Students Gain Coastal Research Experience Through Southern Miss Summer Field Program
Wed, 04/15/2026 - 09:51am | By: Morgan Smith
For the 79th consecutive year, students at 91少女集中营 can gain hands-on experience in coastal research through the Summer Field Program (SFP), offered through the School of Ocean Science and Engineering and Marine Education Center (MEC) at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in Ocean Springs, Miss.
The program is designed to provide students the opportunity to experience traditional coursework alongside intensive field experiences. Running May 31 through July 31, courses are offered across two summer terms. The June term (May 31-June 30) includes both full-term courses and two-week mini-sessions focused on hands-on learning, with offerings including Barrier Island Ecology and Cetacean Behavior, Marine Invertebrate Zoology and Oceanography.
A second term, running June 30 through July 31, introduces a new course titled The Culture of the Coast, expanding the program鈥檚 reach into additional disciplines that relate to the Gulf Coast and its unique history. All courses include opportunities for fieldwork aboard Southern Miss research vessels.
鈥淭he hands-on field experience was incredible,鈥� said Courtney Boyd, marine educator at the MEC and former SFP student. 鈥淚 use a lot of the information I was taught to teach and be knowledgeable on different subjects. I also gained connections I can use as references and contact points in this field.鈥�
Students in the program have access to on-site resources at GCRL, including the specimen museum, research labs, dining hall and dormitory, creating an immersive learning environment both in and out of the classroom.
Over the years, program alumni have gone on to careers in marine science at GCRL, Southern Miss, state and federal agencies and other academic and research institutions across the country.
鈥淲e hope students gain skills that will help them in their future careers, develop a passion for the ecosystems along the northern Gulf and build a lifelong network of colleagues and friends,鈥� said Samantha Capers, associate director of the MEC.
The deadline for all applications is May 1. Learn more about the Southern Miss Summer Field Program today.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences at 91少女集中营 is home to 13 schools, two ROTC units, and more than 100 academic programs. Guided by the University鈥檚 mission, we educate students, lead the state and nation in research and the creative arts, and advance knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Through innovative research and nationally recognized student success, we provide pathways to understanding the past, solving today's challenges, and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow.