Welcome to the
Schoodic Education
and Research Center

The Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC) is located within the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park. SERC is part of a network of National Park Service research learning centers located throughout the United States. These centers are designed to expand the role of research within our national parks; allow for more informed, science-based management decision-making; and share research results with researchers, local communities, students, educators, and the public. Within Acadia National Park, SERC staff help facilitate research projects throughout the park and, when the results are available, provide opportunities for learners of all ages to discover the park's natural and cultural resources through this research.

The goals of SERC are to:

• facilitate interdisciplinary research that enhances the understanding of the natural and cultural resources of the National Park System and related research at the regional, national, and international levels;
• develop innovative education and stewardship programs designed to translate science into learning for people of all ages and abilities;
• support collaboration and outreach among partners to promote science and learning; and
• provide access to a repository of information and other resources for educators and researchers.

The Schoodic Education and Research Center campus is located just outside the village of Winter Harbor, Maine. The campus includes varied facilities, from meeting and classroom space to lodging and recreational facilities. Its scenic setting on the rugged coast of the Atlantic Ocean offers easy access to coastline habitat, intertidal zones, and spruce/fir forests, and provides an ideal environment for both research and learning.

Cooperative Management
The National Park Service manages SERC in cooperation with the non-profit organization Acadia Partners for Science and Learning. Acadia Partners facilitates the SERC mission by managing program and facility operations; developing financial support; and cultivating partnerships and collaborations among research laboratories, universities, public schools, nonprofits, and government agencies. These partnerships enrich SERC’s research and education programs, and provide opportunities to extend the benefits of science beyond the park’s boundaries.

You can download a printable version of the SERC brochure in PDF format (750KB).