Public Lecture Series 2026

Title:

Water, Land, Life: Coastal Landscapes of the Karankawa People

Abstract: 

Water • Land • Life explores the coastal landscapes of South Texas as living systems shaped by geology, ecology, and deep human presence. Through maps, shoreline reconstructions, and ecological models, this talk invites audiences to see how water and land structured the lifeways of the Karankawa people over thousands of years. The presentation emphasizes patterns—rivers, bays, barrier islands, and seasonal resources—that reveal a sophisticated mastery of coastal environments. The lecture is grounded in interdisciplinary scholarship, acknowledging both the limits of geology and its value in understanding place. Attendees will come away with a renewed sense of how landscapes remember people, even where history has tried to erase them. Speaker bio- Randy Bissell is a Texas Professional Geologist, Texas Master Naturalist, and adjunct professor in the Geology Program at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. With over four decades of professional experience, his work bridges geology, coastal ecology, and public education, emphasizing place-based understanding of South Texas landscapes. His current research and outreach focus on recognizing Indigenous presence through landscape patterns.