There are several active research programs run by the department. Dr. Robert Jordan conducts research on Georges Banks zooplankton and marine surface films. His other interests include the environmental biology of marine and freshwater plankton and benthos.

Dr. Benjamin Cuker studies the dynamics of inland lakes and does water quality work on the Chesapeake Bay. He also studies the interaction between suspended sediments and nutrients in controlling community structure, general limnology, estuarine ecology, benthic ecology, and evolutionary ecology of aquatic communities.

Dr. George Burbanck has research specialty in estuarine invertebrate ecology, animal-sediment relations, assessment placer heavy-mineral resources, and pollution ecology. Presently, research is supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Dr. Gibson studies gelatinous zooplankton, a unique taxon of the zooplankton community responsible for rapid colonization of neritic environments.  She conducts research on the various life stages of the doliolids and salps to enhance our knowledge on how this zooplankton functions in the marine environment.  She collaborates with other scientist to investigate the affects of the anoxic environments on gelatinous zooplankton and their role in the vertical flux of carbon from the surface to the deep ocean.

• LMRCSC (Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center) (pdf)(website) is a collaborative program between NOAA and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to train a diverse body of students for careers in NOAA and other resource managemen agencies, and to conduct cuttin edge research in fisheries sciences.
• OEDG (Hall Bonner)
• DREAMS (Diversity in Research in Environmental And Marine Science) (pdf)(website)
• ASLO (American Society of Limnology and Oceanography) brings minority students from across the nation to their annual meeting.
• MAST- The MAST Program (Multicultural Students at Sea Together) invites students to spend three weeks aboard the Chesapeake sailing vessel doing a combination of marine science, marine policy, African American heritage on the Chesapeake, and seamanship.
• COSEE-MA - (Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence-Mid-Atlantic)

Along with the research opportunities in marine and environmental science, Hampton University also has additional opportunities aimed at providing under-represented minorities the opportunity the excel in the marine and environmental science community or industry.

Both the MAST Program and ASLO Minorities Program are intended to give provide extensive experience and opportunities to minority undergraduate and graduate students in aquatic science disciplines.