Contact Information:
Harte Research Institute
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869
Corpus Christi , Texas 78412-5869
Telephone: (361) 825-2030
Fax: (361) 825-2050
E-mail: thomas.shirley@tamucc.edu

Thomas Shirley was named HRI's Endowed Chair for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science in August 2005. He was a former Director of the Fisheries Division, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, and has been the Principal Investigator on 11 manned submersible projects, including the DSV Alvin, Pisces V and Delta subs. He has published more than 100 articles, books and proceedings on systematics and ecology of marine organisms, including descriptions of new species from three phyla from the Arctic, Antarctic, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean, Philippines and Alaska. CURRICULUM VITAE pdf

Area of Expertise/Interest:
Ecology and systematics of marine invertebrates

Dr. Thomas Shirley (center) gives a lecture onboard a ship in
the Gulf of Alaska to a National Geographic reporter, a NMFS biologist and a grade school teacher. Photo: Zac Hoyt

Research Projects:

• WWII Deep Shipwrecks Project, 2004-present.
  In this MMS-funded research, WWII shipwrecks to 2000-meter depths in the northern Gulf of Mexico were used as surrogates for deep drilling structures to examine their utility as artificial reefs to marine organisms.
• Computing Research Infrastructure, 2007-2008.
  A massive and heterogeneous data repository for computing research on the Gulf of Mexico. This NSF-funded research is assembling a multi-disciplinary team of scientists to build a massive data repository at TAMUCC.
• Seasonal aggregations of female Tanner crabs in Glacier Bay, Alaska, 2005-2007. This NURP-funded project uses ultrasonic telemetry to measure movements & aggregations of Tanner crabs in Alaska.
• Larval advection and retention of Alaska Dungeness crabs: interactions in phylogeography and stock structure, 2005-2007. This Sea Grant-funded research uses zooplankton sampling of larvae and genetics of adult Dungeness to address examine the role of larval retention and advection in stock structure.
• Priapulid systematics (ongoing). This research addresses the systematics, morphology and ultrastructure the phylum Priapulidea. Several new species await formal description.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Zoology and Physiology, Louisiana State University (1982)
• M.S. in Biology, Texas A&I University-Kingsville (1974)
• B.S. in Biology, Texas A&I University-Kingsville (1969)

Courses:

• Benthic Ecology, CMSS 6590
• Biodiversity and Conservation Science, CMSS 6590

Students:

• Peter Etnoyer, CMSS doctoral student
• Morgan Kilgour, CMSS doctoral student
• Aaron Baldwin, doctoral candidate (Univ. of Alaska)
• Larissa Bright, Biology M.S. student

Honors/Awards/Service:

• Professor Emeritus, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks (2006)
• Cooperative Conservation Award, Dept. of Interior (2006)
• Excellence in Partnering, National Oceanographic Partnership Program (2007)

Selected Publications:

• Park, W., D. Douglas and T.C. Shirley. 2007. North to Alaska: evidence for conveyor belt transport of Dungeness crab larvae along the west coast of the U.S. and Canada. Limnolology and Oceanogrraphy 52: 248-256.
• Shirley, T.C. 2007. cultivation potential of golden king crab, Lithodes aequispinus. Pp. 47-54 IN Stevens, B.G. (ed.) Alaska Crab Stock Enhancement and Rehabilitation. Alaska Sea Grant College Program, Ak-SG-06-04.
• Schizas, N. V. and T.C. Shirley. 2006. Apolethon hippoperus (Copepoda: Harpacticoida), a new species from southeastern Alaska. J. Crustacean Biology 26(3):341-354
• Kruse, G. H., V. F. Gallucci, D. E. Hay, R. I. Perry, R. M. Peterman, T.C. Shirley, P. D. Spencer, B. Wilson and D. Woodby (Editors). 2005. Fisheries Assessment and Management in Data-Limited Situations. Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks. 958 pp.