minor in Marine Science through a collaboration with Arts & Sciences at William & Mary.

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Outreach & Education

Our outreach activities and place-based learning opportunities for school groups, teachers, political leaders and the public reach more than 30,000 people each year. Developing an engaged citizenry ready to tackle the challenges posed by global change is a core element of our work.

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Upcoming Events

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