Here’s some of what makes our program unique.
MRM prepares students to tackle the complex challenges facing the ocean, coasts and people, here in Oregon and across the globe. We are a professionally-oriented Master of Science program, centered around these 4 pillars:
Interdisciplinary coursework
The MRM program offers interdisciplinary coursework in oceanography (at one of the top oceanography schools in the world!); law, policy, management; and across the natural and social sciences and humanities.
Robust, transdisciplinary research
MRM students work with partners across and beyond the university. A sample of students’ research includes:
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building coastal disaster preparedness among Latinx communities
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undertaking collaborative fisheries research to track harmful algal blooms
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evaluating the effects of offshore wind development on large ocean vessels
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studying conservation engineering approaches to reduce bycatch in fisheries
Societal relevance and impact
In partnership with managers, policymakers, Tribes, other coastal communities and industry, our students are conducting solutions-oriented research to address not only how and why the coasts and ocean are changing, but also what we as a society might do about that.
An inclusive, welcoming, and professionally-oriented community
Located in Corvallis, Oregon, which is consistently ranked among the nation’s safest and most innovative and environmentally responsible cities, our cohort-based program supports roughly 25-30 students as they develop the capacities and leadership skills they’ll need to thrive professionally. We create an environment that is welcoming to all identities and equips students to bring more of their whole selves to how they show up as scientists and future leaders.
Some students enter MRM after many years in the workforce from positions in government, nonprofits, industry and academia. Others enter the program directly from their undergraduate degrees. Their backgrounds vary widely – from strongly quantitative backgrounds to strongly qualitative. Some are highly interdisciplinary, others are seeking to broaden their perspectives. Some are first generation college students. Regardless of their starting points, all MRMers are united by a motivation to make a difference.
Our graduates are highly sought after. They work as managers, researchers, policy advisors, professors, educators, advocates, consultants, industry leaders, and communication liaisons. They work for federal and state agencies, Tribes, nonprofits, consulting firms, industry, foundations, academic institutions, their own startups, and the U.S. Senate.
Please reach out if you have questions about how you might get involved in MRM!
Warmly,
Karen McLeod, Ph.D.
Director, Marine Resource Management Program
Return to the Marine Resource Management Program page.