Understanding the impacts that climate change has on our coupled natural and human systems is a major challenge of our time. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 96% of the global ocean, meaning GMRI is strategically positioned to conduct cutting-edge research on this issue. This includes documenting and monitoring change, as well as predicting and mitigating future impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the people who depend on them. GMRMI welcomes undergraduate students to take part in their work and contribute to the understanding of climate change and its impacts on their coastal and marine ecosystems, communities, and industries.

Students are paired with GMRI researchers engaged in a range of climate, ecosystem, fisheries, oceanographic, economic, social science, science-of-learning, cognitive science, and interdisciplinary studies. Students then have the chance to work with their mentors to design and conduct an intensive 10-week independent research project. Projects often involve field sampling, laboratory experiments, data compilation and analysis, computational simulations, policy analysis or any range of top-tier research methods that help them address their research questions. At the end of the summer, students present their findings at an in-house symposium using analysis and communications skills honed throughout the summer.

Throughout the summer students are also exposed to the range of initiatives ongoing at GMRI, including those within their education, community, climate center, and ventures programs, and they will receive career and graduate school advice.