What UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute does

The UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI), established in 2013, is an interdisciplinary research and education institute within the University of California, Davis. It operates the Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML) on Bodega Head in Northern California—one of only four major coastal upwelling zones globally—linking the UC Davis main campus in Davis with world-class coastal research facilities including the Bodega Marine Reserve, which protects eight distinct habitats (rocky intertidal zones, sandy beaches, mudflats, salt marshes, coastal bluffs, coastal prairies, sand dunes, freshwater wetlands). The institute serves UC Davis undergraduate and graduate students, visiting researchers from outside institutions, Santa Rosa Junior College interns, K-12 school groups, approximately 12,000 public visitors annually through docent-led tours, and state and federal policymakers engaged in coastal resource management.

CMSI's product surface is organized around three pillars: educational programs, research programs, and public engagement. Educational offerings include the Marine & Coastal Science undergraduate major (established 2013, four focus areas: Coastal Environmental Processes, Marine Ecology & Organismal Biology, Marine Environmental Chemistry, Oceans and the Earth System), the Oceanography minor, summer and fall quarter courses taught at BML, the Bilinski Fellowship program awarding six $25,000 doctoral fellowships annually, and the SRJC-BML Internship Program. Research is conducted across six focus areas (Climate Change, Coastal Oceanography, Conservation and Restoration, Ecology and Evolution, Ocean Health, Physiology), supported by 70+ affiliated UC Davis faculty. Technical infrastructure includes the Bodega Ocean Observing Node (BOON) for real-time coastal monitoring, the Bodega Ocean Acidification Research (BOAR) long-term monitoring program, the Horseshoe Cove Webcam, specialized wet labs (Climate Change Research Facility, Fluorescence Imaging Facility, Invasive Species and Pathogen Facility), the Aquatic Resources Group with Shellfish Hatchery, the Cadet Hand Library, and marine operations including small boats.

CMSI's revenue model is hybrid and non-commercial. Sources include per-unit summer course fees (~$300/unit), summer housing ($4,346 per 6-week session), fall quarter housing ($954 for a 9-day residency), paid group tours ($10 adult/$5 child), free Friday public tours, external research grants (NSF, state agencies), and philanthropic/endowment income including the Bilinski Educational Foundation (~$150,000/year), the Joseph Heitz and Eva Mulder endowments, and Pitzer Family Foundation scholarships. As a unit of the UC public university system, CMSI is administered through the UC Davis Office of Research and governed by the Regents of the University of California; it has no private equity or venture capital ownership.

Name

UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

Legal name

UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

Website

https://marinescience.ucdavis.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) is a public university research institute operating Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve on California's Northern coast. It delivers marine science degree programs, conducts research across six focus areas, and engages ~12,000 public visitors annually through tours and outreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Research and Education

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine science research
• Coastal ocean studies
• Marine education programs
• Ocean conservation science
• Marine laboratory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Davis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Student Tuition and Fees: The institute generates revenue through summer course fees (approximately $300/unit), with additional fees for housing and meals at Bodega Marine Laboratory. These fees support educational programming and facility operations.
2. Housing and Conference Services: Revenue from on-site housing accommodations at BML, including summer session housing ($4,346 per 6-week session) and fall quarter housing ($954 for 9-day residency), plus conference facility rentals.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from external sources including NSF, state agencies, and private foundations to support research programs in climate change, oceanography, conservation, and related fields.
4. Group Tours and Public Programs: Revenue from paid group tours ($10 per adult, $5 per child) while maintaining free Friday public tours for individuals.
5. Donations and Endowments: The institute receives donations and manages endowed funds including the Joseph Heitz Endowment, Eva Mulder Endowment, and Bilinski Fellowship Foundation to support scholarships and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) operates Bodega Marine Laboratory and Bodega Marine Reserve to conduct interdisciplinary coastal and marine research, deliver undergraduate and graduate academic programs (Marine & Coastal Science major, Oceanography minor, summer and fall courses at BML), and provide public engagement through tours, internships, fellowships, and conferences. The institute advances science-informed coastal management and trains the next generation of marine scientists.

Product overview

UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) is an academic research and education institute, not a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of educational programs (Marine & Coastal Science major, Oceanography minor, summer sessions and fall courses at Bodega Marine Laboratory, and Bilinski Fellowships for PhD students), research programs spanning six focus areas (Climate Change, Coastal Oceanography, Conservation and Restoration, Ecology and Evolution, Ocean Health, and Physiology), and public engagement services including tours, the SRJC-BML Internship Program, and the Tideline Newsletter. The institute operates Bodega Marine Laboratory and Bodega Marine Reserve as its primary coastal facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Russell J. and Dorothy S. Bilinski Fellowships at Bodega Marine Laboratory: Fellowship program awarding $25,000 to PhD students for interdisciplinary research at BML, funded by the Bilinski Educational Foundation.
• Tideline Newsletter
• Bodega Ocean Acidification Research (BOAR)
• Bodega Ocean Observing Node (BOON)

