ENROLLED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 34
BY REPRESENTATIVE BISHOP
A RESOLUTION
To commend Christopher F. D'Elia, dean of the Louisiana State University College of the
Coast and Environment and professor of oceanography and coastal sciences, upon
his receipt in 2019 of the first ever awarded "Wes Tunnell Lifetime Recognition for
Gulf Science and Conservation".
WHEREAS, at the 2019 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science
Conference held in New Orleans in February of 2019, the Gulf of Mexico University
Research Collaborative presented to Christopher F. D'Elia, dean of the Louisiana State
University College of the Coast and Environment and professor of oceanography and coastal
sciences, the first "Wes Tunnell Lifetime Recognition for Gulf Science and Conservation"
award, named in honor of Dr. John Wesley "Wes" Tunnell Jr., a prolific marine ecologist
and biologist in the Life Sciences Department of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and
Endowed Chair of Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the Harte Research Institute for
Gulf of Mexico Studies; and
WHEREAS, Christopher F. D'Elia, dean of the Louisiana State University College
of the Coast and Environment and professor of oceanography and coastal sciences, was
recognized by the Gulf of Mexico University Research Collaborative for his lifetime of
dedication and achievement in support of a healthy and sustainable Gulf of Mexico
environment and economy; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana State University has a coastal legacy dating back nearly a
century and is at the forefront of coastal and environmental discoveries and research on
every continent, where more than two hundred faculty members teach and equip nearly one
thousand graduates per year with the multidisciplinary tools needed to address coastal,
marine, energy, and environmental issues; and
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WHEREAS, Louisiana State University is recognized globally as a renowned leader
in educating the coastal workforce and for providing the gold-standard for coastal and
environmental science, investigation, and expertise; and
WHEREAS, the college's Coastal Environmental Science program proudly boasts
that, to date, one hundred percent of its undergraduates acquire employment or acceptance
into graduate or professional programs within two months of graduation; and
WHEREAS, Christopher F. D'Elia, the university's longest-serving dean, has served
as professor and dean of the College of the Coast and Environment since 2009 and has
brought passion, experience, and leadership to his position; and
WHEREAS, during Christopher F. D'Elia's tenure as dean, he has expanded the
School of the Coast and Environment into a college and has established an award-winning
outreach program with students from Scotlandville Magnet High School to pair students
underrepresented in the sciences with college mentors who help the students complete
environmental research projects and pursue college scholarships; and
WHEREAS, Christopher F. D'Elia has performed outstanding community service
through his participation in more than twenty professional and outreach organizations, has
held numerous research grants, and has authored or coauthored more than sixty scientific
publications on the nutrient dynamics of estuaries and coral reefs, science policy and energy,
and the environment.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Christopher F. D'Elia on receiving the "Wes
Tunnell Lifetime Recognition for Gulf Science and Conservation" award and wishes him the
best in his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Christopher F. D'Elia, dean of the Louisiana State University College of the Coast and
Environment.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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