[1] In the early years, SRS was billed as a research college for marine sciences, including biology and archaeology,[3] located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, near Charleston.

[5] At the time, College of Marine Arts students were involved in salvaging the Confederate cruiser SS Georgiana, which had been sunk en route to Charleston Harbor on March 19, 1863.

[6] The Society's founding board members included Luis Marden of National Geographic magazine; Frederic Dumas, French underwater archaeologist of Jacques-Yves Cousteau fame; Anders Franzen, Swedish underwater archaeologist and discoverer of the Swedish warship Vasa; Ron A. Gibbs, Curator Armed Forces History, National Park Service; Paul Tzimoulis, Publisher, Skin Diver magazine; Ed Bearss, Senior Historian, National Park Service; Robert F. Marx, undersea explorer; E. Lee Spence, Underwater Archaeology Editor, NAUI's Diving World magazine; Peter Throckmorton, "discoverer of the oldest known shipwreck;" Pablo Bush Romero, President, CEDAM;[7] and others of similar note.

Principal officers are Brad Needleman, President; E. Lee Spence, Executive Vice-President; Jim McNeill, VP-Arctic Expeditions; Veli Albert Kallio, VP-Environmental Affairs; and Rusty Whiting, International Training Director.

The Society (in conjunction with the International Diving Institute) is now offering a series of research, field and classroom courses leading to various levels of certification in underwater archaeology.