The Marine Laboratory is a campus of Duke University and a unit within the Nicholas School of the Environment. The mission is education, research, and service to understand marine systems, including the human component, and to develop approaches for marine conservation and restoration.

Programs at the Marine Laboratory are central to the Nicholas School of the Environment's mission to provide interdisciplinary educational and research opportunities addressing an area of vital concern--the quality of the Earth's environment and the sustainable use of its natural resources. Oceans dominate the Earth's surface and greatly affect daily life. Oceans regulate climate, play a critical role in the hydrologic cycle, sustain a large portion of the Earth's plant and animal species, supply food and mineral resources, and inspire the aesthetic nature of humankind. Ocean studies are central to the resolution of global environmental problems related to the impacts of humans on ecological systems, biodiversity, climate change, coastal land management, environmental quality, and environmental health.