H.R. No. 1054
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Tunnell Jr. has been named the recipient
of the Coastal Conservation Association Lifetime Achievement
Award; and
WHEREAS, A prominent marine biologist and ecologist, "Wes"
Tunnell focuses particularly on coastal and coral reef ecosystems,
oil spills in the marine environment, and biodiversity in the Gulf
of Mexico; he has studied the banks off South Texas since the late
1960s, when he was a graduate student in biology; after completing
his doctoral degree at Texas A&M University, he joined the
TAMU--Corpus Christi faculty in 1974, and 10 years later, he
founded its first science research center, the Center for Coastal
Studies, and became its director; he later assisted in the
development of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico
Studies as founding associate director; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Tunnell was named TAMU--CC's first Regents
Professor in 1998, and in 2015, he was accorded professor emeritus
status; he continues to work half-time at HRI, where he holds an
endowed chair in biodiversity and conservation science and serves
as general editor of the institute's book series; he also serves as
general editor of the TAMU--CC Gulf Coast Books series and as
curator of marine biology for the Houston Museum of Natural
Science; and
WHEREAS, In the wake of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill,
Dr. Tunnell was called upon to gauge how long it would take the Gulf
and its shrimp, fish, crabs, and oysters to fully recover; his
report was used to calculate distributions from the $20 billion
fund established to compensate victims of the disaster; over the
course of his career, Dr. Tunnell has secured more than 150 grants
and contracts for the support of marine research, and he has
authored or coauthored 7 books, some 70 technical reports, and over
100 scholarly articles and book chapters; he has also advised a host
of graduate students, developed and taught numerous courses, and
assisted in the development of eight degree programs and seven
graduate student scholarships; in 2016, the Harte Charitable
Foundation created the Dr. Wes Tunnell Gulf of Mexico Fellowship
Program in his honor; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Wes Tunnell has made enormous contributions to
our understanding and appreciation of the Gulf of Mexico and to
environmental conservation, and he is richly deserving of this most
recent accolade; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Wes Tunnell on his receipt of
the Coastal Conservation Association Lifetime Achievement Award
and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Tunnell as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Hunter
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1054 was adopted by the House on March
30, 2017, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House