Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564
The 50-acre Halstead site is the original location of GCRL, as established by the
State Legislature in 1948. Numerous academic, research and administrative units are
located at the Halstead site, including GCRL’s Dormitory, Dining Hall, Gunter Library,
and classroom facilities (including the Field Studies Building) which support the
long-running Summer Field Program. The harbor at this location is home to the R/V
Jim Franks and Miss Peetsy B, and its boat launch supports USM small boat research and academic operations.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
300 Laurel Oak Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564
The 224-acre Cedar Point site is east of the Halstead site and adjacent to the Gulf
Islands National Seashore’s Davis Bayou Area. The property was donated to USM by the
Jackson County Board of Supervisors in 1995, initially for expansion of marine aquaculture
research at GCRL. Cedar Point includes numerous facilities supporting the Thad Cochran
Marine Aquaculture Center, and the Research Building there is home to several SOSE
faculty. Recovery from Hurricane Katrina damages in 2005 has occurred primarily at
this location, with completion of the Marine Education Center in 2018, the Toxicology
Building in 2017, and the GCRL Physical Plant facility in 2013.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
Point Cadet in Biloxi serves as a research vessel and teaching site for GCRL and is the homeport to the R/V Tommy Munro and the R/V Jim Franks.