The University of Texas at Austin leadership, including President Jay Hartzell, Executive Vice President and Provost Sharon Wood, Vice President for Research Dan Jaffe, Dean of the School of Undergraduate Studies Brent Iverson and College of Natural Sciences Dean David Vanden Bout, visited UT’s Marine Science Institute (MSI) last week, December 17, 2021, to tour the facilities and meet with staff and faculty. This is President Hartzell’s first visit to the campus since his inauguration in September of this year. The President and his leadership team met with faculty to learn more about their research and discuss the strategic vision for the university’s future. The team also toured the facilities and construction repairs instigated by Hurricane Harvey. During the tour, administrators were joined by Port Aransas homeowners and Marine Science Advisory Council members Bobby and Sherri Patton to see the construction progress of the new Patton Center for Marine Science Education, which is slated to be completed in August of 2022. “We’re pleased to be able to showcase all of the progress we’ve made since Hurricane Harvey and talk about the discoveries our researchers have made that are making impacts to the oceans and coasts,” said MSI Interim Director Ed Buskey.
