The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas suffered major damage from Hurricane Harvey. More than half of the campus has temporarily relocated to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Photo by Jace Tunnell, University of Texas Marine Science Institute
More than half the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas moved to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi after Hurricane Harvey damaged most of the seaside facility. The majority of the science institute has been closed indefinitely with no timeline yet for rebuilding.
The Marine Science Institute is the oldest and most significant marine research facility on the Texas coast. Scientists study the structure, function and health of ocean ecosystems while also raising fisheries, working with animal rehabilitation, restoring Gulf of Mexico populations and using fish as a model species for cancer research.
Hurricane Harvey caused extensive damage to the Port Aransas facilities, including the Estuarine Research Center, administration, laboratories, student housing and the Animal Rehabilitation Keep, which suffered roof and water penetration damage.
About 40 sea turtles were released early in anticipation of the storm. The rest of the animals, which were not ready to be released, were taken to the Texas Sealife Center in Corpus Christi.
Neither staff members nor animals will be able to reoccupy many of the buildings until extensive repairs have been made, President of the University of Texas at Austin Gregory L. Fenves said in a statement.
“I am deeply grateful,” said Fenves in response to temporary use of the TAMU-CC facilities. “On behalf of the entire UT community, I thank them for their help at this critical time.”
Putting university rivalries aside, TAMU-CC has warmly welcomed the researchers from the University of Texas Marine Science Institute onto their campus.
“As soon as we heard about the damage, we did as much as we could to help them,” said Nikki Buskey, communications manager for the Harte Research Institute at TAMU-CC. “We’re doing whatever we can to keep them going.”
HRI is a marine research institution similar to UTMSI. The A&M version at HRI focuses on finding science-driven solutions to problems in the Gulf of Mexico.
TAMU-CC estimates it took in about 60-80 percent of the researchers from UTMSI, who are situated in different units across the campus. The transplants can be found working in the Harte Research Institute, the Center for Coastal Studies and the College of Science and Engineering.
“Everybody seems to have a good attitude,” Buskey said. “We’re professional colleagues, but it’s not just professional for us; it’s personal. It’s people we know really well, and we’re happy to do what we can to help them.”
Staff at UTMSI echo the same mindset. Though the institute itself has suffered many damages, no people were hurt and the resident animals housed at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep were either safely released or relocated to the Texas Sealife Center in Corpus Christi.
If anything, researchers are looking at the impact of Harvey as a bittersweet research opportunity.
“You can look at everything like a learning opportunity,” said Sally Palmer, communications coordinator for UTMSI. “Our researchers are taking this into account and seeing the impacts of these extreme storms on freshwater inflow, nutrients and more. There are great opportunities now that our researchers are getting their hands on.
While the timeline of repair is indefinite, researchers are staying positive about the situation and maintaining focus on their mission of science and marine research.
“The university will be rebuilding, and we are looking to the future and becoming stronger,” Palmer said. “We will continue to do the research that our scientists are meant for.”
