National Sea Grant Turns 50 in 2016!

Maryland Sea Grant is one of 33 university-based programs across the country that together make up the National Sea Grant College Program.

With a program in each coastal and Great Lakes state, Sea Grant’s core mission is to protect and encourage the productive and sustainable use of America’s coastal natural resources.  Sea Grant is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Congress created the program in 1966 as a partnership of academe, industry, and government. Just as America's land-grant universities have revolutionized agriculture, the state Sea Grant programs were created to foster innovation in marine and coastal science and to help solve practical problems. The Sea Grant programs sponsor scientific research, education, and public outreach. Sea Grant has followed the land-grant model by offering statewide networks of Extension specialists and agents who work with local businesses and communities, providing technical assistance and helping to solve problems.

Every four years, the National Sea Grant Office publishes national priority topics. Each state program develops a program of research, education, and outreach that is based on those topics and tailored to serve the needs of the state’s residents. The needs of local citizens are used to inform the national research agenda.

Learn more about the National Sea Grant College Program in this fact sheet.

50th Anniversary

The National Sea Grant program turned 50 years old on October 15, 2016. The network is highlighting our accomplishments and ongoing projects. You can explore selected themes below.

Sustainable Development

This Prezi presentation — produced by Maryland Sea Grant — provides a tour and highlights of Sea Grant-supported projects in eight states that promoted sustainable development in various ways.

For best viewing, expand to full-screen view. Click on the arrow to follow the tour. 

Community Resilience

We and our partners in the Sea Grant network help communities to improve their resilience to coastal flooding and other hazards. You can explore examples of this work in this interactive story map created by Delaware Sea Grant.

Graduate Education

The Sea Grant network has prepared thousands of students for careers in science and policy. Check out this fact sheet containing key stats and accomplishments from these educational programs: