Abstract: U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) occupies a unique niche by providing earth sciences expertise in coastal and marine researches.Since 1994, USGS has organized and implemented the National Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) by delivering geo-sciences information and solutions.For addressing the challenges, CMGP has coordinated the marine and the land, practiced integrated sciences, and forged a research pattern that aims at establishing the national framework, focusing on regional requirements, and initiating with pilot projects in bay areas and estuaries.Facing five major scientific problems, i.e., integrated sciences, national framework, geological processes, changes and hazards, and ecosystem services, in the coastal and marine research, CMGP has formed four research themes, which combine issues-driven and curiosity-driven researches.CMGP's philosophy for addressing the challenges on the air-sea-land interface is to build a concept of coastal and marine provinces by which researchers could expand the research area landward and could trace the geological processes forming drainage basin and mountains.Learned from successful operations of CMGP, the authors put forward some suggestions for coastal studies in China:considering the geological structure to divide the coastal zone, setting up pilot projects in bay and estuary areas, promoting investigation by using advanced technologies and supporting protection and restoration.