Hatfield Marine Research Center

What Hatfield Marine Research Center does

Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is Oregon State University's coastal campus for marine research, education, and outreach, located on a 63.5-acre site on the south side of Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon. Founded in 1965 and renamed in 1983 in honor of Senator Mark O. Hatfield, the facility operates as a public, non-commercial research and education institution. Its core infrastructure includes laboratories, a specialized seawater delivery system for maintaining marine organisms, a fleet of research vessels managed through OSU Marine Operations, the 2,563-square-foot Innovation Lab (iLab) for prototyping marine technology, and the 72,000-square-foot Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building — a $61.7 million facility completed in 2020 that incorporates a three-story academic and research center, community spaces, an auditorium, and a vertical evacuation structure engineered to withstand a magnitude 9.0+ earthquake and tsunami.

HMSC's underlying technology is the physical research environment itself: direct coastal access to ocean, estuaries, beaches, and coastal rivers, combined with purpose-built labs and equipment. Its differentiating assets include a newly installed fully assembled blue whale skeleton (one of only five on display in the U.S.), a marine mammal skeleton collection, the Guin Library, and a permanent art collection. The campus is home to six co-located state and federal agency partners — NOAA, EPA, USFWS, USDA, ODFW, and Oregon Sea Grant — which collectively support research programs in marine mammals, wildlife refuges, fisheries, underwater volcanoes, and marine animal genetics. A 34,000-square-foot housing complex opened in Fall 2025, adding 72 studio apartments and 5 two-bedroom family units to address the Newport housing shortage.

HMSC serves multiple segments: K-12 students and families via the Visitor Center and STEM Hub programs; university students from undergraduate through post-doctoral levels; marine science researchers from OSU and partner agencies; visiting professionals; and K-12 educators via Oregon Coast STEM Hub. The facility draws nearly 100,000 adults and children annually for education and outreach. HMSC does not sell commercial products or services; it is funded through Oregon State University allocations, state and federal research grants, donations, and program fees. The center extends its regional footprint through the Port Orford South Coast Field Station and aligns with OSU's PacWave wave energy test facility. Marketing and outreach are conducted through bimonthly newsletters, weekly research seminars, Science on Tap events, Marine Science Day, the Big Blue Film Fest, and a YouTube channel.

Name

Hatfield Marine Research Center

Legal name

Hatfield Marine Science Center

Website

https://hmsc.oregonstate.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hatfield Marine Science Center is Oregon State University's public coastal campus in Newport, Oregon, operating research labs, oceanographic vessels, and education programs for K-12, university, and agency audiences, co-located with six state and federal partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Hatfield Marine Science Center operates as Oregon State University's coastal campus in Newport, Oregon, providing marine and coastal research infrastructure, educational programs from K-12 through post-doctoral levels, and public engagement. It houses the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building (72,000 sq ft) with laboratories, classroom space, and a community-serving vertical evacuation structure. It offers access to research vessels via OSU Marine Operations, the Innovation Lab (iLab) prototyping space, student housing (77 units opened Fall 2025), and the Hatfield Visitor Center operated by Oregon Sea Grant.

