“A Vision of Coastal and Marine Science”
The UNC Coastal Studies Institute (UNC-CSI) is one step closer to beginning construction of the 90,000 square foot research and education campus. On May 14, 2007, Dare County awarded a gift of 34.4 acres of land to the University for the campus site of the UNC Coastal Studies Institute. The pastural piece of land is located on Roanoke Island adjacent to the airport and across the street from the NC Aquarium. This momentous occasion was marked by a land transfer celebration with local dignitaries, University Chancellors and the President of the University of North Carolina system, Erskine Bowles.
During the presentation, county commissioner Warren Judge and Dare County Higher Education Task Force Chair, Tom Murphy recounted the county’s commitment to higher education and the hard work that has led to this day and the creation of UNC-CSI.
UNC-CSI Board Chair Joan Weld re-emphasized the institute’s mission and dedication to serving the coastal communities of northeastern North Carolina through applied research and education. Weld provided detail on several existing UNC-CSI research projects and education initiatives while maintaining focus on the future projects and collaborations that are to come.
The ceremony was capped off by presentations by President Bowles and the chancellors of the five partnering universities. Bowles expressed the excitement of the University for this next chapter in coastal and marine science in North Carolina. “You have the commitment of your University and of your chancellors to this project“, Bowles stated. President Bowles also reflected on the need for the Coastal Studies institute. “The coast has been blessed with many assets, but we also have a significant number of economic and environmental problems that we have to deal with. I think that’s why establishing a beach head for the Coastal Studies Institute is so important to all of North Carolina. We need this place, all of us do, the whole state needs it because we face so many growing challenges that can only be solved by scientists and students and faculty all coming and working together across institutional lines.”, stated Bowles. 
University chancellors Steve Ballard (ECU), Rosemary DePaolo (UNCW), Willie Gilchrist (ECSU), James Moeser (UNC-CH) and James Oblinger (NCSU) articulated their enthusiasm for the existing collaborations and the potential that they see in inter-university partnerships. Chancellor Oblinger of NCSU stated, “NC State is excited to be a partner along with our colleagues. This is a commitment to the people, this is a commitment to the communities and this is a commitment to the environment of our coastal region. We are very proud to be collaborators .“
Soils cores of the campus property were given as gifts to President Bowles and each of the five chancellors. These soil cores, taken with a geoprobe courtesy of the ECU Geology department, are symbolic of the collaborative partnerships that both exist and will continue to form at the future UNC Coastal Studies Institute campus.
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