Station Use and Research Support

The Coastal Research Center provides lodging, laboratories, and research vessels to support research along the seaside of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The facilities are open for use by researchers and students from institutions beyond UVA.

Reservations System

To use station facilities or research supports, place a reservation request using the link above. Within the system, you may reserve lodging, lab space, and boat trips for research. If one of these options does not appear on your reservation menu, check to ensure that you have completed and acknowledged the relevant forms and policies (see details below).
Be sure to check our public calendar before submitting your reservation to avoid high use periods (designated by dorm notices or more than 3 boat trips per day) when your request may be denied.
Please also review our dorm use policies and procedures. Details about checking in are provided in your reservation approval email.
The Local Resources page can provide you with suggestions for alternative lodging as well as support for your visit, such as catering. You can also explore suggestions from prior station users about things to do in our local community.

Questions about our facilities or accommodating your stay should be directed to Cora Baird coraj@virginia.edu, 757.620.7016 (Site Director).

Due to the complex nature of the shallow coastal waters in our region, boats are charged as a daily use fee that includes a staff captain familiar with local navigation.
Housing is available in shared suites on site. Linens and stocked kitchens are included. Bathrooms are shared.
Staff provide research support. Laboratories and field equipment are available for use.

Station Fees

NOTE: A new fee structure was implemented effective July 1, 2025. Please refer to the 2025 fees when planning your future visits. Reservations approved for 2025 before the new fees were announced will be honored at the 2017 rate if they create financial hardship on exiting budgets; correspond with the site director if this occurs.

Service for fee	Unit of use	Rate: projects (Sponsored Programs @ UVA)	Rate: non-UVA users & UVA use (Outside Sponsored Programs)	Notes
Boat trip	Per use	$185^	$229	Fee includes a staff captain. ^$72.00 for LTER trips due to staffing.
Lab use*	Per person per day	$15	$23	At our discretion, lab fee may be capped at 6x per group per day ($140) to reflect diminishing use and impacts by large groups.
Housing	Per person per night	$11	$17*	--
Housing check in fee	Per reservation	$54	$87*	To be charged for each check in, regardless of group size or number of nights. This fee covers room preparation and cleaning.
Seminar room*	Per use	$143	$231	--

* A sales tax rate of 6.3% applies to space use fees unless a tax exemption form is provided (only US Government and UVA Sponsored Programs are exempt from tax on lodging). There is no additional occupancy tax. Note: When budgeting for housing, the cost of a visit is = one 'Check in fee' per reservation + (nights x occupants x housing fee); E.g. A class of 12 visiting for 3 nights = $87 check in + (3 x 12 x $17) = $699.

Requirements for using ABCRC facilities

The reservation system will not allow you to make requests for a facility until the following requirements have been met:

All facilities – you need to know about General Issues and Emergency Information. If you are going out into the field, you also should be familiar with health risks, including zoonotic diseases.
Housing – You need to review the Housing Facility Rules
Boats & Trucks – You need to complete a Field Station Risk Acknowledgement form. This is a UVA-wide system and you will need access to your email to use it.
Trucks – You must be either a UVA employee or a UVA student who has completed additional requirements (e.g., a driving background check) to operate ABCRC vehicles.
Laboratories – You need to review ABCRC Rules for Laboratories. Additionally, you need to certify that you have completed the online University of Virginia Annual Chemical Safety and Waste Training course. If you are not affiliated with the University of Virginia, you will need to download a WORD document containing the training materials.
Additionally, if you will be using ABCRC field and laboratory facilities to conduct research or educational activities involving vertebrate animals, you have an approved Animal Care and Use protocol. Note that protocols issued by other institutions must be submitted to the UVA Animal Care and Use Committee for review well prior to start of the fieldwork. Contact the UVA ACUC at: 434-924-0405 if you have questions regarding ACUC requirments. If you have questions about vertebrate work at the ABCRC, contact jporter@virginia.edu.
Researchers are responsible for identifying and obtaining all the additional permits required to conduct their research. In particular, the Virginia Coast Reserve of The Nature Conservancy requires permits and waivers to access research sites on their property. Links to the forms are available here.

You will only be able to make reservations for a facility after you have certified that you have completed the requirements for that type of facility. You can edit your profile to make changes to it as you satisfy additional requirements.

New users are expected to arrive during business hours on a weekday so that staff can orient you to the facility; exceptions must be approved by staff at least 48 hours in advance.

Reservation Approval Process

Requests must be approved before they become active reservations. For this reason, please submit requests at least 5 business days before your requested time (earlier when possible). The status of a request will be displayed as follows:

Pending – a request has been made, but has not yet been approved.
Approved – a request has been approved. You should follow the instructions added to your reservation when it was approved. Note that dates or times may have been changed to coordinate your activities with those of other users. Only ABCRC managers can approve requests.
Cancelled – a request has been cancelled, either by you or by the ABCRC managers.
Completed – a requested activity has been completed. It will now be forwarded for billing. Requests can be marked completed either by you or the ABCRC managers.
Revised – a request has been altered, and should be considered as “Pending” until it is (re-)approved. To aid managers in tracking requests its previous status is also listed (e.g., Revised-Approved), but do not act on the revision before it has been approved.

Disability-related Accommodations

Students visiting with a UVA class should request accommodations through the Student Disabilities Access Center*.
All other station users, including those attending an event on site, should submit a request for accommodations to the station Director (Cora Baird, coraj@virginia.edu or 757.620.7016). The Director will work with you, station staff, and the UVA ADA Coordinator (as needed) to arrive at suitable accommodations.
To request workplace accommodations, current employees of the Academic Division and UVA Health should refer to the Procedures for Employees with Disabilities to Request Workplace Accommodations*.
*When submitting a request, please be sure to indicate that your request is in reference to time at the Coastal Research Center in Oyster, VA. Additional resources and information are available from UVA Disability-Related Accommodations.