Facility Tours

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Aerial view of the Hatfield Marine Science Center campus. The Newport Bridge and Yaquina Bay are also in the background.
Hatfield Marine Science Center Overview
The Hatfield Marine Science Center, located in Newport, Oregon. We have a wide array of state and federal partners on the Hatfield campus, including Oregon State University. Hatfield serves as OSU's coastal campus and provides opportunities for research, education and outreach in marine and coastal sciences. Through its partnerships, Hatfield improves scientific understanding of marine systems, coastal processes, and resources, and applies this knowledge to social, economic and environmental issues.

 

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Footage from a video. Jim Lewis stands between two enormous seawater treatment tanks.
Hatfield Seawater System
Join Facilities Manager, Jim Lewis, for a behind-the-scenes tour of Hatfield's seawater system.  Explore the inner workings of this sophisticated seawater distribution system supplying reliable access to high-quality seawater needed for a variety of experiments and research.  This walking tour will take you into the pump house, show you the filtration system, and the innovative chorine generator in the effluent treatment center. Pumping a million gallons of seawater a day to all the research labs, this seawater system is one of the key research infrastructures at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

 

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Night view of HMSC Marine Science Building with lights on.
Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building
Tour the new Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building (GVMSB) on the Hatfield campus with Director, Bob Cowen. This new building expands Hatfield’s footprint by 72,000 square feet, providing much-needed space for research, meetings, classes and conferences. Walk up the vertical evacuation ramp, peek into one of the research labs, take a virtual seat in the new 250-seat auditorium, and step into the new Innovation Lab. The addition of the GVMSB allows Hatfield to build capacity and expand student programs anchored on the Oregon coast. Learn more about the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building.

 

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A drone with a LiDar GPS datalogger mounted underneath.
Hatfield's New Innovation Lab
Hatfield iLab Manager, Drummond Biles, offers you a peek behind the scenes of the Innovation Lab and an overview of some of the tools used in the design and development of oceanographic technology. This video was developed for Oregon Connection's Career Fair which introduces high school students to careers in the ocean sciences.

 

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A view of the wide cement tsunami evacuation ramp on the side of the Gladys Valley Building at HMSC.
Vertical Evacuation at the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building
The new Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building on the Hatfield Marine Science Center campus not only increases the region’s marine science education and research capacity but was also built using state-of-the-art architectural and engineering techniques, making it the first universally accessible vertical evacuation tsunami site in the United States. The addition of this building improves the safety of those who study, work and play at the Hatfield Marine Science Center and in the surrounding South Beach community. Learn more about the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building.

 

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Two people stand around a large water tank adjusting large lamps and props for a photo shoot.
Experimental Seawater Facility (ESF)
Hatfield Research Facilities Manager, Cinamon Moffett talks about the ESF, its capacities, and current projects. This seawater lab provides a flexible seawater lab for students, OSU researchers, and visiting scientists to conduct observations and research on live aquatic marine organisms. The ESF provides quality life support systems and ample room for experimental replication with the ability to manipulate seawater and light conditions.

 

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Researcher stands in an aquaculture lab by two large tanks full of bright green algea.
Hatfield Aquaculture Facilities
Go behind the scenes with Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station researchers to explore the Hatfield Aquaculture facility.  This in-depth tour will showcase all the different types of infrastructure in this lab.  You will see the water filtration system, the algal production room, and the different experimental setups this facility houses to support the health and growth of shellfish larva and edible seaweed production.

 

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research graduate students work on sampling equipment on a boat at sea
Ship Operations at Hatfield
Marine Superintendent Kaya Johnson gives you a look behind the scenes at Oregon State University's Ship Operations. The College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences operates research vessels out of the Ship Operations facility located at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. The facility provides quick access to the ocean for our fleet as well as visiting vessels. In addition to our existing fleet, which includes R/V Oceanus and R/V Elakha, we are proud to be building the next generation of regional-class research vessels for the U.S. scientific fleet.

 

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Three college students wearing masks work at large sinks in a research labrartory at HMSC.
Student Research Experiences at Hatfield
Gain experiences directly related to your career interests in coastal and ocean issues. The academic programs at Hatfield engage undergraduate and graduate students through research, teaching and experiential learning. Courses range from traditional marine and ocean sciences to public outreach, marine policy and the arts.  Join us to learn more about these courses and see where they are taught.