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Monthly Family Canoe Days

Search for wildlife while paddling on the Rhode River with one of our docents! Guided canoe trips run one Saturday per month, now through October. Click slide for dates & sign up info.
Director's Letter: When Global Science Becomes Local

"SERC scientists work all over the globe, and many of their discoveries abroad can help us better understand and protect the Chesapeake." (Photo: Glenn McKinlay)
Free Monthly Lectures: Bay Optimism

Get inspired by true stories of Bay Optimism, with free evening lectures every third Tuesday of the month at 7pm, March-October. (Photo: Chuck Gallegos and LightHawk)
The Mystery of Blue Carbon

U.S. tidal wetlands may store 800 million tons of carbon in their soils, a new study estimated. But the paper also revealed we know far less about wetlands than previously thought.
Wanted: Chinese Mitten Crabs

SERC biologists are asking boaters everywhere to keep their eyes peeled for an invasive species: the elusive Chinese mitten crab.
Making Sense of Climate Change

Get the truth on the science and history of climate change, in this 6-part lecture series hosted by SERC plant ecologist Bert Drake. Watch all six episodes online!

Discover Smithsonian science in your backyard!
Visiting Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 8:30am-4:30pm. Closed Sundays and federal holidays.

Featured Events

Grassroots Activism Meets Grassroots Science

Lecture

Grassroots Activism Meets Grassroots Science

Tuesday, August 21, 2018 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Event Location
Schmidt Conference Center

Speaker: Fred Tutman, Patuxent Riverkeeper

Pre-registration Required
No

View Event Details

Lecture

Tue., Aug 21 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture

Dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Event Location
Schmidt Conference Center

Speaker: Helen Bailey (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)

Pre-registration Required
No

View Event Details

Lecture

Tue., Sep 18 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

View calendar of events

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, Aug 21

Grassroots Activism Meets Grassroots Science

Lecture

Grassroots Activism Meets Grassroots Science

Tuesday, August 21, 2018 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Event Location
Schmidt Conference Center

Speaker: Fred Tutman, Patuxent Riverkeeper

Pre-registration Required
No

View Event Details

7:00PM - 8:00PM

Sunday, Sep 16

Tri For The Chesapeake

Tri For The Chesapeake

Sunday, September 16, 2018 - 7:30am

Event Location
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Sign-in at the Schmidt Conference Center)

Bike, swim and run through the scenic SERC campus, at a Tri For The Chesapeake triathlon! Prefer to stay on land? You can also participate in a run-bike-run duathlon.

Pre-registration Required
Yes

Register Here

View Event Details

7:30AM

Tuesday, Sep 18

Dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay

Lecture

Dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Event Location
Schmidt Conference Center

Speaker: Helen Bailey (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)

Pre-registration Required
No

View Event Details

7:00PM - 8:00PM

For half a century, SERC scientists have taken on environmental issues on Chesapeake Bay and around the world and uncovered new ways to protect the planet. Learn more about SERC’s history and discoveries.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Understanding Ecosystems for a Sustainable Future

Home

Monthly Family Canoe Days

Director's Letter: When Global Science Becomes Local

Free Monthly Lectures: Bay Optimism

The Mystery of Blue Carbon

Wanted: Chinese Mitten Crabs

Making Sense of Climate Change

Featured Events

Grassroots Activism Meets Grassroots Science

Dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay

800 Million Tons of Blue Carbon May Lie Buried in U.S. Tidal Wetlands

Is Your Plant Dead or Dormant?

Wanted: Chinese Mitten Crabs

Image Gallery

Ecosystems on the Edge

Shorelines Blog