John Watson named new chair for UTMSI Advisory Council

John Watson of Houston has assumed the chair of the Marine Science Advisory Council at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. He succeeds Mary Campbell of Corpus Christi who has served as Chair for the past two years.

The announcement was made by MSI Director Dr. Lee Fuiman.

Watson is a 1968 honors graduate of the University of Texas Law School where he was as an adjunct professor during the 1980s. After law school, Watson served as law clerk to Judge John Minor Wisdom on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He practiced law with the law

firm of Vinson & Elkins in Houston for 35 years. He recently retired from that firm and is currently working with John Moores, who grew up in Corpus Christi. Moores is a successful computer software entrepreneur and owns the San Diego Padres baseball team.

Watson serves on the University of Texas Chancellors Council Executive Committee, was a member of the State of Texas Strategic Economic Policy Commission, chairing the Emerging Growth Industries Task Force of that commission; served on the Texas Product Development Advisory Board and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America in corporate law.

Watson has a home in Rockport and is a director of Camp Aranzazu, a camp for special needs children and adults in Rockport. He is an investor in the Corpus Christi Hooks baseball team.

Celebrating its 60th year, the MSI is the oldest marine science laboratory in Texas. Its research budget exceeds $4 million dollars per year from external funds. Since 1990, the MSI has trained more than 30 Ph.D. students and 50 master's degree students. Thousands of people benefit each year from the MSI's outreach efforts for K-12 students, teachers, Elderhostel participants and casual visitors.