Current research programs include oceanographic observations, salmon, herring, pollock and plankton population assessments and Steller sea lion observations. Multiyear research is also conducted on food web analysis using stable isotopes, seafood waste discharge management and on the Copper River Delta, investigations of the intertidal, shorebird and fish ecology.

The Sound Science Center is overseeing implementation of the Prince William Sound Observing System which is a pilot project of the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS). The observing system aims to integrate observations and provide easily accessible data about the past, current and future states (physical, chemical and biological) of Alaska’s oceans and coastal marine waters and resources. As part of an evolving national program, this system currently includes web cams, meteorological data, ocean observations and ocean and atmospheric models.

Our staff conducts education programs throughout the year, serving adults and students of the region. There are weekly community programs open to all ages and covering a wide range of topics. The Discovery Room has been the mainstay of Science of the Sound programs for more than a decade. Every Cordova student in Kindergarten through sixth grade visits the "Disco" Room class once a month during the school year to explore a new science topic using hands-on learning experiences. Outreach Discovery takes our educators to Tatitlek and Chenega Bay where they share several of the Discovery Room topics with students in these remote, small school communities. Cordova High School's National Ocean Science Bowl team is coached by our educators and we assist the high school staff with Science Fair and other programs.

From the Forest to the Sea is an environmental science summer camp offered each summer for children aged 7-15, including residential and day camp sessions. Campers explore “hands on” the living laboratory of Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta, a combination of marine, river delta and forest ecosystems. For-credit programs for teacher training are offered during summer workshops. Many of the education programs are in partnership with the Cordova Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service.