UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

@ucdmarinescience.bsky.social

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At the UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute and Bodega Marine Laboratory, we dive deep into discovery, nurture marine stewardship, and outswim the ordinary.

A collage of portraits of the six 2026-27 Bilinski Fellows at BML. In the center, a white background stretches across with dark blue text that reads "Bilinski Fellowships at Bodega Marine Laboratory, 2026-2027 Fellows"
A photograph of two fawns, one nestled closely to its mother as they walk across the coastal scrub at the Bodega Marine Reserve. They are alert, with their large ears pointed upward and eyes watching their surroundings. Brightly colored flags dot the grassland, and the ocean is visible in the background.
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Mikaila Hishaw paired with a quote that reads "My favorite memory in the major is visiting the Bodega Head trail at night with friends during summer session 2 to go stargazing and seeing the milky way for the first time while listening to the waves crash."
A semi-transparent background image of Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve with text overlay in shades of blue, gold, and white that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom, bit.ly/bml-seminar-26, On June 24th: Lillian Aoki, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, University of Oregon “Structure and function in coastal vegetated habitats”
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Ava Luenenborg paired with a quote that reads "I am extremely grateful for four years surrounded by like-minded peers and mentors who love the ocean as much as I do."
A semi-transparent background image of Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve with text overlay in shades of blue, gold, and white that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom, bit.ly/bml-seminar-26, On June 10th: Sheila Semans, Executive Director, Noyo Center for Marine Science "Building the Conditions for Restoration; Community, Capacity, and Marine Science on the North Coast"
Grassy coastal cliff with large waves breaking under a pastel cloudy sky
A semi-transparent background image of Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve with text overlay in shades of blue, gold, and white that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom, bit.ly/bml-seminar-26, On May 27th: Brian Lerch, CPB Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Davis “Feedback between Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior: Applying Insights across Disciplines”
A semi-transparent background image of Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve with text overlay in shades of blue, gold, and white that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom, bit.ly/bml-seminar-26, On May 13th: Nick Nidzieko, Associate Professor, UC Santa Barbara “Tidal dynamics of ecosystem metabolism and nighttime hypoxia”
A semi-transparent background image of Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve with text overlay in shades of blue, gold, and white that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom, bit.ly/bml-seminar-26, On May 6th: Dr. Jaime Grimm, Assistant Professor, University of Victoria “Co-producing knowledge for sustainable fisheries and biodiversity governance”
A mother harbor seal and her pup swimming in the ocean. The pup is perched on the mother's back, and she is tilting her head up to look back at the pup.
A graphic made of dark blue and white elements over a background image of Horseshoe Cove, with the Bodega Marine Laboratory logo and text that reads "UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory Seminar Series. Most Wednesdays at 3pm PT Virtual through Zoom: bit.ly/bml-seminar-26 The 2026 BML Seminar Series begins on May 6th
Three students in a classroom at Bodega Marine Laboratory, working at long tables. In the foreground, one student looks down into a microscope at a small glass container holding a specimen.
A portrait of Kendra Chan standing on a rocky bluff next to the ocean. The wind is lifting her hair as she laughs, facing the camera.
A sweeping view of Bodega Marine Laboratory and Horseshoe Cove on the Bodega Marine Reserve, with gentle waves and ice plant in the foreground and the lab sitting on a bluff next to the ocean.
A deep purple sea star with light purple markings being held out by a hand above a tank of water.
A mix of mussels and algae on a rocky surface.
A group of people from the Aquatic Research Collective standing together in a shallow stream, holding a large fishing net stretched out between them, with trees and foliage in the background. Image courtesy of John Durand
A panoramic view of Bodega Marine Laboratory's housing: a sprawling set of wooden buildings overlooking the bay.
A person in a dark green "Team White Abalone" sweatshirt is holding out a curved piece of material with several white abalone attached to it.
An underwater scene in deep green, with strands of kelp and a variety of fish swimming among them. Overlaid in white text are the words "The Last Forests Project - Film screening, interactive event and fundraiser at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory - Image courtesy of Marco Mazza/The Last Forests Project
Students working in a classroom, wearing white lab coats. The student closest to the camera holds a sea star upside down in their hand, smiling happily.
