The University of Southern Mississippi
Coastal Research 
School of Ocean Science and Engineering

Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation

The Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation is a private, nonprofit non partisan organization. The Federation was created in 1971, when the members of two older, regionally-based estuarine research societies (AERS and NEERS) decided that a national organization was needed to address estuarine and coastal issues more broadly. The regionally based Affiliate Societies now number seven and encompass all of the coastal regions that border the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Federation advances understanding and wise stewardship of estuarine and coastal ecosystems worldwide. Its mission is to:

• Promote research in estuarine and coastal ecosystems
• Support education of scientists, decision-makers and the public
• Facilitate communication among these groups

Atlantic Estuarine Research Society

The Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (AERS) brings together students, scientists, managers, and educators from the states of DE, MD, NC, NJ, PA, and VA and Washington, DC to discuss estuarine and coastal environmental issues and policies. It is our intent to a foster broader interest in our environment by increasing public awareness of current issues.

AERS is one of seven affiliated societies centered along the East, Gulf and West coasts of North America. The seven societies, while operating independently for many purposes, collaborate with the national Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation to sponsor biennial conferences on topics of national and international interest and to produce a highly regarded quarterly journal, Estuaries and Coasts.