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Ohio Sea Grant College Program
and Stone Laboratory

Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory

Research Facilities

Considered to be the base for the research that saved Lake Erie, Stone Laboratory provides an outstanding research facility for year-round work. Since Stone Laboratory's establishment in 1895, scientists and students have been conducting significant research on the ecology and physical characteristics of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes region.

The Laboratory’s unique location on Gibraltar Island in western Lake Erie and its association with other programs based at The Ohio State University — the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, the Center for Lake Erie Area Research (CLEAR), and the Great Lakes Aquatic Ecosystem Research Consortium (GLAERC) — has made it an important research facility.

Recent projects have focused on the following issues:

  • Control and impact of zebra mussels and other nonindigenous species
  • Island ecology
  • The "Dead Zone" in Lake Erie
  • Toxic algae and harmful algal blooms
  • Transfer of contaminants through the food chain
  • Ecosystem management
  • Wetland research and management
  • The Lake Erie watershed
  • Economic value of Lake Erie beaches
  • Sediment dynamics
  • Coastal mapping and water levels
  • Contaminant clean-up technology

Researchers from around the Great Lakes continue to take advantage of this facility, and the number of investigators has increased from six researchers in 1987 to over 70 in recent years.

Research housing is available year round. From mid-June through August, housing and meals may be obtained on Gibraltar Island in conjunction with summer courses. From September through May, housing for researchers is available in the cottages on South Bass Island. Each cottage has room for up to six people and includes fully equipped kitchens. Daily or monthly rates are available, depending on the length of stay.

Job Opportunities

Research assistants and technicians are sometimes required for current research projects. Inquire by March with John Hageman (Laboratory Manager) for the upcoming field season. Also please visit News and Jobs to find out about any current openings.