Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Science for the Bay, Impact for the World W&M's Batten School & VIMS confront societal challenges in coastal and marine systems through innovation, research and discovery, translating findings into practical solutions and training the next generation of scientists and citizens.

Learn More

News & Features

View All News

Freshly cleaned oyster broodstock. Photo by Lauren Gregg.

In the News Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels After a five-year hiatus, the Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation and Outlook Report is back, highlighting sustained growth in the state’s shellfish aquaculture sector and offering insight into what challenges the industry faces.

In the News Activating Entrepreneurial Energy to Pursue Coastal & Marine Solutions Recent recipients of the Dean & Director’s Innovation Fund, which invests in early-stage research with high potential for commercial outcomes, are revolutionizing environmental DNA sampling, developing "forever chemical” detection tools and pioneering sustainable aquaculture systems.

Secretary John F. Kerry in conversation with Dean and Director Derek Aday during a fireside chat with the William & Mary community.

In The News Former Secretary of State John F. Kerry Upholds Science as Inaugural Blue Horizons Fellow The new program brings leaders, innovators to William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS to inspire, engage and collaborate.

Crew members haul a derelict blue crab trap out of the Chesapeake Bay. Photo Credit: Jordan Salafie; Oyster Recovery Partnership

In The News National TRAP Program Targets Ghostly Issue The second round of programmatic funding awarded by William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS totals $1.8M in support of 13 projects focused on removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters.

In the News An Average Year for Juvenile Striped Bass The 2025 Juvenile Striped Bass Seine Survey recorded a mean value of 5.12 fish per seine haul, representing an improvement over the previous two years of below-average recruitment.

Matt LaGanke (left) plans to utilize his Ph.D. and sub-concentration in shellfish aquaculture to strengthen the connection between academic research and aquaculture farm practices.

In The News Shellfish Aquaculture Specialization Creates Industry-Ready Graduates The new sub-concentration in shellfish aquaculture is designed to prepare graduates to lead in the development of globally relevant science and as members of a growing industry.

In the News Bay Scallops Surge on the Eastern Shore Once locally extinct due to habitat loss, the Virginia bay scallop population is increasing exponentially in the southern coastal bays along the Eastern Shore following dedicated restoration efforts by scientists at the Batten School & VIMS.

A juvenile carangidae appears to be holding an anemone in its mouth. Photo by Linda Ianniello.

In the News Blackwater Photos Suggest Fish-Anemone Symbiosis Underwater night-time images featured in a new article show rarely seen interactions between fish and anemone, ones that may provide mutual benefits.

In the News Warming Oceans May Threaten American Lobsters New research suggests that rising temperatures in the Gulf of Maine may place significant stress on American lobster embryos.

In the News Hands-on science at 12th annual Marine Life Day inspires Eastern Shore residents, visitors W&M's Batten School & VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory recently buzzed with activity as families looked through microscopes, completed a scavenger hunt and touched shellfish, sponges, urchins and other live specimens.

View All News

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.

Learn More

Batten School

William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences 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. At the undergraduate level, students in the new coastal and marine sciences major receive full tuition support through The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program. A minor in Marine Science is also available through a collaboration with Arts & Sciences at William & Mary.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

Upcoming Events

View All Events