Sub Photo The Oceanography Research Program at Florida State University began in 1949 with the formation of an oceanographic institute directed by Duke University biologist, Professor Harold Humm. The Institute brought together FSU research faculty from the departments of Biological Science, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, and Physics. Three Institute field stations were established (Alligator Point, Mayport, and Mullet Key) and a series of widely distributed scientific reports were published. They set a tone of recognized scientific achievement by the Institute.

By 1954, the Mayport and Mullet Key laboratories had closed and Professor Humm had returned to Duke. In 1962, the Institute was reviatalized under the direction of Professor Albert Collier from Texas A & M University. A Ph.D. program was approved in 1963, the Institute became a department in 1966 under the direction of Professor Carl Oppenheimer, and the Turkey Point laboratory (presently known as the Marine Lab) was completed in 1970. The department faculty grew from seven in 1966 to 18 in 1970 when Professor John Winchester became the second departmental chairman.

In 1976, newly appointed Chair Dr. Tony Sturges, saw a visitor wearing a t-shirt with their department logo on it. He determined that the FSU Department of Oceanography should also have its own logo. A small contest was held and Jack Tamul, Dr. Hsueh's student, submitted the winning design. And so the oceanography logo came to be in early 1977. Dr. Sturges credits Department Secretary Janice Szabo with the fact that we even have a logo at all. He says, "I suggested the idea and Janice grabbed the ball and ran with it." The logo has gone through a couple of revisions since its inception but is still very similar to the original design. Janice, her husband Dave, MS 1978, and their children are now living in Houston. Jack works at the Naval Oceanographic Office in Stennis Space Center, MS. He and his wife Pat recently lost their home to Hurricane Katrina.

Today, the Department of Oceanography is thriving with 19 faculty members under the direction of Professor William Dewar, chair. Many students have come and gone throughout the years and remember their time spent at FSU with fondness.