Products and services

• Marine & Coastal Science Undergraduate Major An interdisciplinary undergraduate degree program drawing on three UC Davis colleges (Letters & Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Agricultural & Environmental Sciences), preparing students for careers in marine science, policy, and conservation through coursework and hands-on research at Bodega Marine Laboratory.
• Oceanography Minor An interdisciplinary minor in oceanography investigating connections between geological, biological, chemical, and physical processes in the marine realm, with courses taught at both the Davis campus and Bodega Marine Laboratory.
• Summer Sessions at Bodega Marine Laboratory Hands-on, research and field-based courses taught at BML during UC Davis Summer Sessions 1 and 2, offering students from any college or university multidisciplinary understanding of coastal systems, plus on-site housing.
• Fall Quarter Marine Ecology (ESP 124) Marine and Coastal Field Ecology course including 9 days of in-residence study at Bodega Marine Laboratory, exploring diverse marine habitats along the Northern California coast, with housing bundled.
• Russell J. and Dorothy S. Bilinski Fellowships at Bodega Marine Laboratory Six $25,000 fellowships awarded annually to outstanding doctoral students for interdisciplinary, innovative projects based at Bodega Marine Laboratory that bridge natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
• Public Tours and Visitor Programs Free docent-led Friday public tours and scheduled group tours for schools and organizations, introducing visitors to marine and coastal science research at Bodega Marine Laboratory; serves approximately 12,000 visitors annually.
• SRJC-BML Internship Program Partnership with Santa Rosa Junior College providing immersive summer research opportunities for community college students at Bodega Marine Laboratory.
• Bodega Marine Laboratory Housing and Conference Facilities On-site housing accommodations for students and visiting researchers (summer sessions at $4,346 per 6-week session and fall quarter housing at $954 for a 9-day residency), plus conference facility rentals and meeting spaces for external groups.
• Interdisciplinary Research Programs Six primary research focus areas conducted across UC Davis campus and Bodega Marine Laboratory facilities: Climate Change, Coastal Oceanography, Conservation and Restoration, Ecology and Evolution, Ocean Health, and Physiology, supported by specialized facilities, faculty expertise, and external grant funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• The institute trains the next generation of marine science leaders through undergraduate majors, graduate programs, and fellowship opportunities like the Bilinski Fellowships supporting doctoral research.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• UC Davis Natural Reserve SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bodega Marine Reserve is part of the University of California's Natural Reserve System, providing a network of protected field research sites across California.
• Bodega Head State Marine ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent to the Bodega Marine Reserve, creating additional opportunities for coordinated research and marine conservation efforts.
• NOAA Greater Farallones National Marine SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent marine sanctuary creating additional research coordination opportunities for coastal and marine studies.
• Delta Stewardship CouncilsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMSI collaborates with the Delta Stewardship Council on joint symposia addressing Bay-Delta science, policy, and practice issues.
• Santa Rosa Junior CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRJC-BML Internship Program provides summer research opportunities for Santa Rosa Junior College students at Bodega Marine Laboratory.
• National Science Foundation (NSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSF funding supported the establishment of BML buildings in 1966 and continues to support experimental facilities and research programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Schmidt Ocean Institute: Private operating foundation supporting oceanographic research, technology development, and open data. Adjacent peer because it funds and conducts marine science with comparable research infrastructure priorities, though with a private rather than academic operating model.

Direct peers

• Friday Harbor Laboratories (University of Washington): UW's marine field station in the San Juan Islands offering summer courses, graduate research, and oceanographic monitoring. Highly comparable model combining academic research, teaching, and coastal facility operations.
• Dauphin Island Sea Lab: Alabama-based marine research consortium affiliated with multiple public universities. Combines research, graduate education, and public outreach along the Gulf Coast — a structurally analogous institute though geographically distant from CMSI.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography: UC San Diego's premier marine research institution. Operates coastal observing systems, ocean acidification research, graduate programs, and public engagement on the California coast — closely comparable mission and scale to CMSI.
• Hopkins Marine Station (Stanford): Stanford University's coastal marine lab on Monterey Bay. Operates research, graduate training, and public programs at a Pacific coastal location with similar academic-affiliation structure to CMSI.
• Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL): Affiliated with the University of Chicago; long-established marine and biological research institution with resident research, graduate training, and public engagement. Comparable scale and academic-affiliation model to CMSI.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI): Largest independent oceanographic research institution in the U.S. Comparable mix of graduate education, ocean observing infrastructure, and federally funded marine research — though with broader geographic scope than CMSI.
• Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center: OSU's coastal marine campus in Newport, Oregon. Combines research, education, NOAA partnerships, and public engagement on the Pacific coast — a close peer to CMSI in mission and Pacific Northwest coastal footprint.
• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories: A consortium-based marine lab operated by San Jose State University and other CSU campuses. Offers graduate marine science research and instruction at Monterey Bay, paralleling CMSI's consortium-style academic structure.

Regional players

• Romberg Tiburon Center (San Francisco State University): SFSU's coastal marine lab on San Francisco Bay. Operates research and graduate programs in estuarine and coastal science within the same California public university system as CMSI — a regional peer with overlapping programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ucdavis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ucdavis
• Facebookfacebook.com/ucdavis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uc-davis-coastal-and-marine-sciences-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute