The key disciplinary areas at SCSIO are tropical marine environmental dynamics and ecosystems; marginal sea geological evolution and energy resources; sustainable utilization of tropical marine biological resources; and monitoring of the marine environment.
The institute’s research focuses on the structure and evolution of the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in tropical marginal seas and their interaction with each other; the influence of these interactions on natural resources and environmental change; and the development of a unique model for the South China Sea in order to understand its environment and exploit its marine resources. The institute has also conducted research on marine mineral and biological resources, marine engineering, and marine environmental appraisal and forecasting.
SCSIO houses the State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, the CAS Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Marine Bioresources, the CAS Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology (cofounded with the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry), and the CAS Key Laboratory of Sustainable Tropical Marine Biology Resources. It is also home to the Open Laboratory of Marine Observation and Research and the Center for Marine Environmental Engineering.
Other facilities include the Hainan Tropical Marine Life Experimental Station, the Marine Biology Research Station at Daya Bay, the Marine Economic Animal Research Station of Zhanjiang City, and the Marine Plant Research Station of Shantou City. SCSIO has two research vessels, Shiyan 2 and Shiyan 3, which are capable of carrying out large-scale oceanographic surveys. The institute is also acquiring a new small-waterplane-area twin hull (SWATH) ship for research purposes. In addition, SCSIO has a Tropical Marine Biology Specimen Hall and an Information Service Center.
The institute has 590 staff members, including 79 senior researchers, 83 Ph.D. advisers. The institute has recruited 24 scientists through the CAS Hundred Talent Program fellows, of whom seven receive support through the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars.
