General Timeline of the History of the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University
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1949 - Department of Oceanography founded under Dr. Dale F. Leipper.
• First oceanography dept. in the country
• Dr. A. A. Jakkula (Texas A&M Research foundation director) gave the push for this to happen.
• Began with only 4 professors: W. Armstrong Price (geological), John G. Mackin (marine bio), Donald W. Hood (chemical), Robert O. Reid (physical + meteorological)
• Department started functioning on 9/1/1949 as part of the School of Arts and Sciences
• Originally housed in Bizzell Hall
1950 – Department began offering advanced degrees (MS and PhD) in Oceanography
1952 - Meteorology was added to the department
1952 - The Marine Laboratory at Galveston was created to support oceanography and biological research
1953 - The Department’s first research vessel (R/V) was the sailing ship R/V Jakkula, a yacht formerly named Atlantic and donated by Uihlein brothers of Schlitz Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1955 - first meteorology BS and MS awarded
1956 - Department renamed - Department of Oceanography and Meteorology
• A building in Galveston obtained from federal surplus and became the Galveston Marine Laboratory.
• Department worked with the city to form the Texas Maritime Academy over the next 2 years.
1957 - Department served as “World Data Center A for Oceanography” of the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958).
1958 - replaced R/V Jakkula with R/V Hidalgo, a 126 ft submarine chaser
1959 - original participant in the establishment of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
1962 - Texas Maritime Academy began operations in Galveston
1963 - R/V Alaminos (converted naval vessel) replaced the R/V Hidalgo
• 180 ft long, cruising speed: 12 knots, range of 6,000 miles
1963 – Texas AMC renamed as Texas A&M University
1963 – A committee formed of leading faculty recommended formation of a new college and the separation of oceanography and meteorology departments
1964 - College of geosciences founded
• Dean: Dr. Horace Byers
• Made up of depts: Oceanography, Meteorology, Geology, and Geophysics and Geography
1966 - Separation of Department of Oceanography and Meteorology
1968 - Approval for construction of O&M building
1970 - Site chosen for O&M building, contract awarded to architect-engineering firm
1971 - TAMU officially one of the first four Sea Grant institutions (from the National Sea Grant College Program Act of 1966)
1973 - O&M building finished in the Spring.
• Occupied fully by the start of the 1973-1974 academic year
• Dedicated in November
1973 - R/V Gyre built and launched; Housed a 21 ft, 2 man submersible, DRV Diaphus
1975 - Texas Maritime Academy and Marine Laboratory at Galveston offer Marine Biology BS
1979 – TAMU Galveston (TAMUG) created from the Texas Maritime Academy and Marine Laboratory. Offer Marine Science and Marine Biology BS.
1980 - 1984 - Gyre remodeled, added a new deckhouse, extended length (182 ft), increased scientist/crew size
1981 - Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG) established under direction of Dr. James Brooks in the Department of Oceanography
1983 - Won contract to host Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the Gulf Coast Core Repository
1984 - U.S Office of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment moved headquarters to TAMU Oceanography under Dr. Worth Nowlin
1987 - Established the Southeast Consortium for Oceanographic Research (SECOR)
• TAMU, UT Geophysics Institute, and University of Miami/RSMAS
• Renewed in 1995 to conduct joint research in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean
1988 - Department started working with the Offshore Technology Research Center
1992 - College of Geosciences and TAMU Galveston merged.
• TAMUG became a branch campus of the College of Geosciences and Maritime Studies.
1993 - Added undergraduate minor program
1993 - Added OCNG 251 and OCNG 252 to the catalog
1994 - Department of Marine Sciences at TAMUG was merged with the Department of Oceanography in College Station
1994 - U.S. Navy officially transferred title of Gyre to TAMU
1998 - TAMU and TAMUG separated
1998 - Department hosted the first National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) regional competition
1999 - Celebrated 50 years of the Department of Oceanography
2001 - Signed agreements with the Navy of Ecuador (INOCAR) to jointly train grad students and do research in the Galapagos Islands / Southern Ocean / west of South America
2005 - R/V Gyre sold
2005 - Department begins hosting the U.S. International Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) office
2016 - Master of Ocean Science and Technology (MOST) degree program launched
2017 - BS in Oceanography degree program launched
2022 - College of Geosciences dissolved. Department of Oceanography added to College of Arts and Sciences
2023 - BA in Ocean Studies degree program launched
2024 - 75th anniversary of the department