The primary purpose of SEARCH is to encourage, coordinate, and  implement research, education, and public service among its six member  institutions. These institutions are dedicated to enhancing our  knowledge and understanding of the environmental and cultural  development of the Patuxent River - Chesapeake Bay region from  prehistory to the present. Established in June 1985, SEARCH is the first consortium on the East Coast of the United States that focuses on both research and public education goals spanning the entire spectrum of paleontology, geology, archaeology, estuarine sciences, history, folklife, and anthropology. The consortium offers a structure to initiate and promote interdisciplinary cooperation on studies examining the interrelationships between the evolution of the Chesapeake Bay and the diversity of cultures that have inhabited its shores over the past 14,000 years.  SEARCH institutions provide field trip opportunities, lectures, and seminars to the public, as well as technical assistance to teachers and students involved in such programs as Science Seminar, Mentor Program, and Outdoor Environmental Science Education.