MBARI scientists, engineers, and marine operations crew work closely to develop and deploy innovative new technologies to study the ocean. A new robotic technology lab—the Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility—expands MBARI’s capacity for development, assembly, and testing of cutting-edge tools for exploring, measuring, and monitoring ocean health. Designed by Flad Architects and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the new two-story, 31,900-square-foot facility opens the door to exciting advances in ocean science and technology.

“MBARI research, technology, and data are transforming marine science, resource management, and conservation. Our new state-of-the-art Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility offers much-needed space for our team to develop innovative new tools for observing marine ecosystems that can provide information critical to decision-making about the future of the ocean and its resources,” said MBARI President and CEO Chris Scholin.

Strategically located across the street from MBARI’s dock, the new facility allows researchers to easily assemble, test, refine, and deploy new marine research tools. 

A machine shop offers manufacturing capability for building sensors and components. A clean room supports assembling and testing of precise electronic instruments. Engineers can use a cold room to test how equipment operates under temperatures similar to the deep sea. A weather deck allows engineers to test the satellite communication capabilities of various instruments. Marine operations crew can transport instruments and platforms through a high bay with an overhead crane, and MBARI’s dock for staging field expeditions is directly across the street, making the trip from the lab to the sea quick and easy. 

The new facility has several flexible work areas that can be reconfigured to support the needs of various engineering, marine operations, and science projects over time. However, the facility will also be the permanent home for several MBARI research teams.

MBARI’s SURF Center—Sensors: Underwater Research of the Future—will have a new expanded workspace in the Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility to develop innovative technology for monitoring aquatic environments. MBARI’s Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) is a versatile platform that scientists and resource managers have deployed to monitor marine and freshwater environments worldwide. The SURF Center now has ample room for engineers to prepare ESP instruments for collaborators around the world, as well as lab space to process and store samples. Two rooms are equipped with freezers for long-term storage of samples for future analysis. 

The Ocean Biogeochemical Sensing Team will also be working out of the new facility. This team will leverage the expanded lab space to develop advanced sensors for monitoring how climate change is affecting our ocean. Autonomous robotic gliders outfitted with MBARI sensors can measure how ocean chemistry is changing, which is critical for monitoring ocean health. This technology will also support efforts to assess the safety and effectiveness of ocean-based climate interventions, including marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR).

The Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility will be the new headquarters for MBARI’s Wave Glider operations. These autonomous robots ride the waves at the ocean’s surface for months at a time and are outfitted with instruments to collect data directly from surface waters as well as communicate with other sensing systems underwater. An operations center allows our marine operations team to coordinate MBARI’s complex field programs that leverage our fleet of robots to conduct complex experiments in Monterey Bay.

The new lab will also consolidate workspaces for two cornerstone areas of MBARI research and technology. The Ocean Soundscape Team will now have dedicated lab space to prepare hydrophones and other instruments used in efforts to monitor the symphony of ocean sounds. Several teams at MBARI are working on advanced imaging systems to visualize marine life and ecosystems. These groups will be under one roof with a new dedicated workspace for a suite of camera projects.

The Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility will also serve as the headquarters for two research collaboratives hosted by MBARI—the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) and Synchro. 

CeNCOOS is a regional network of organizations based along the coast that collects, integrates, and shares a wide array of ocean information for the public’s benefit. CeNCOOS brings researchers from a variety of institutions together to share data about ecosystem health. Access to open data is vital to informing decision-making about the future of the ocean and its resources.

Synchro seeks to accelerate marine research by connecting tech developers and researchers with tools to test and evaluate technology. Supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Oceankind, and Schmidt Technology Marine Partners, Synchro works to bridge the gap between R&D innovation and widespread adoption of ocean technology. This collaborative leverages facilities like those at MBARI to support testing of emerging ocean technologies.

The Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility includes 20 new offices and two new conference rooms. A multimedia center can host in-house training programs, workshops, and seminars. 

This new facility is an integral part of MBARI’s efforts to inspire the next generation of ocean explorers and build a more diverse and inclusive marine science and technology community. The lab was designed with space to host MBARI’s annual cohort of summer interns, support our new apprenticeship program, and provide expanded training and more hands-on experience for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who are just starting their marine science careers. 

Construction of the Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility was made possible thanks to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s longtime support of MBARI’s work to advance marine science and technology to understand a changing ocean, and the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation.

Story by Senior Science Communication and Media Relations Specialist Raúl Nava

For additional information or images relating to this article, please email pressroom@mbari.org.