Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Dauphin Island Sea Lab The state of Alabama's marine education and research center. The research programs of the DISL range from biogeochemistry and oceanography to ecosystem ecology.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab's University Programs (UP) serves Alabama's 21 four-year colleges and universities through summer college courses and graduate programs. Discovery Hall Programs (DHP) encompasses K-12 field programs, teacher-training, and public engagement. The BayMobile, DISL's traveling classroom, allows Sea Lab educators to bring marine science lessons to schools all across the state.

The Estuarium, the public aquarium of the DISL, focuses solely on the Mobile-Tensaw Estuary System, and offers a variety of hands on exhibits including the Rays of the Bay Tank, creature table, and and touch tank. Most of our research focuses on the near-shore and estuarine processes of the northern Gulf of Mexico, however, field sites of our internationally-renowned faculty also include Mexico, Australia, and Croatia and other countries. DISL offers state and local government, industry and agency decision makers a range of coastal zone management services. One of key contributors to coastal zone management is the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, which falls within the DISL’s numerous programs. DISL is also the home of a nationally acclaimed data management center. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Executive Director is Dr. John Valentine.

06/03/2026
06/02/2026
Congratulations!!
05/28/2026

Congratulations!!

05/27/2026
05/27/2026

Celebrate World Ocean Day with us! Join us on June 6 from 10 AM to 2 PM for a hands-on day all about reefs and the important role they play in our estuary and the Gulf.

Explore the many types of reefs that support life in our estuary and the Gulf through building model reefs.Watch them grow throughout the event, then stop back to see them on display at the aquarium for the rest of the week.Come create, learn, and help us celebrate the habitats that make our ocean so special!

We had fun with our friends from Friends University during their sampling trip last week at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. ...
05/26/2026

We had fun with our friends from Friends University during their sampling trip last week at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Even their mascot, Freddy the Falcon, was able to tag along.

Friends U faculty member Dr. Ana Jurcak-Detter led the group of students.

Friends University and the DISL recently announced an educational partnership that expands access to immersive coastal and marine science learning opportunities for undergraduate students.

This month, marks one year since the deployment of the Sofar Spotter Buoy. It's part of Alabama's Real-Time Coastal Obse...
05/22/2026

This month, marks one year since the deployment of the Sofar Spotter Buoy. It's part of Alabama's Real-Time Coastal Observing System, which updates coastal Alabama's water conditions every thirty minutes.

The buoy, located off the coast of Dauphin Island, measures wave height, wave direction, surface temperature, and surface pressure.

Download the app to your phone to stay connected to the latest water conditions this summer. https://www.disl.edu/arcos/

ARCOS is maintained by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Historical data is available back to 2003.

The buoy was made possible with funding from the Gulf of America Coastal Ocean Observing System.

An exciting day on the island with the release of several sea turtles that were rehabbed at the Audubon Nature Institute...
05/21/2026

An exciting day on the island with the release of several sea turtles that were rehabbed at the Audubon Nature Institute. And just ahead of World Turtle Day on May 23.

A few of our summer University Programs’ students and Dr. Katrina Phillips were there.

Dr. Phillips is a sea turtle expert and a senior marine scientist at DISL. We chatted with her about the sea turtles of the Gulf in our latest podcast. Check it out in the link below!

https://www.disl.edu/podcast/2026/sea-lab-sidebar-sea-turtles-of-the-gulf/

Address

101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island, AL
36528

Telephone

+12518612141

Website

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