| |
| |
|
|
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 |
| |