The University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Science has recently undergone extensive renovations, revealing a revamped first floor of the Education and Outreach building. What was once a small program housed in a 400 sqft. basement has now expanded to over 30,000 sqft. of classrooms, labs, and offices. This expansion was necessary to accommodate the growing undergraduate student population, which has increased from 20 to 25 students to a staggering 250 – a 400% rise, according to University of South Alabama President Jo Bonner.
Recruiting students to the program is now an easy task, says Bonner. With the school’s close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the Mobile Tensaw Delta, students have easy access to various waterways for study and exploration. The previous issue of students having to travel to the sea lab on Dauphin Island for resources has been resolved with the addition of brand-new labs where students can conduct tests and experiments.
According to Director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences Dr. Sean Powers, the facility is equipped with approximately $2 million worth of instrumentation, allowing students to gain hands-on experience with the technology and tools used by faculty. This includes the ability to analyze various chemicals in the ocean, from beneficial compounds to potential contaminants and pharmaceuticals of concern. The upgrades to the facility provide students with the resources they need to conduct their research and studies efficiently on campus.