The fundamental mission of the Department of Marine Sciences (DMS) of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) is to increase knowledge in the marine sciences, educate graduate students, and serve the community, all of these through original research conducted by both faculty and students and by providing graduate education of excellence in the marine related disciplines. The department also conducts an outreach program aimed at providing a firsthand marine education to grade 6‐12 school children, bringing marine sciences to the community.
DMS is internationally recognized for its leadership in Caribbean marine studies, and maintains numerous research programs involving broad national and international collaborations. UPRM, holds a long‐standing collaborative agreement with NOAA involving various programs housed at the DMS: Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CRES): Integrating Science & Management in the Caribbean; Deep‐CRES: Ecology, Integrity & Status of Deep Caribbean Coral Reefs; CARICOOS /CARA, Caribbean Regional Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System/Caribbean Regional Association; and, CCRI, the Caribbean Coral Reef Institute.
