The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $2,512,858 Project Grant under its Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium (MESC), doing business as the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, to develop the Biological Opportunities and Training in Science (BOATS) program. The BOATS program aims to prepare the next generation of leaders to address contemporary and future challenges in managing coastal ecosystems by providing hands-on training, career-focused skills, and networking opportunities to undergraduate students, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who lack access to research experiences during their degree programs. The project will run from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2027 and involve cutting-edge research on the interactions among multiple environmental stressors affecting coastal habitats and organisms, while also supporting the professional development of program participants to facilitate their pursuit of graduate education and future careers in ocean science.