Texas Sea Grant College Program

The Sea Grant College Program was created and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the National Sea Grant Program Act of 1966. It is modeled after the successful Land Grant College System of research, teaching, and extension designed to link academic and research programs to societal needs.

This achievement was a milestone for our nation, and the communities that depend on coastal and marine resources for their livelihoods. Texas A&M University, one of the first Sea Grant institutions, is the headquarters for Texas Sea Grant created to harness the intellectual capacity of Texas universities to solve societal problems impacting our coastal and marine resources. Through education, outreach, engagement, and research Texas Sea Grant has amassed 50 years of science and stewardship impacts and accomplishments.

The mission of Texas Sea Grant is to improve the understanding, wise use and stewardship of the state’s coastal and marine resources. To achieve this mission, Texas Sea Grant directs its education programs, applied research, and outreach to benefit the citizens, businesses and communities of Texas – from providing grants and scholarships that benefit students and workforce development, to funding Texas’ innovative researchers to solve real-world coastal issues, to deploying boots-on-the-ground extension staff to assist small businesses be more competitive in a global marketplace and coastal communities to grow sustainably and build resilience to impacts from coastal hazards.

Today, the Texas Sea Grant College Program is part of a national network of 34 Sea Grant programs in coastal and Great Lake states. The network, in partnership with the states, helps connect research conducted at Sea Grant institutions with the public. Sea Grant is NOAA’s primary university-based program, dedicated to helping citizens utilize scientific information to support a vibrant economy while ensuring ecological sustainability.