Research

The Center for Texas Beaches and Shores (CTBS) at Texas A&M University at Galveston was established in 1993 by the Texas Legislature to address beach erosion and wetlands loss throughout the state. We seek to become the gateway for research on coastal sustainability and resiliency.  This Center is dedicated to the conservation and protection of the Texas shoreline, bays and waterways through innovative research in cooperation with government and private sector agencies. Our focus is to develop comprehensive, holistic approaches to Texas coastal research and restoration solutions while incorporating natural, economic and political processes.

The Primary mission of the Laboratory for Oceanographic and Environmental Research (LOER)  is to provide state of the art common access analytical facilities and support for coordinated interdisciplinary research efforts at TAMUG in ecological, environmental and biogeochemical studies. It is supported by funds from the Coastal Zone Laboratory (CZL), the Texas Institute of Oceanography, the Research and Graduate Studies Office, and by research projects of the Principal Investigators. Currently, it serves faculty, postdoctoral research scientists and graduate students from other departments and organizations at TAMUG, including the Departments of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science and Marine Biology, and the IDP. 

The Texas Institute of Oceanography (TIO) was established under the auspices of The Texas A&M University System in 1989 by the Texas State Legislature. TIO is located at Texas A&M University at Galveston and is designated as an internationally recognized research institute. Its mission includes providing focus for research of the Gulf Coast, and providing the research and technology base for the development of marine-related businesses in the State of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico.

Run by Dr. Highfield, the Coastal Geo-Spatial Laboratory is meant to facilitate interdisciplinary work on the marine and coastal environment, support the growing interest in spatial analysis, and spark future innovation in understanding coastal/marine problems.  The Lab is open to anyone working on a project that involves the analysis of spatial (e.g. GIS) data. It will also support existing research initiatives, including the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores and the Institute for Sustainable Coastal Communities.

The emphasis of our lab is on environmental biogeochemistry, how it is affected by climate change and how physical factors control biogeochemical fluxes of elements in rivers and the ocean. We strive to expose our students to the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary earth system science. Working at the interphase of multidisciplinary research is also increasingly international and we consider it as critical that new generations of students are exposed to this multinational and multicultural environment.

With a love for chromatography and mass spectrometry, the Kaiser Lab is heavily involved with multiple research projects, both inside and outside the Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science.  Dr. Karl Kaiser gives ample opportunities for students, both undergraduates and graduates, to get crucial lab experience while learning the intricacies of advanced chemistry.