Self-Study 2008-2015 Oceanography, College of Geosciences Texas A&M University Self-Study 2008-2015 Executive Summary Welcome from the Department Chapter 1. Introduction to TAMU and TAMU Oceanography Chapter 2. The Mission and Goals of TAMU Oceanography Chapter 3. Evolution of the Department of Oceanography Since 2008 Chapter 4. Departmental Structure and Personnel Chapter 5. Department Resources Chapter 6. Contributions to University Research and Educational Excellence Chapter 7. Academic Programs and Curricula Chapter 8. Student Profile and Contributions Chapter 9. Concluding Observations Appendices Appendix 1: May 2014 Strategic Plan Appendix 2: Faculty Curriculum Vitae Appendix 3: Grants Awarded to the Ad-loc Faculty Appendix 4: Publications listed by year for the Ad-loc Faculty Appendix 5: Oceanography Courses Executive Summary The Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University, founded in 1949 as the first oceanographic department established at an academic institution, is deeply committed to the unique mission of an AAU member institution with Land-, Sea-, and Space- grant status. With strengthened ties to other marine related units at the College Station and Galveston campuses, and significant investments from the University, we are poised to realize our strategic vision to join the nation’s top rank of institutions for oceanographic research and education at public universities. As part of our 2014 strategic planning effort, we have restructured our departmental educational, research and engagement activities into four interdisciplinary areas of strength: Ocean Observing Science and Technology, Marine Ecosystems Science and Health, Ocean Climate, and Ocean Energy. Observations, in a very broad sense, form the baseline for all of our strategic interdisciplinary themes, and are at the core of our vision to transform STEM education through a focus on big data competency. To this end we are innovating a series of new degree programs designed to 1) integrate disciplinary training within the College of Geosciences, 2) build bridges to STEM programs throughout the University, 3) recruit more students to our undergraduate and graduate programs, and 4) meet the demands of an evolving workforce. Accomplishing these goals is central to our strategic vision to elevate the scholarly reputation of the department, because our operating resources are directly tied to our impact on the University’s education mission. Welcome from the Department On behalf of the Department of Oceanography, welcome to Texas A&M University (TAMU) and thank you very much for your service as external reviewers of our academic program. Your visit coincides with an exciting and critical point in our evolution, as we approach the end of the second year of our current strategic plan and strive to contribute to the university’s strategic mission. Thus we are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase our accomplishments and share our challenges, in the spirit of enhancing our positive momentum. This self-study report reflects an inward and outward evaluation of the education and research programs within the Department. The report includes a brief overview of TAMU, an introduction to the origin and organization of the Department of Oceanography at TAMU, together with information about our faculty, students and facilities. The report also details the academic curricula and the different degree programs we offer, highlighting our role in the College of Geosciences as the innovators in truly interdisciplinary educational offerings. Our graduate education mission is teaching through research, so we provide an introduction to our interdisciplinary research strengths and investments. We also include in the document an overview of our present and planned educational and research innovations. Thank you once again for your efforts – we are grateful for your time and assessment, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have prior to, during, and after your visit. Debbie Thomas Professor and Department Head Chapter 1. Introduction to TAMU and TAMU Oceanography 1.1 Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (TAMU) was the first public college in Texas. Established in 1876, it is now among the largest institutions of higher learning in the nation, with a student body of about 64,600 (undergraduates and graduates on all campuses, with 59,129 on the College Station campus alone). The University offers degrees in 139 undergraduate and 268 graduate courses of study. TAMU is a member of the Associate of American Universities (AAU), while also holding the rare distinction of serving as a land-, sea- and space-grant institution. TAMU’s 3,500 faculty conduct more than $850 million worth of sponsored research projects, assisted by about 15,000 graduate and professional students. Yet as is evident from our mission statement, the University is committed to preserving the legacy of Morrill Act under which we were founded: Texas A&M University is dedicated ethnic and geographic groups as it to the discovery, development, addresses the needs of an increasingly communication, and application diverse population and a global of knowledge in a wide range economy. In the 21st century, Texas of academic and professional A&M University seeks to assume a fields. Its mission of providing the place of preeminence among public highest quality undergraduate and universities while respecting its graduate programs is inseparable history and traditions. from its mission of developing new understandings through research 1.2 TAMU and creativity. It prepares students Oceanography and to assume roles in leadership, Closely Aligned Ocean responsibility and service to society. Science Units at TAMU Texas A&M assumes as its historic trust the maintenance of freedom The Department of Oceanography of inquiry and an intellectual at TAMU was established in 1949 environment nurturing the human under the auspices of the University mind and spirit. It welcomes and Land Grant mission to assist the seeks to serve persons of all racial, State with emerging challenges in the Gulf of Mexico dealing with now officially titled, is a vibrant and oyster diseases, coastal disasters, and growing special-purpose institution oil platform and pipeline design. that fully integrates marine and Beginning with four professors, the maritime studies into all of its degree Department of Oceanography at programs, and is among the nations TAMU became the first university leaders in conferring bachelors degrees department of oceanography in the in the marine affairs and marine country. The Department added science. Currently, thirteen faculty in meteorology to its program early in the Departments of Marine Sciences the 1950s and officially became the and Marine Biology at TAMUG Department of Oceanography and have Joint Appointment or Graduate Meteorology. In 1966 the Department Faculty affiliations in Oceanography of Meteorology was established as and support the Oceanography a separate department in the new graduate programs through student College of Geoscience (now comprised advising, mentoring, and funding. of the four departments Geology and Geophysics, Geography, Atmospheric The Department’s first research vessel Sciences, and Oceanography). The (R/V) was the sailing ship R/V Jakkula. Texas Sea Grant College Program was In the mid-1950s, it was replaced by added to the College of Geosciences the R/V Hidalgo, a converted mine in 1966. Ocean engineering studies sweeper, and in the early 1960s a also initially were taught in the second naval vessel was completely Department of Oceanography, but that converted and renamed the R/V discipline ultimately developed into a Alaminos. The intermediate class R/V separate program in the Department Gyre was built in 1973 and was sold in of Civil Engineering at TAMU, and December 2005. The Department is now as a new Department of Ocean presently working to acquire access to Engineering. another ship on a regular basis. From its inception, the Department The Department of Oceanography is of Oceanography has maintained closely aligned with the Geochemical significant research programs in and Environmental Research Group Galveston. In 1952 the Marine (GERG). GERG was founded in 1981 Laboratory at Galveston was created as a center of excellence in applied to support oceanography and geosciences within the College of biological research, and the Texas Geosciences. GERG is organized Maritime Academy began operations as three interrelated groups that at Galveston in 1962. The institution provide field acquisition, analyses, and became the Texas A&M University at interpretation of data across several Galveston in 1979 and began offering interlocking themes in environmental Bachelor of Science degrees through sciences, ocean sciences, and resource the Departments of Marine Biology geosciences. Staff and partners and Marine Science. The Texas A&M include geologists, inorganic and University Galveston Campus, as it is organic geochemists, analytical and 1-6 contaminant chemists, biological, represents the five gulf coast states, and chemical, geological, and physical hosts the data of numerous TAMU oceanographers, biologists, ecologists, Oceanography observing systems, and toxicologists. including the Imaging Flow Cytobot, the TABS buoys, the glider fleet, and In 1983 Texas A&M was awarded the forecast surface currents ROMS the contract to host the operations of current model. the Ocean Drilling Program and the Gulf Coast Repository core storage and research facility. In 2003, we successfully