• SAMS UHI was established in 1884 by Sir John Murray, the father of marine science.
• SAMS is located on a small peninsula next to the 13^th century Dunstaffnage Castle three miles outside of Oban.
• Brand-new teaching and research facilities were opened in 2004, which provide a modern, light and attractive working environment and complement the centre’s two existing research vessels.
• SAMS has around 150 staff conducting research into most aspects of the marine environment including marine ecology, deep-sea biology, aquaculture, physical oceanography, marine pollution, past and present climate change and marine renewable energy, to name but a few.
• The institution hosts 20 postgraduate research students, and runs Scotland’s only honours degree course in marine science with 25 students.
• SAMS is a collaborative centre of the UK Natural Environment Research Council, and hosts Europe’s largest collection of algae and protozoa as well as the National Facility for Scientific Diving with several ribs and its own recompression chamber.

Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
Oban
Argyll
PA37 1QA

Visitor information »

Tel: 01631 559000
Fax: 01631 559001

Website: www.sams.ac.uk
Email: info@sams.ac.uk

Director - Professor Laurence Mee

SAMS has no learning centres, but is located next to the Dunstaffnage Learning Centre of Argyll College UHI.

SAMS is Scotland’s premier marine science research organisation with established international collaborations on all continents. One such arrangement is an exchange agreement with the new Arctic laboratory on Svalbard.

Find out more on our Courses and research page.