Product overview

Hatfield Marine Science Center is Oregon State University's coastal campus for marine research, education, and outreach. It is not a product company but rather a research and education facility offering physical infrastructure and academic programs. The center provides research facilities and laboratory space, educational programs ranging from K-12 to graduate levels, visitor center experiences, student housing, and an Innovation Lab (iLab) for prototyping. Key facilities include the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building, various research labs, the Hatfield Visitor Center operated by Oregon Sea Grant, and student housing accommodations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Ground Housing On-campus student and professional housing complex in Newport, Oregon providing 72 studio apartments and 5 two-bedroom family units for Hatfield students, visiting researchers, and staff; opened Fall 2025 to address the local Newport area housing shortage.
• Innovation Lab (iLab) 2,563 square-foot maker space within the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building offering metal working, electronics, 3D printing, and welding equipment for prototyping marine technology.
• Hatfield Visitor Center Public visitor center operated by Oregon Sea Grant on the Hatfield campus offering marine science exhibits, the marine mammal skeleton collection, and educational programming for nearly 100,000 adults and children annually.
• Marine Science Day Annual public outreach event at Hatfield showcasing research programs, offering facility tours, exhibitor booths, and educational activities for the broader community.
• Big Blue Film Fest Annual ocean-themed documentary film festival hosted at the Hatfield campus to engage the community through ocean-related cinema.
• Research Seminar Series Weekly Thursday research seminars (3:30-4:30 p.m.) in the Carmen Ford Phillips Auditorium featuring marine and coastal research from Hatfield and global investigators, offered in a hybrid in-person/Zoom format with recordings available on YouTube.
• OSU Marine Operations (Research Vessels) OSU Marine Operations unit at Hatfield providing research vessels, marine technology, and support services for oceanic field research conducted by OSU and partner agencies.
• Student Internship and Academic Programs Marine science academic programs and a thriving summer internship program serving OSU students from K-12 through post-doctoral levels on the Newport campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100,000 adults and children visit annually for education and outreach
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU's coastal campus for research, education, and outreach in marine sciences. Hatfield is an integral part of the broader OSU marine research enterprise.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner conducting marine research at Hatfield. Multiple NOAA units operate at the facility including Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
• US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner conducting environmental research at Hatfield facilities.
• USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner supporting wildlife and fisheries research programs at Hatfield.
• USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner with research units at Hatfield including USDA ARS Pacific Shellfish Research Unit.
• ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner conducting marine resources research and management activities at Hatfield.
• Oregon Sea GrantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-federal partnership program operating the Hatfield Visitor Center and marine education programs. Provides funding and programmatic support for coastal research and education.
• PacWaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon State University's wave energy test facility part of the broader OSU marine research enterprise supported by Hatfield.
• Port Orford Field StationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Coast field station extending Hatfield's research presence to the southern Oregon coast.
• Lincoln County TransitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty transit authority providing Coast to Valley Express bus service connecting Corvallis and Newport, enabling student and visitor access to Hatfield.
• Benton County TransportationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCounty transportation authority partnering with Lincoln County Transit to operate Coast to Valley Express service to Hatfield.
• Andersen ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building construction (completed 2020).
• Yost Grube Hall ArchitectureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm that designed the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: The premier independent oceanographic research institution in the U.S., combining shore-based labs, research vessels, and graduate education — the closest analog to Hatfield's research-and-education mission and coastal campus model.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography: UC San Diego's oceanographic research arm with shore-based labs, research fleet, and graduate programs. Directly comparable to Hatfield as a major coastal university-affiliated marine research campus.
• Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS): William & Mary's coastal marine research institute with research fleet, graduate school, and advisory role to the Commonwealth. Directly comparable as an academic-coastal-research hybrid with public-mission orientation.
• Duke University Marine Laboratory: Coastal marine science campus of Duke University offering research facilities, field courses, and graduate programs. Comparable as a university-affiliated marine research and teaching outpost on a coast.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI): Private marine research institute on Monterey Bay with deep-sea technology development, research vessels, and public engagement — closely mirrors Hatfield's research-plus-public-facing model on the Pacific coast.
• Bodega Marine Laboratory: UC Davis's coastal marine lab combining research, teaching, and public outreach in northern California. Matches Hatfield's blend of university-based research infrastructure and K-12/community education programming.
• Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science: University of Miami's graduate school for marine and atmospheric science with coastal labs, research vessels, and broad research portfolio — comparable as a multi-disciplinary coastal university marine research enterprise.
• NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center: Federal fisheries science center physically co-located at the Hatfield campus. Directly comparable in mission (fisheries/marine science) and actively shares Hatfield's research infrastructure.
• Friday Harbor Laboratories: University of Washington's coastal marine field station providing research facilities, vessels, and graduate courses. Operates with a similar coastal campus model serving researchers, students, and visiting scientists.

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory: NOAA's Pacific oceanographic research lab with vessels and deep-ocean observation programs. Overlaps Hatfield's federal-agency research function at greater scale and geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hatfieldmsc/playlists
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hatfield.Student.Org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hatfield-marine-research-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hatfield Marine Research Center