The Hollings Marine Laboratory is built on an approximately 8-acre site within the
Fort Johnson campus of the South Carolina Marine Resources Center in Charleston,
South Carolina. Dedicated on December 21, 2000, the laboratory is a facility that
promotes collaborative and interdisciplinary scientific research to sustain, protect,
and restore coastal ecosystems.
The HML approach brings basic,
applied, and medical researchers together to work collaboratively on factors that
affect the health of coastal waters and humans who live in or visit the coastal
zone. The HML paradigm is
based on four central premises: (1) modern marine research is increasingly complex,
necessitating an interdisciplinary approach; (2) no one organization possesses the
breadth of intellectual capital needed to address the increasingly complicated coastal
issues facing society; (3) the interaction of the research findings of scientists
from different disciplines and institutional backgrounds often results in significant
synergy, leading to unanticipated advances in, and applications of, human knowledge;
and (4) involvement of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, distinguished
visiting scholars, and resource management practitioners in research related to
NOAA’s
missions provides invaluable long-term benefits to the nation and is administered
by the NCCOS Center for Human Health Risk. To facilitate this work the HML is a
102,000 sq ft laboratory designed to promote interdisciplinary research by providing
the space and equipment necessary to solving complex environmental problems.
Learn more about HML
facilities »
Although the HML is a NOAA-owned facility,
it is a fully cooperative enterprise with activities governed by the
five partner organizations through a Joint
Project Agreement (.pdf). Scientists from all partner institutions work
side-by-side in the laboratory, taking advantage of each other’s special expertise.
During June, 2008 the Executive Board held a retreat to recommit to the partnership,
acknowledge the laboratory's accomplishments and agree to a collective future
direction. The Futures Report summarizes the outcomes of the retreat.
Learn more
»
Informational one pager about HML
»
In order to view the .pdf file, you need Adobe Reader. Click here
to get the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Operational Structure
The Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) organizational structure includes a
Laboratory Director; an Executive Board; a Science
Board; and a series of Operational Committees.
The HML operates under a Joint Project Agreement (.pdf) entered
into by the five partners:
NOAA/NOS, College of Charleston,
Medical University of South Carolina, National Institute
of Standards and Technology, and South Carolina
Department of Natural Resources.
In order to view the .pdf file, you need Adobe Reader. Click here
to get the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Laboratory Director
The Laboratory Director is employed by the NOAA to establish the administrative and
research systems needed to accomplish the mission and objectives. The Laboratory
Director interacts with scientists and students at the
HML to facilitate effective, efficient, and safe operations, and to
develop integrative research programs at HML.
Executive Board
The Executive Board is the policy-making and authoritative management unit of the
HML. The Executive Board provides
oversight of program activities and gives direction on other facility and research-related
issues.
Science Board
The Science Board develops the long-term research vision for the
HML, consistent with the HML
mission as approved by the Executive Board. The Science Board
defines the science mission of the HML,
and ensures that the science conducted at the
HML is of a high quality. Additionally, the Science Board is responsible
for fostering interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research and education.
Operational Committees
The Operational Committees provide guidance for protecting the resources assigned
to the HML, including staff.
They also advise the Science Board and Laboratory Director
on operational issues and activities.
- Safety, Environmental Compliance & Security
- Animal Welfare and Biosecurity
- Information Technology
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)