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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm Sunday 11am - 3pm

University of Texas Marine Science Institute

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University of Texas Marine Science Institute

The first of today's marine research facilities on the Texas coast continues to change our understan

10/06/2026

Sunjida Alam

Sunjida is studying infaunal organisms, tiny animals that live beneath the sediment in tidal mudflats, to better understand how they shape and stabilize coastal ecosystems.

These small but powerful "ecosystem engineers" mix sediments, transport oxygen and nutrients, and influence sediment strength as they burrow. By collecting sediment cores and measuring sediment properties with specialized tools, Sunjida's research reveals how these organisms help maintain healthy tidal flats and resilient coastlines.

Her work improves our understanding of coastal stability, erosion, and the processes that support productive coastal ecosystems.

Videos: Carlos Haney (Enlightened Images), Sunjida Alam (UTMSI)
Images: Austin Willson (UTMSI), Sara Biddle (UTMSI), Sharlynn Sweeney (UF-CCS)
Edited by: Amanda Jacoby

10/03/2026

Island Science Day is a wrap! Thank you so much to all of our visitors, volunteers and sponsors the state of Texas, and Sam Boldrick.

10/01/2026

RECEPTION & ISLAND SCIENCE DAY IS ON RAIN OR SHINE! ☀️☔

There’s a lot happening at UTMSI this weekend! Join us Friday for the Island Science Day Reception and Saturday for Island Science Day.

Friday, October 2 | 5:30–7 PM
Kick off the weekend at the Island Science Day Reception at the Patton Center. This public reception will feature coastal science, conversation, and refreshments.

Saturday, October 3 | 10 AM–2 PM
Join us for Island Science Day, featuring interactive demonstrations, research labs, boat excursions, hands-on activities, live music, outreach booths, and more. The event is free and open to all ages.

Both events will take place rain or shine. The only activities that have been canceled due to weather are the boat excursions on Saturday.

Come celebrate 85 years of marine science at UTMSI and 20 years of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve with us!

09/28/2026

Island Science Day Weekend is almost here! 🌊

Join us Friday, October 2, at 5:30 p.m. for the Island Science Day Reception at the Patton Center. This adult-focused evening will celebrate 85 years of discovery at UTMSI and 20 years of coastal stewardship, research and community engagement through the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Enjoy w**e and cheese while hearing about the discoveries that have shaped UTMSI and the Reserve, and get a look at what’s ahead for the future.

Then, come back Saturday, October 3, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. for Island Science Day, our open house featuring hands-on activities, marine science demonstrations, tours, vendors, live music and more.

Come celebrate our past, explore our present and discover what’s next. Friday’s reception and Saturday’s Island Science Day event will take place rain or shine!

09/26/2026

Institute Insights: Nesting season ends; protection continues

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles return to Texas beaches each spring to nest, including along Mustang Island. In 2026, nearly 700 Kemp’s ridley nests have been documented across Texas, with 40 on Mustang Island, breaking the state and island nesting records for the second consecutive year.

ARK staff supervisor, Andrew Orgill, shares how beach patrols, monitoring and nest protection are helping support the recovery of this critically endangered species, and why every nest and hatchling matters.

Learn more about Kemp’s ridleys, this year’s record nesting season and the continued work to protect sea turtles in this story from the Port Aransas South Jetty.

09/25/2026

Researchers from UTMSI, UTIG, and the Jackson School of Geosciences recently gathered in Port Aransas to generate innovative research ideas and future partnerships at the intersection of marine science and geoscience. We were especially pleased to welcome Gregg Robertson, whose support through the Marsha and Gregg Robertson Research Endowment helped make the workshop possible. 🌊🔬🤘

09/24/2026

Meet the Island Science Day Vendors🌊

Join us Saturday, October 3, from 10 AM–2 PM at the UT Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas for a free, family-friendly day of marine science, coastal discovery and hands-on learning.

Island Science Day brings together organizations, conservation groups and local businesses from across the Coastal Bend. Visit our vendors and outreach partners to learn more about their work and the important role they play in protecting and connecting our community to the Texas coast.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Port Aransas Nature Preserve
Friends of Padre
Goose Island State Park
Gulf Reach Institute
International Crane Foundation
Texas Master Naturalists - South Texas Chapter
Texas Surf Conservancy
Rob & Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation
Visit Port Aransas
Abuela’s Glizzies - The Hot Dog Lady
Kona Ice

Enjoy live music throughout the day, with Da Guy (David Gonzales) performing from 10 AM–12 PM, followed by Billy Snipes from 12–2 PM.

Come celebrate 85 years of marine science at UTMSI and 20 years of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve with us!

Learn more and see the full schedule: https://utmsi.utexas.edu/.../island-science-day-port.../

09/22/2026

Izzy Nelson

Izzy studies how melting glaciers influence mercury levels in marine food webs in the Gulf of Alaska. As glaciers melt more rapidly due to climate change, they can transport mercury, a neurotoxic metal, into coastal waters, where it may accumulate in fish and other marine life.

By measuring mercury in water, sediments, invertebrates, fish, and even fish eye lenses, Izzy's research reconstructs how mercury exposure changes over a fish's lifetime. Her work helps scientists better understand how climate-driven environmental changes affect marine ecosystems, fisheries, and the coastal communities that depend on them.

Project supported by: NOAA Kasitsna Bay Laboratory; Barst Lab at the University of Calgary; USGS M3 Research Laboratory; Dr. Katrin Iken (University of Alaska Fairbanks); Dr. Jordan Jenckes (University of Alaska Anchorage); Dr. Jessica Dutton (Texas State University); Alaska Department of Fish and Game Age Determination Unit; International Pacific Halibut Commission Otolith Lab; Women Divers Hall of Fame Captain Wayne Hasson Memorial Fellowship for Climate Change Research.

Videos: Carlos Haney (Enlightened Images), Izzy Nelson (UTMSI), Raegan Osentowski (UTMSI)
Edited by: Amanda Jacoby

09/21/2026

🌊 Calling all UT undergrads - Spend a semester studying on the Texas coast!
Semester by the Sea 2027 applications are open at UT's Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. Hands-on field courses, research opportunities, coastal living, and free shared housing for admitted students enrolled in all Spring 2027 courses. 👉 https://marinescience.utexas.edu/news/announcements/semester-sea-2027

📅 Application deadline: October 15

09/18/2026

🎨🌊 We’re pleased to welcome acclaimed interdisciplinary artist Ebony Noelle Golden as the inaugural artist-in-residence for UTMSI’s new COAST Lab, a program connecting art, science, and community to explore the future of Gulf Coast communities. Ebony Noelle Golden

Learn more: https://utmsi.utexas.edu/coast-golden/

Address

750 Channel View Drive
Port Aransas, TX
78373

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm
Sunday	11am - 3pm

Website

http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu/

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