2023 Year In Review    

2023 was a monumental year for Texas A&M University at Galveston. We celebrated world-class faculty, cadets sailed across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in a successful summer sea term, student researchers made strides in their work, and the Texas A&M Maritime Academy commemorated the start of construction of the TS Lone Star State. These 12 stories are just a glimpse of some of our exciting achievements and milestones over the last year. Subscribe to bldg. 311, our monthly newsletter, to stay in the loop about everything going on in Aggieland by the Sea in 2024.

Galveston Gets the Gold: Aggie Ring Statue Arrives on Campus

The Galveston Campus is home to its very own Aggie Ring statue, installed in February. The 8-foot bronze replica features two Aggie Rings, one with the class year of 1966 for the first graduating class of the campus and the other with the class year of 1975 in honor of the first graduating class that allowed women and Black students admission.  

Texas A&M at Galveston Receives New Training Ship

In April, Texas A&M University at Galveston and the Texas A&M Maritime Academy received a new training ship, the TS Kennedy, a 540-foot vessel that will enhance year-round training for cadets in ship navigation and marine engineering systems, maintenance, safety and security.

Engineering His Future: Spring Graduate Landon Degner

Former student Landon Degner ‘22 started a new adventure as a structural manufacturing engineer for Kiewit Offshore Services in June. He credits his heavy involvement as a student with propelling him forward into his career in marine engineering. 

Gators in Galveston!

After several alligator sightings on and around the island, bldg. 311 sat down with Katie St. Clair ‘07, Sea Life Facility Manager and lecturer in the marine biology department to talk about the crocodilian critters. 

Cadet on Commercial Sea Term Helps Dock TS Kennedy in Tampa

Junior Marine Transportation major Jacob Zahorsky ‘25, on board the tug Endeavor, helped dock the TS Kennedy in Tampa as part of his summer internship with Marine Towing of Tampa. The arrival of the Kennedy in Tampa marked the end of the second leg of Summer Sea Term 2023. While sophomore and senior cadets sail each summer on the TS Kennedy, junior cadets have the opportunity to do a commercial sea term with a company instead of the university. 

Texas A&M-Galveston Returns Rare Sea Turtle To Gulf Of Mexico

Nearly two years after Tally the turtle washed up on a beach in the UK, scientists from the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research helped reintroduce her to her natural habitat.

Sea Camp Encourages Lifelong Learning

There is no summer lull on campus! Activity buzzes all season long in the Sea Aggie Center and beyond because of one of the largest outreach programs at Texas A&M University at Galveston.

Seafood Safety Lab Keeps Food Poisoning Off The Menu

Texas A&M University at Galveston is home to the Seafood Safety Lab, the only non-Food and Drug Administration lab in the country approved by the FDA and National Shellfish Sanitation Program to analyze shellfish for two of the most common bacterial pathogens: Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. For over three decades, the lab has monitored bacteria found in shellfish, seawater and non-potable water from Galveston Bay.

Former Student Bringing Change To The Museum World

In Denver, Colorado, Tanise Fox ’16 wants museums to be a place where visitors can "really feel" the items on display. She means that literally. When her professional background in traditional museums left her wanting more, she joined the team at Meow Wolf ahead of their Denver opening. 

The Impact Of Black Friday: Q&A With Dr. Cassia Bomer Galvao

With the year's busiest buying season in full swing, bldg. 311 sat down with Dr. Cassia Bomer Galvao, an assistant professor in the Department of Maritime Business Administration, to talk about the impact of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the winter holiday season on the maritime industry.

GALLERY: First-Year College Station Students Get Practical Experience On The Water

This semester, oceanography professor Chrissy Wiederwohl brought first-year students from College Station to Texas A&M University at Galveston as part of their Hullabaloo U course. During the four-hour trip through the Houston Ship Channel on the R/V Trident, students tested the water's oxygen, salinity and pH, practicing their data collection skills. The class, all oceanography students, also trawled, pulling a large net behind the Trident to collect marine life that they then released back into the channel. 

Galveston Professor Inducted Into Texas Women's Hall Of Fame

On Thursday, November 9, Texas A&M University at Galveston professor Dr. Antonietta Quigg was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. Recognized for her significant contributions to the scientific community through her research of Texas's coastal ecosystem and dedication to mentoring students, she is one of just a handful of Texas women inducted this year for outstanding achievement in their respective fields.