Islands Program
College of the Atlantic
Studying life at the edge of land and sea
Maine’s coast is home to between 4,000 and 6,200 islands—depending on the tides and who’s counting. College of the Atlantic’s islands program centers around research stations on two of these: Great Duck Island and Mount Desert Rock. But our reach extends worldwide, with students, faculty, and alumni conducting research from French Frigate Shoals to Alaska’s Barren Islands.
Field research stations
Great Duck Island
Home to the COA Alice Eno Field Research Station, a hub for long-term ecological monitoring and seabird studies.
Field research stations
Mount Desert Rock
Home to the COA Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station, a remote outpost where students and scientists study marine mammals, seabirds, and ocean ecology.
Experiential learning and research
COA students working with the Island Research Center, directed by conservation biologist Dr. John Anderson, monitor seabird populations and develop practical skills in:
- Wildlife censusing and monitoring
- Running and maintaining island research stations
- Applying GIS and GPS to real-world conservation challenges
Related areas of study: Marine science, field ecology & natural history
Stories from the Field
What exactly does a petrel chick smell like? [Down East]
Great Duck Island is a notoriously tough place to land a boat. There’s no dock, just a steep, slippery ramp on the island’s exposed south side, which can only be approached in a Zodiac on a day when seas are under four feet. But one afternoon late last September, a pair of students from Bar Harbor’s College of the Atlantic finessed the landing and hauled hundreds of pounds of boat and passengers partway up the ramp—saving us not only from slipping but also from the dreaded “ass slapper,” a ledge where breaking waves tend to soak one’s derriere. Read More
Love of gulls leads to Goldwater award
Wriley Hodge ’24, a College of the Atlantic student with a passion for seabirds and the islands they inhabit, is named a Barry Goldwater Scholar, a prestigious, highly selective designation supporting students intending to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Read More
As seas warm, whales face new dangers [New York Times]
From the top of the six-story lighthouse, water stretches beyond the horizon in every direction. A foghorn bleats twice at 22-second intervals, interrupting the endless chatter of herring gulls. At least twice a day, researchers with College of the Atlantic’s Allied Whale climb steps and ladders and crawl through a modest glass doorway to scan the surrounding sea, looking for the distinctive spout of a whale. Read More
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