COLLEGE STATION, TX — The Texas Sea Grant College Program is launching its 40th year of "Marine Science Serving Texans" in mid-October with a reception and the program's 10th Annual Researcher Conference.

The public is invited to both events.

The Researcher Conference is 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Rudder Tower Room 701, located on the Texas A&M campus in College Station.

The reception, co-hosted by the Texas A&M College of Geosciences, will be from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 17 in the Mezzanine section of the University Club, located on the 11th floor of Rudder Tower.

Anyone planning to attend the reception should RSVP to Peggy Foster at (979) 845-1245 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . No RSVP is necessary to attend the Researcher Conference. Contact Foster for more information on either event.

The conference will feature currently funded Texas Sea Grant researchers delivering presentations about their projects. There will also be presentations by Texas Sea Grant Extension staff and the 2012 National Sea Grant Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellows who are supported by Texas Sea Grant.

The conference agenda is available at http://texas-seagrant.tamu.edu/Research/researchconf11.html.

Texas Sea Grant is dedicated to increasing the understanding, wise use and stewardship of the state's coastal and marine resources through research, education and outreach activities. It is part of a network of 32 university-based programs in coastal and Great Lakes states that operate as a partnership between the state governments and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Texas Sea Grant is located at Texas A&M University and is part of the College of Geosciences.

Oct. 10, 2011