About

estuary at Sapelo Island

The UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island (UGAMI) is a world-renowned field destination that supports research and education in coastal ecosystems.

The mission of the UGA Marine Institute (UGAMI) is to provide exceptional opportunities for research and university-level education in coastal ecosystems.  Located within the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR), UGAMI is a living laboratory that offers access to protected barrier island habitats, including salt marshes, beaches, maritime forests, tidal creeks and estuaries. It also serves as the home base for the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research Project (GCE). Long-term ecological monitoring data, together with the results from hundreds of previous studies, make UGAMI a world-renowned field destination for scientists and classes.

In addition to a strong record of research, the Institute serves 50-60 groups of university students each year who hail from many institutions across Georgia and beyond. UGAMI-based courses and field trips immerse university students in field-based academic studies, which is often a life-changing experience. The Institute also hosts workshops, professional meetings, and outreach activities.

Scientists, students, and other visitors to UGAMI find a vibrant, supportive community of scholars from multiple institutions and fields of study.