John W. Tunnell Jr.

Dr. John "Wes" Tunnell, Jr. is Associate Director of the Harte Research Institute (HRI) for Gulf of Mexico Studies. He is also Regents Professor of Biology and a Fulbright Scholar. Dr. Tunnell is the General Editor of the Gulf Coast Books and HRI book series published through Texas A&M University Press.

Dr. Tunnell is an expert in Marine Biology and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in this field. He is founder of the Center for Coastal Studies and helped develop HRI. He serves on an array of professional boards, councils, and committees; and he has received numerous awards for his work.

Dr. Tunnell holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Biology from Texas A&M University at College Station. He has published four books of which the latest one, Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells: Ecology, Distribution, and History was released in summer 2010.

Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, he married Kathryn Lea Tunnell in 1966. They have one daughter and two sons.

For Dr. Tunnell's complete biography, please visit:

http://www.harteresearchinstitute.org/staff/tunnell.html