Renovations Completed at VIERS Lab Signal a Milestone in Rebuilding Efforts

The Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), a world-renowned research facility on St. John, is taking significant steps toward revitalization. The University of the Virgin Islands recently completed crucial renovations to the lab with a $245,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. This marks an essential first step in the journey to rebuild a facility that has been closed since the devastating 2017 hurricanes.

Paul Jobsis, director of Marine and Environmental Studies at UVI, who first assessed the damage in September 2017, has remained steadfast in his commitment to the facility’s restoration. “UVI is looking to renew their long-term contract with the National Park for management of the lab and camp,” Jobsis noted, highlighting the university’s dedication to the lab’s future. Since its inception, VIERS has thrived through a unique collaboration with the Virgin Islands National Park, making it a hub for scientists, students, and community members alike. Positioned in Lameshur Bay within the park’s boundaries, the facility’s fate rests in part with the park’s management. Deputy Superintendent Scott B. Simmons shared, “The $4.2 million disaster relief allocated for VIERS went toward schematic design and funding larger projects.”

While there is no definitive timeline for the full restoration, Simmons indicated that about 30 percent of the VIERS schematic design is complete, with 70 percent of the Lameshur Road project close to final design. Rebuilding the road, which is the only land access to VIERS, is a critical step toward fully reopening the facility. The lab’s history dates back to 1966, making it the second-oldest research collaboration between a university and the National Park Service in the U.S. Parks System. VIERS has gained international acclaim, particularly in 1969, with the Tektite project—the world’s first underwater habitat—which put the Virgin Islands at the forefront of marine research. In 1970, Sylvia Earle shattered gender norms by leading the first all-female research team during Tektite II.