A&M’s Texas Sea Grant College Program announced Wednesday new grants for eight two-year research projects at Texas universities totaling $1.5 million, according to an A&M news release. 

According to the release, the grants aim to bolster projects that support marine and coastal ecosystems and economies at state universities like the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, the  University of Texas Marine Science Institute and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. 

The Texas Sea Grant, which is a partnership of the State of Texas and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, facilitates a research program every two years that utilizes the expertise of the state’s top scientists. 

According to the release, the goals of the Texas Sea Grant’s research program are to support research in areas of natural, physical, social, behavioral and economic sciences and engineering as well as to make research investments that will bring about substantial social, economic and environmental impacts in Texas.