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Highlights

 
Sally Palmer is the Communications Coordinator for The University of Texas Marine Science Institute. She received a bachelor of science in marine biology from the University of Rhode Island and earned a masters degree in marine science from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001. Prior to her position handling communications, Sally served as the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve Manager. She also has research experience with benthic ecology, hypoxia, and ecosystem dynamics. Since 2006, Sally has help secure over $16 million in funding for administration, research and construction of educational facilities.
Public Lecture Series is Back!

Public Lecture Series is Back!

The University of Texas Marine Science Institute hosts a FREE public lecture series every winter. This year, lectures are every Thursday in February. They begin at 7:00 p.m. and the doors open at 6:30 p.m.. Pioneer Beach Resort, 120 Gulfwind Drive,...
'Tis the Season for Science

'Tis the Season for Science

Shout out to students who love science! Today's Port Aransas Science Fair is a culmination of research and experimentation by 4th and 5th graders from H.G. Olsen Elementary School.  Each student designed, executed, and analyzed the results of their own science...
It’s a SWaMP Thing

It’s a SWaMP Thing

With the wind whipping through her hair, donning polarized sunglasses and a bucket full of probes, research associate, Kelley Savage is the opposite of who you’d imagine when you picture the slimy green, frightening, superhero Swamp Thing. Unlikely as it may...
Beware of the Dead Zone; it’s sucking the oxygen out of the ocean

Beware of the Dead Zone; it’s sucking the oxygen out of the ocean

Deep beneath the waves of northern Gulf of Mexico is an area so dark and devoid of oxygen that few creatures can survive. It’s the Dead Zone and every summer it grows to cover on average of over 5,000 square miles...
2020 Discovery Fellowship Application Open

2020 Discovery Fellowship Application Open

This highly selective doctoral studies fellowship is open to recent graduates with a bachelor or master of science degree. The fellowship will support an exceptional student with full tuition, competitive stipend, fringe benefits, and subsidized residential housing for five years. The...
Finding the Bad Actors in Fish Poisoning

Finding the Bad Actors in Fish Poisoning

Peering into an image of lots of brightly colored lines that look like a barcode, Dr. Deana Erdner, an associate professor the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, is on the hunt. She’s stalking dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus, to see...
Viruses in mangrove muck may be important influencer of methane emission

Viruses in mangrove muck may be important influencer of methane emission

PORT ARANSAS - Viruses aren’t just in the germy smear a kindergartener can leave on the refrigerator door; they are all around us and infect every living creature. In fact, viruses may play a big role in the amount of methane...
A Hawaiian Cruise for Camera Enthusiast

A Hawaiian Cruise for Camera Enthusiast

  PORT ARANSAS - This summer, biological oceanographer Tracy Villareal cashed in some frequent flyer miles and caught a flight to hop onboard a cruise off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. The cruise had all the promise of relaxation: calm seas,...
Fingerprinting Oil

Fingerprinting Oil

Oil is no stranger to the Gulf of Mexico and recently beachgoers have come face to face with sometimes-sticky oil remnants or tar balls. Oil can be released in gulf waters from naturally occurring seeps, or through accidents associated with man-made...
Back to School Shopping; when there’s a lab coat involved

Back to School Shopping; when there’s a lab coat involved

This week students around the country head back to the classroom. The graduate students at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are no less immune to the headache of back to school shopping, but instead of erasers and rulers, their...
Two-year Anniversary of Hurricane Harvey

Two-year Anniversary of Hurricane Harvey

August 25th, 2019 marked the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey. UTMSI sustained approximately $45 million dollars worth of damage. It's been a long road to recovery, but we have made great progress.  
Ageless Learning by the Sea

Ageless Learning by the Sea

Quick, grandmother grab the end of the seine net. That phrase and many other unusual shouts were just a few that could be overheard during an Intergenerational Road Scholar Program hosted June 9-14th at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute....
Going to Bat for the Oceans

Going to Bat for the Oceans

June 8th was World Oceans Day and what better way to celebrate than to clean up the beach. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute and the Mission-Aransas Reserve partnered up with the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Texas Coastal Bend...
Port Aransas Ranks Near Top of Global Nature Challenge

Port Aransas Ranks Near Top of Global Nature Challenge

Port Aransas may be a small town, but we are mighty when it comes to observing and documenting our wildlife. This year, Port Aransas and Mustang Island competed in the fourth annual City Nature Challenge. Over 150 cities across six continents...
Staff Service Awards

Staff Service Awards

We'd like to wish a heart-felt congratulations to several of our staff for their service to the University. They are all extraordinarily dedicated employees who work hard to provide a valuable service to a wide variety of customers (supervisor, other faculty...
Earth Day is for the Birds

Earth Day is for the Birds

Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, this day has sparked hundreds of thousands of efforts to raise awareness about the nature that surrounds us. On today’s Earth Day, the Mission-Aransas Reserve at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute...
Ready, Set, Go - Global Nature Challenge

Ready, Set, Go - Global Nature Challenge

Citizen scientists have the opportunity to compete to see who can submit the most observations about nature. This is the fourth annual City Nature Challenge, and this year the communities of Port Aransas and Mustang Island can compete with counterparts over...
Keyser Awarded Francis M. Peacock Scholarship

Keyser Awarded Francis M. Peacock Scholarship

The Coastal Bend is one of the most “birdiest” regions in America. This region is also experiencing climatic shifts that are causing an increase in mangroves. Bird species in coastal regions, which rely heavily on specific plant communities, are particularly vulnerable...
Communities Plan for Continued Conservation

Communities Plan for Continued Conservation

A hurricane or other natural disaster can cause large and multiple changes to parks and natural areas. After Hurricane Harvey ripped through the Coastal Bend, it provided a unique opportunity for community planners take a step back and implement strategies to...
CCA Lends a Hand

CCA Lends a Hand

A group of 20 do-gooders from the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Austin Chapter were onsite at the Wetlands Education Center this past Friday. The volunteer team was part of the CCA-Austin’s effort to serve and support local communities. “We try to...