History

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