Partnerships & Philanthropy

Galveston Campus Welcomes IAMU

University leaders with the visiting IAMU board members.

Leadership from the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) visited Texas A&M University at Galveston last month to encourage student and faculty participation in IAMU programs such as research grants, student forums and the IAMU annual conference. The campus welcomed IAMU Vice President Dr. Glenn Backwood and IAMU Executive Director Mr. Takeshi Nakazawa in their final stop of the North American tour. 

IAMU was founded by seven universities representing the five continents of the world in 1999, sharing a “recognition of [the] significance of maritime education and training in the rapid globalization of the international shipping arena.” The association has since grown to include over 70 member institutions, including Texas A&M University at Galveston which joined in 2017. 

During their visit, the IAMU board members learned about the campus’s projects, including the proposed sea turtle hospital and education center, the Sea Life Facility, the ship simulator and the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) that is slated to arrive in 2025. Faculty discussed details about their research and learned more about IAMU’s mission in maritime education. 

Maritime Business Administration student Jessica Perez ‘23 was selected to attend the IAMU Student Forum, fully funded by IAMU, in London in July of this year. Perez will spend several days in London, during which she will meet with the world’s leading researchers, experts and educators in the maritime industry. While about 60 students are invited from member universities, Perez is one of just three students from the United States attending. 

Perez with IAMU leadership

“There is no question that our faculty and our graduates are leaders in the blue economy,” said Cassia Bömer Galvão, professor in the Department of Maritime Business Administration. “As a prominent organization in the maritime industry, IAMU’s visit to campus is exemplary of our university’s ability to compete on the world stage.”

Signaling international appeal, Backwood and Nakazawa’s visit to campus was as productive as it was exciting. This collaboration emphasizes the importance of Texas A&M – Galveston as the marine and maritime campus of the largest university in the state, and progresses the shared goal of improving outcomes in maritime education.