Welcome Message from The GSA
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) Graduate Student Association, also known as “The GSA,” is an advocacy group for the graduate students in the Department of Marine Science. The GSA works to improve the graduate school experience of our students through activities, community outreach, professional development, and communication with the administration. The University of Texas at Austin Graduate Student Assembly represents the interests of all UT Austin graduate students at the University level, while we work primarily on concerns specific to Marine Science graduate students with our department's faculty and administration. For instance, we bring concerns about degree programs and student services to the attention of the administration and have regular meetings to communicate the state-of-the-students to our Director. Furthermore, the GSA is dedicated to incorporating the voice of students into the major decision-making processes at UTMSI including faculty hiring, curriculum design, and strategic planning for long-term goals in this department.
We hope that you use the resources here to learn more about the GSA, what it is like to be a graduate student at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. We are looking forward to seeing you here.
Social Chairs: Marissa Kordal & Jeb Armstrong
Amanda Jacoby
Recreation and Social Events from the GSA
In addition to the GSA's scholastic advocacy, we also have an equally large social component. We try to keep things fun and entertaining for graduate students during their respites from academics by helping to organize social outings, as well as athletic and recreational events. We also provide access to surfboards, kayaks, and beach gear to help our grads unwind during their free time. We now have a gym run by the GSA that is available for all UTMSI students and staff, and we continue to work on improving this facility.
Amanda Jacoby
UTMSI Green Team
UTMSI Green Team is a group of students, faculty, and staff committed to making MSI’s campus more sustainable and wildlife-friendly. We plan events to inspire others to make conscious efforts in their daily lives, partner with Port Aransas and MSI admin on Campus Community Events, and communicate with the main UT campus about sustainability in our lab spaces. We have bimonthly meetings to plan and coordinate events (Clothing Swap, Campus Cleanup, Beach/Jetty Cleanup, Documentary Screening, Book Swap, Tree Planting/Giveaways, Compost Workshops, etc.)
In 2023, the UTMSI Green Team was awarded a $24,000 UT Green Fund Award for our “Bird Friendly Campus Initiative” to install unobtrusive Feather Friendly window technology to prevent bird strikes at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute facility.