Contact Us

Contact CMSI or BML

The UC Davis Coastal & Marine Sciences Institute (CMSI) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary institute housed on the Davis campus. Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), located in Bodega Bay, is one of our key research and outreach facilities. Please use the form below to contact us according to your specific needs.
Type of Inquiry

Marine Science Studies at UC Davis

CMSI is not an academic advising office, but we can help point you in the right direction.

  • Undergraduate students: For information and advising on the Marine and Coastal Science major or the Oceanography minor, please visit the Marine and Coastal Science program page.
  • Graduate students: UC Davis graduate programs are mainly organized through graduate groups, with which faculty members are affiliated. If you are considering graduate study, we recommend reviewing our faculty directory to identify potential mentors and contacting them directly about opportunities in their labs.

If you have additional questions, please let us know below and one of our staff will get back to you soon.

Conference Room Reservations

CMSI manages two conference spaces in Storer Hall on the Davis campus that can be reserved by CMSI affiliates for meetings, workshops, and events related to marine and coastal science. Please check the room calendars to ensure the space is available and share your request details, including dates, times, and purpose of the event below, and we’ll get back to you soon about availability.

School and Group Tours at BML

Classes, clubs, and community groups of ten or more people can request a group tour of the laboratory. 

These tours are scheduled during business hours Tuesday through Thursday only, and are geared toward adults and children over the age of 12 years. A minimal fee of $10 per adult and $5 per child is charged for group tours.

Accessibility:

Tours take place on flat and gently sloping surfaces that can accommodate most mobility aids. For additional accessibility questions or requests, please inquire below.

We can accommodate groups of up to 30 children or 45 adults. We do not have enough parking space to accommodate tours for RV groups or car clubs.
Please let us know if there is a specific date, day of the week, or time range that you would like to request. Please note that we are closed to tours on weekends. Tours are scheduled during business hours on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Reservations must be made at least three weeks in advance, and are not completed until a member of our team contacts you to confirm availability and details.

Help with a Species ID

Curious about a plant or animal you’ve seen in the area? While we may not be able to respond to all species identification requests, you can submit an inquiry through this form or explore the Bodega Marine Reserve's species lists for information on many of the organisms found here.

Please note: this form is not for medical emergencies. If you have a health concern related to a wildlife encounter, seek medical care immediately.

Share any information you can about the location where the specimen was found, its size, and other characteristics.
Upload up to three images showing the specimen you are hoping to identify.
Maximum 3 files.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: jpg, jpeg, png, heic.

Friday Public Tours at BML

Our docent-led public tours are free, but require a reservation. These tours are for individuals and groups of up to 10 people and are geared toward adults and children over the age of 12 years, though all ages are welcome.

Please do not use this form to request reservations.

Reservations are made through our Eventbrite page: bodega-marine-lab-tours.eventbrite.com

You will not need to show your Eventbrite tickets when you arrive, we will just check your name off a list.

Location:

The lab is located at 2099 Westshore Road, Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Waitlist:

If no tour tickets are available for your requested date and time, you can use the form below to send a waitlist request and we will reserve a spot for you if we receive a cancellation.

Accessibility:

Tours take place on flat and gently sloping surfaces that can accommodate most mobility aids. For additional accessibility questions or requests, please inquire below.

Let us know if you would like to reschedule or cancel existing reservations, join a waitlist (please include the desired tour date and time), make an accessibility request, or have additional tour questions.

Volunteer as a Docent at BML

Our docents play a vital role in connecting the public with the work of the Bodega Marine Laboratory. From leading tours to sharing the stories of our research and education programs, docents help visitors discover the science happening on our coast.

No prior background is required, just curiosity and enthusiasm. We provide training and welcome volunteers from all walks of life, including community members, students, and retirees. Docents can choose to volunteer as much or as little as their schedules allow.

Please note that docent onboardings happen periodically, so you may not hear back right away. Submit this form, and we’ll be in touch when the next training session is scheduled.

Optional: Share a little about yourself! We’d love to know why you’re interested in volunteering as a docent, and if you have any relevant experiences, skills, or interests you’d like to highlight.

Report an Injured or Stranded Animal

BML does not perform wildlife rescue or rehabilitation and does not track marine mammal strandings or deaths. Please use one of the links below to contact the appropriate agency:

Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal

Contact Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue

Contact the Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County

Internships and Research Volunteering

Please do not send inquiries about internships or volunteer opportunities through this form. 

CMSI itself does not coordinate volunteer or internship placements. Instead, opportunities are managed directly by affiliated research labs and programs. If you’re interested in getting involved on the Davis campus, we recommend contacting faculty members through our directory of CMSI-affiliated labs.

At the Bodega Marine Laboratory, there are a range of ways to get involved in marine science: several of our volunteer opportunities are open to the public and can be found on our volunteer opportunities page.

In addition, individual research labs at BML may recruit their own volunteers. For those opportunities, please contact the lab’s Principal Investigator directly using our BML faculty directory.

Media Inquiries

We partner with UC Davis News and Media Relations to coordinate responses to media requests. Our primary contact for press inquiries is Kat Kerlin.

Host an Event or Conference at BML

Planning a meeting, workshop, or conference at Bodega Marine Laboratory? 

Most of the information you’ll need about our facilities, lodging, and event spaces can be found on our Facilities & Housing page.

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out to inquire further.

A line drawing of a sea star spreading out

Join Our Mailing List

Sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter, invitations to events, and other communications from CMSI and BML.
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More Ways To Contact Us:

Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

Phone: (530) 752-8812

Mailing Address:

Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute
Department of Evolution and Ecology
1347 Storer Hall
University of California Davis
Davis, CA 95616

Location:

The Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute Office is located on the UCD campus on the first floor of Storer Hall (1347).

Campus Map

Bodega Marine Laboratory

Phone: (707) 875-2211
Please note that this phone is not continuously staffed and response times may vary.

USPS Mailing address:

Bodega Marine Laboratory
P.O. Box 247
Bodega Bay, CA 94923-0247

Street and Delivery Address:

Bodega Marine Laboratory
2099 Westshore Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Looking for someone specific?

Search the CMSI Directory