Year In Review: Defining Stories & Moments Of 2025

New York Times – Mariners Wanted: Six-Figure Salaries and Months at Sea

There are few American mariners today because only a small proportion of international commercial shipping is done with vessels flying under the American flag, meaning they are registered in the United States, follow the Coast Guard’s regulations and employ American citizens. The jobs pay well but often require people to be away from home for months at a time.

Photo courtesy of Lexi Parra For The New York Times

Legislative Win: $16M over 2 years

Texas lawmakers approved $16 million in funding over the next two years to support the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in addressing critical mariner workforce shortages. This money will allow the academy to reduce annual costs for cadets and recruit more students into Texas A&M USCG licensing programs. 

Newsweek – Half of World’s Beaches ‘Will Disappear by End of the Century’

Beaches across the globe are undergoing a process of “crushing,” with rising sea levels and coastal urbanization damaging ecosystems, accelerating erosion and threatening sandy shorelines.

Photo courtesy of Guilherme Corte

Legacy Afloat, Honor Afoot

On November 11th, Texas A&M University at Galveston cadets made history as they fly to New York to march in the Veterans Day Parade, paying tribute to their late Lieutenant Commander Claude E. Davidson. The trip is funded by the George P. Mitchell Society, in recognition of Davidson’s 14 years of service to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy.

August Grad Makes History

Jonathan Rucker is the first graduate student to receive the Student Incentive Payment through the Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program.

Port of Galveston creates $300K endowment for Texas A&M maritime scholarships

The Port of Galveston marked a historic milestone with its 200th Anniversary Gala, presented by Carnival Cruise Line on October 18. The Galveston Wharves hosted the celebration of the port’s legacy and future with dinner, dancing and a tribute to maritime excellence.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Sea Turtle Hospital Named In Honor Of Generous Donor

On August 28, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents unanimously approved the naming of The Cheryl Mellenthin Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital and Educational Outreach Center, to be housed within the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M University at Galveston.

TS Lone Star State Pier Groundbreaking

The construction of the pier has officially commenced with a ceremonial groundbreaking scheduled for October 15th. This pier will accommodate the TS Lone Star State, including its roll-on roll-off capability as well as securing it through heavy weather. This construction is funded by an 80/20 mix of federal and state funding and is expected to be completed by Fall of 2027.

Discoveries reveal Arabian Gulf hosts both ancient fossil bed containing newly identified sea cow species and world’s largest living dugong herd

In the Arabian Gulf, thousands of dugongs gather each winter in the vast seagrass meadows off northwest Qatar, forming the largest herd of these marine mammals ever recorded. Just 10 miles away, a newly described fossil site preserves the remains of ancient sea cows, showing the region has supported the animals’ evolution for more than 20 million years.

Photo courtesy of Alex Boersma

Former Student J.R. Shaw Premieres New Movie Highlighting Local Harbor Pilot Association

Former student J.R. Shaw ’15 has made it to the big screen. As the host of the popular podcast and video series “Galveston Unscripted,” he has embarked on a new adventure with the release of his feature-length film “Sentinels of the Port: The Galveston-Texas City Pilots,” highlighting the work of local harbor pilots, set to premiere January 11 at The Grand 1894 Opera House.

Texas A&M Offers In-State Tuition For Civilian USCG Degrees

Texas A&M University is offering in-state tuition for all incoming U.S. undergraduate students who select a U.S. Coast Guard license program offered at its Galveston Campus beginning the 2025 fall semester. The move aims to offset the national shortage of maritime professionals in fields critical to national security and economic prosperity. 

Texas A&M experts help communities prepare for and recover from disasters

No one can stop the unrelenting power of a deadly hurricane. However, researchers at Texas A&M University are collaborating with communities in Texas and beyond to ensure they are as prepared as possible to minimize damage to life and property from these storms.

Texas A&M-Galveston Researchers Secure $650K NSF Grant To Advance Arctic Ocean Science

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs (OPP) has awarded a $650,000 research grant to Drs. Rainer Amon and Karl Kaiser, esteemed professors of marine and coastal environmental science in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston. This major investment will support groundbreaking research into the carbon and freshwater dynamics of the Arctic Ocean, a region critical to understanding global climate systems.

College Of Marine Sciences & Maritime Studies Welcomes Fall 2025 New Faculty

“Howdy!” to the nine new faculty members of the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies for the fall 2025 semester. Representing four different academic departments, the addition of these new faculty members bolsters both the teaching and research capabilities of the college. 

Engineering At Galveston Welcomes New 2025 New Faculty

Dr. Yanlai Wu and Dr. Marian Zaki have joined the Engineering at Galveston team at Texas A&M University at Galveston for the fall 2025 semester. 

Both faculty members bring exceptional expertise to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering within the College of Engineering, and we are looking forward to their impact in the classroom, research and scholarship across our campus community.

Portuguese Man O’ War Spotted On Galveston Beaches

Over the last several weeks, local social media groups have seen an influx of questions about the appearance of balloon-like creatures on Galveston area beaches. These animals are known as the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis).