The UTMSI Public Lecture Series is returning in person in 2022! All lectures are FREE and specially prepared for the public and occur Thursdays starting January 20th and ending February 24th. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and lectures start at 7 p.m. The lectures will be hosted at Pioneer Beach Resort, 120 Gulfwind Drive, Hwy 361, Port Aransas

January 27    "Listen In: Sounds of Estuary"
Dr. Chris Biggs, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

There is a symphony of sounds underwater produced by both marine life and humans, which tell us about the biodiversity and health of the estuary. Sounds are associated with important behaviors such as communication, feeding, and reproduction, but can be affected by human made noise.

February 3    "Oh, the Places You’ll Go!"
Alicia Walker, Amos Rehabilitation Keep, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

An update on the Amos rehabilitation Keep (ARK) and look closely at sea turtle and Brown Pelican tagging data.

February 10    "The fate of microplastics in marine environments"
Dr. Zhanfei Liu, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

As the production of plastics has been accelerating over the past several decades, a major fraction of the plastic products ends up in marine environments as forms of macro- and microplastics This presents concerns to the health of humans and marine organisms. How toxic are the plastics and how long can they last in the ocean? These are the important questions for the scientific community to address. I will talk about what we have learned along these topics in general, while focusing on my recent projects dealing with plastic nurdles along the Texas coast and degradation of plastics in the deep ocean.  

February 17   "A Review of the February 2021 Arctic Outbreak"
Melissa Huffman, National Weather Service

In February 2021, extreme cold and snow, sleet, and ice combined to produce catastrophic conditions for infrastructure and communities across the state of Texas.  This talk will focus on the unprecedented winter storm that paralyzed Texas in February 2021: the meteorology behind what happened, the impacts observed in South Texas and around the state, and lessons learned for future winter weather events.

February 24   "Migratory connections: how an Arctic-breeding shorebird ties together a hemisphere"
David Newstead, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program

The Red Knot is an endangered shorebird that is known for epic annual migrations from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, but this species is also known from the western Gulf of Mexico. Prior to 2009, relatively little was known about the species here, but a series of research questions, major advances in technology used for tracking birds, and the hemispheric-scale interest in conserving this bird have resulted in a series of discoveries that have shined a new light on the beaches and bays of Texas and Tamaulipas. This talk will highlight the genesis and the progress of our series of research questions and how they are leading to conservation outcomes both locally and internationally.

March 3  "75th Anniversary of The University of Texas Marine Science Institute"
Panel discussion of pivotal stories that shaped UTMSI 

Call Adriana Reza at (361)749-3152 for additional information, questions, and disability accommodations.