The Outer Banks Field Site (OBXFS) is a fall semester program hosted by the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, NC. The OBXFS was established in 2001 as one of the first Institute for the Environment at UNC – Chapel Hill’s field-based semester experiences for undergraduate students.
Twelve students have enrolled in the Outer Banks Field Site for the fall 2024 semester. Keep an eye out for their bios here over the next couple of months.
OBXFS students study coupled human-natural systems and how natural and social sciences inform policy with the Outer and Inner Banks of North Carolina as their classroom. Classes, field trips, and other experiences address concepts in coastal law and policy, ecosystem scale ecology, and human dimensions of ecology. Students intern with local organizations and complete a group research project, called the Capstone. The students are also fortunate to interact with the local community, which is facilitated by our Community Advisory Board.