Established in 1997, the 52,000 ft CMAST facility hosts faculty, staff and students from three colleges and six departments, as well as staff from NC State University’s Science House for Educational Outreach, and the NC Marine Biotechnology Center of Innovation for Economic Development.

CMAST directly interfaces with a unique coastal and near-ocean environment – the Croatan-Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System; this area is the largest lagoonal-type estuary and the second largest estuary in the U.S, and has close proximity to the Gulf Stream and unique coastal shelf habitats.

Situated on the Carteret Community College campus, CMAST is within short walking distance of the UNC Institute of Marine Science and the NC Division of Marine Fisheries headquarters, and is within five miles of the Duke Marine Lab, NOAA, the NC Maritime Museum, and the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

In addition the NCSU faculty and graduate students working directly at the CMAST facility, there are over 45 marine science faculty from 12 departments at NC State University that are affiliated with CMAST. Faculty and professionals at NC Sea Grant, Carteret County Cooperative Extension, and Caretert Community College are also housed at the CMAST facillity, affording opportunities for even greater integrated research and outreach.