The Whitney Laboratory at the University of Florida saw an opportunity to build a modern educational complex with programs that will expose students of all ages to the fascinating marine world.

The 17,000 square foot, two-story Center for Marine Studies (CMS) houses the rapidly growing educational/outreach programs and enables the Lab to offer courses and workshops for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

The CMS features teaching labs, touch tanks and docent offices to house the elementary school program, Day at the Whitney Lab, while classrooms allow instruction space for high school programs and specialized courses for students of all ages. Additional features include a 300-seat, tiered auditorium for public lectures, scientific meetings and concerts, a foyer with changeable exhibits plus locker rooms for participants in field trips.

The CMS allows the Lab to offer graduate level courses and career training in marine biotechnology. Gordon Lohman, member and former board chair, says, "It will serve as a regional resource for learning, will inspire future generations of scientists and, at the same time, will develop a constituency that appreciates the vulnerability and importance of the marine environments."

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