Scottish Association for Marine Science

The Scottish Association for Marine Science is one of Europe's leading marine science research organisations, one of the oldest oceanographic organisations in the world and is Scotland’s largest and oldest independent marine science organisation.Sited on the Dunstaffnage peninsula, beside Dunstaffnage Castle and near Oban, Argyll on the Scottish west coast, SAMS marine research and teaching portfolio is diverse in topic and discipline, global in outlook and relevance, and delivered in partnership with academic, business, government, regulatory, voluntary and civic society colleagues.Advanced research is carried out in the marine environment, including polar research in the Arctic and Antarctic.SAMS delivers marine science for a productive and sustainably managed marine environment through innovative research, education and engagement with society.ResearchIn addition to marine research, in the fields of marine processes and climate change, renewable energy, the Arctic, marine prosperity and sustainability, and mining impacts, the institute has a commercial branch and an education department.SAMS hosts the National Facility for Scientific Diving, the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa and the Scottish Marine Robotics Facility.It is an independent collaborative centre of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and an academic partner to the University of the Highlands and Islands.SAMS is also a member of the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), and leads Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society (SAGES).Degree programmesUHI students study for the B.Sc.(Hons) in Marine Science, with options of a marine science degree with Arctic Studies or with Marine Robotics, for master's degrees, including the two year Erasmus Plus Joint master's degree in Aquaculture, Environment and Society (ACES) and for Ph.D.s and are mostly based at the station. Undergraduate students are posted there for at least three of their four years.