VIMS

Areas to Support

Research and education programs at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) encompass a wide range of scientific inquiry and are pursued from within a diverse administrative framework that includes three academic sections—Coastal & Ocean Processes, Ecosystem Health, and Natural Resources—as well as numerous centers, labs, and programs. Our graduate program, the School of Marine Science at VIMS, is part of William & Mary.

Research that Benefits the Bay

VIMS research identifies and quantifies the problems facing the Chesapeake Bay and the coastal ocean. It also guides the search for solutions in areas such as managing blue crabs, restoring oysters, improving water-quality, aiding seagrass recovery, predicting flooding from hurricanes and nor'easters, and developing biosensors. VIMS is also active in studying how pollution of our marine resources affects human health. Work at VIMS is a key component for cleaning up the national treasure that is the Chesapeake. 

Areas in need of support include:

Programs & Equipment
  • Oyster research and the VIMS aquaculture program
  • The Center for Coastal Resources Management and wetlands research
  • Mass Spectrometer Center—to support acquisition of analytical equipment for a range of work in areas such as toxicology
  • Equipment for our Seawater Research Lab
  • Equipment for labs in VIMS' research facilities
  • Student Assistance Fund
  • Outreach programs for local schools
Endowments in the VIMS Foundation
  • Named professorships
  • Named Student Fellowships
  • Named post-doc positions
  • VIMS Foundation Unrestricted Endowment
  • Hargis Library Endowment
  • Zeigler Student Fellowship Endowment
Capital Projects
  • Conference center
  • Equipment for labs in new buildings
  • Research Vessels

If you have a specific programmatic interest, we would be glad to talk with you about establishing a program endowment. To explore areas of active VIMS research, visit Research & Services.