Two models holding hands and leaning away from each other inside a large greenhouse with a concrete floor. One is wearing a knit outfit in shades of seafoam and white, including a hat, purse, top, and skirt. The other is wearing a white knee length dress made of layers of bubble wrap and black and white combat boots.
A group posing for the camera outside under a winding metallic structure.
A short clip showing the answer "For years, a lab in Bodega Bay run by UC Davis has worked to bring the white type of this mollusk back from the brink of extinction" and the contestant correctly responding "What is abalone?"
A group of students on a blue boat emblazoned with the word "Research" in big letters on the side and the BML and UC Davis logos.
A portrait of Andrea Alfaro laughing into the camera in front of an expanse of greenery.
Dr. Alyssa Frederick holds a white abalone and smiles as they look at each other.
A panoramic view of a seagrass meadow from the water level, with blue skies above it.
Alex poses with a fellow angling volunteer on a CCFRP boat, holding up a rockfish they caught.
A group of people wearing brightly colored life jackets aboard a small blue boat with the words RESEARCH on the side of it.
A map of the ocean off the coast of Bodega Bay, showing a route that spells out "BML" in capital letters.
A collage of three images showing researchers sampling and analyzing microplastics with the UC Davis logo and the words "You're Invited" superimposed on top.
A dark blue graphic with a quote that reads "There are very few happy stories in restoration and conservation science. So few examples of where it just works. We have this team, probably hundreds of people who've worked on this project, and it's working. We're putting out animals. They're surviving." -Dr. Alyssa Frederick - Director, White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, alongside a photo of Dr. Frederick holding a white abalone and looking into its face.
A whale breaching off the coast
An image of Andrew Whitehead working in the field with a quote next to it that reads "I think a lot of people would prefer to live in a society where we can predict and prevent problems before people and creatures get sick."
Elisabeth Sellinger presenting to a conference audience from a podium. On the screen behind her is a presentation that reads "Quantifying Carbon Sequestration in Restored Seagrass Meadows for Climate Mitigation"
Two students use calipers to measure the size of a snail's shell
A group photo taken on the Bodega Marine Reserve
A graphic showing a blue duotoned image of Bodega Marine Laboratory with a text overlay saying August 5th, 4-5pm, "Engineering Ecosystems for Coral Recruitment and Survival", Featured Lecturer: Linda Wegley Kelly, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, The Dr. Donald L. Mykles Distinguished Lecture Series
A group of volunteers gathered around several trash bags filled with plastic pollution they cleaned up.
A graphic showing a blue duotoned image of Bodega Marine Laboratory with a text overlay saying August 5th, 4-5pm, "Engineering Ecosystems for Coral Recruitment and Survival", Featured Lecturer: Linda Wegley Kelly, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, The Dr. Donald L. Mykles Distinguished Lecture Series
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Claire Low paired with a quote that reads "in every future family trip down to Monterey, I will never look at the tide pools the same because I’ll have a newfound perspective on all the beauty in the countless underlying processes that take place behind the scenes and below the surface."
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Colby Kalasardo paired with a quote that reads "My favorite memory was at the Bodega Marine Laboratory, where every week, my professor, Tessa, would have us go out and do a nature journal to observe the environment and record our thoughts and feelings about our experience at the lab. I’ve carried on this tradition after my time at the lab, and it’s been an amazing creative outlet for me."
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Lainie Mikeska paired with a quote that reads "Taking classes at BML was absolutely the highlight of my undergraduate career; I learned so much about marine organisms, but also got to design my own research project on the California mussel. Living out at the Bodega dorms for a summer with my classmates will always hold a special place in my heart."
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Zoe Fricker paired with a quote that reads "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities this university has given me. Learning in the field at the Bodega Marine Lab, with courses that took us outdoors and into real marine environments, was truly a highlight, and I would recommend it to all students with environmental science interests."
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Serena Bhalla paired with a quote that reads "Originally I came into UCD as a physics major and quickly realized that it wasn't meant for me. Spring quarter of my first year I took a class called Life In The Sea and it absolutely sparked something I didn't realize I was interested in so deeply."
A graphic showing a commencement photo of Jessica Bartolome paired with a quote that reads "From splashing in the waves to searching for tide pool creatures as a kid, I’ve always felt a deep connection to the ocean—so it’s no surprise I ended up studying marine sciences. I was excited to turn my love for the marine environment into something I could study and build a career around."