The Visitor Center showcases marine research by scientists from Oregon State University and state and federal agencies who have laboratories at The OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center campus in Newport. Their work helps us to better appreciate, understand and make choices about our marine world.

The links listed below are just a sample of the fascinating work being done at the HMSC. Explore the HMSC web site for more information.

These links will take you away from the Visitor Center site; set a bookmark or use your browser's "back" button to return.

• The New Millennium Observatory (NeMO), an interactive seafloor observatory of an active underwater volcano off the Oregon coast, from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
• Oysters were among the first research projects in Newport; work is continuing to develop food sources for commercially grown oysters and develop better oyster stocks.
• Details about the behavior, abundance and distribution of whales and other marine mammals help us better understand these incredible creatures.
• Poisonous algae bloom, or "Red Tides," can kill humans and fish. The Northwest Fisheries Science Center is studying what causes these blooms and how they might be controlled.
• The full impacts of coastal pollution are not yet understood, but can be far-reaching. Understanding the scope and consequences of environmental pollution is another role of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
• Fishing, recreation, transport, at-sea drilling - human activities can be noisy, and there's growing evidence that the noise we make affects whales and other undersea communities. The NOAA Vents Program's acousting monitoring projects study noise levels in the ocean and underwater communication.
• Living on the Pacific Rim is not without its dangers; one of them is the potential for tsunamis - tidal waves caused by undersea earthquakes. The Pacific Marine Environmental Lab is studying ways to reduce the risks from tsunamis.
• Take a graphical tour of other fascinating projects being conducted in collaboration with the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
• Research programs at the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University include projects conducted from campus and around the world.
• Oregon Sea Grant, which manages the Visitor Center, also supports marine research along with outreach, communication and educational activities.

Nearby Yaquina Bay and its estuary are a living laboratory for researchers at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

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