The Edward McCormick Blair Research station on Mount Desert Rock is a center for the study of marine mammals and oceanographic issues.

[2] In 1968, Father James Gower, a Catholic priest and peace activist, and his former football teammate from Bar Harbor High School, businessman Les Brewer, conceived the idea for the College of the Atlantic.

Three other Mount Desert residents helped establish the college: Bernard K. "Sonny" Cough, Richard Lewis and Robert Smith.

[2] The majority of the campus was purchased for $1 from the Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate Seminary, who used the site as a monastery.

The intention is for students to explore and integrate ideas from different disciplines and to construct their own understanding of human ecology.

With its focus on interdisciplinary learning, College of the Atlantic does not have distinct departments, and all faculty members consider themselves human ecologists in addition to their formal specialization.

Projects are diverse and have included computer programs, scientific papers, ethnographic research, theatrical productions, educational curricula, novels, art exhibits, books of letters, garden renovations, and music compilations.

[7] New student housing is also touted as being some of the most sustainable in the northeast, built partially from recycled materials and featuring composting toilets, wood pellet heat, and superior insulation.