DURHAM, N.H. — The University of New Hampshire celebrated a major milestone in the construction of its new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping with a traditional beam-signing ceremony on July 13, marking another step toward strengthening New Hampshire’s leadership in ocean science, innovation, and advanced manufacturing.
The new 70,500-square-foot facility is being funded through more than $25 million in federal support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), along with significant investment from the university. Scheduled to open in Fall 2027, the building will become a national hub for ocean mapping research, workforce development, and collaboration between academia, government, and industry.
In addition to housing the Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, the facility will also be home to the John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center, creating new opportunities for cutting-edge research, applied training, technical assistance, and experiential learning for students.
A key feature of the new building will be 35,000 square feet of high-bay laboratory and collaboration space, designed to accommodate a growing number of private-sector partners working alongside UNH researchers. The facility is expected to strengthen partnerships with businesses across New Hampshire and beyond while advancing innovation in marine technology and advanced manufacturing.
“This building is a clear example of where UNH and the state of New Hampshire have developed sustained leadership and distinction,” said UNH President Elizabeth Chilton. “We are grateful to our federal and industry partners who have helped make this work possible.”
For more than 25 years, UNH and NOAA have collaborated through the NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center and the UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, established in 1999. Together, the partnership has positioned the university as a global leader in mapping the ocean floor and coastal waters—research that plays a vital role in safe navigation, national security, environmental protection, disaster response, and scientific discovery.
Since its founding, the center has mapped more than one million square kilometers of the ocean floor, discovered historic shipwrecks, supported federal disaster response efforts, and pioneered the use of autonomous underwater vehicles to collect critical data beneath the ocean’s surface.
Nicole LeBoeuf, Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service, said the new facility represents the power of collaboration among government, academia, and industry.
“This Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping represents the very best of what happens when federal agencies, industry leaders and premier academic institutions unite,” LeBoeuf said. “This building milestone brings us one step closer to a modern hub of innovation that will transform how we map our waters and train the hydrographic leaders of tomorrow.”
The project also represents the first phase of UNH’s broader vision for the proposed Edge Innovation District, a long-term initiative that envisions a mixed-use community combining research facilities, office space, housing, education, and hospitality to foster innovation and economic development.
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who helped secure federal funding for the project, said the new center will strengthen both scientific research and New Hampshire’s economy.
“By creating a training ground for ocean mapping experts, the project will both contribute to scientific innovations with real applications at NOAA while also adding new jobs to our coastal economy,” Shaheen said.
The beam-signing ceremony itself carries centuries of tradition in the construction industry. Participants signed one of the building’s structural steel beams before it was permanently placed, creating a lasting record honoring the many individuals and organizations whose efforts have made the project possible.
Construction is being led by Gilbane Building Company, with architectural design by Stantec.
“Today’s event celebrates a significant milestone and the many people and partnerships helping bring this project to life,” said Justin MacEachern, Vice President at Gilbane Building. “Gilbane is honored to support the growing ecosystem of academic and industry collaborators in the UNH community who are committed to exploration and preservation.”
Once completed, the Center of Excellence is expected to reinforce UNH’s position as one of the nation’s premier institutions for hydrography, ocean mapping, and marine technology, while preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers to explore and protect the world’s oceans and Great Lakes.
