Montagna’s Mentorship Highlighted During Hooding of One of his Final Ph.D. Students

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Patricia Cockett ’25 admits she explored some unorthodox ideas while pursuing her Ph.D. in Coastal and Marine System Science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, but she always knew that no matter how unusual her insights were, her doctoral mentor — Harte Research Institute Endowed Chair for HydroEcology Dr. Paul Montagna — would listen.

Cockett, who is a native of Hawai’i, wrote her dissertation on how climate oscillations and hydrologic variation shape freshwater inflows to Texas estuaries, and Cockett’s outside-the-box-thinking on the project played a key role in her earning the doctorate.

“(Dr. Montagna) never micromanaged my research. Instead, he ensured I could explain why my results meant what I said they meant,” noted Cockett. “That mattered because I was bringing a Native Hawaiian framework into a completely different ecosystem. He trusted me, even when my ideas seemed unconventional.” 

On Dec. 13, Cockett walked across the stage at the Hilliard Center for her hooding ceremony at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, receiving a Ph.D. as one of Montagna’s final doctoral students.  

“Patricia was persistent,” noted Montagna. “She faced many challenges over the years, but never gave up, and finished an important piece of work. She is the most innovative student I’ve ever worked with because she wove traditional knowledge in with complex math to solve problems.” 

Montagna’s scientific career spans more than five decades, during which he has guided roughly 80 students to master’s and doctoral degrees and served on nearly 50 graduate committees.

“Seeing a former student, postdoc, or staff member succeed or surpass me professionally is the most gratifying experience a mentor can have,” Montagna stated. “I’ve had the privilege to see this occur many times.” 

Those words took on added significance during Saturday’s ceremony as Cockett participated in a traditional Hawaiian mele kāhea and mele komo. The Hawaiian protocol is an exchange that seeks permission to enter and grant permission to a significant space. Later in the graduation ceremony, Cockett and Montagna participated in the Hawaiian custom of receiving kīhei from one of Cockett’s mentors Kumu Keloani Noa, which is when a traditional Hawaiian garment is presented and worn over one shoulder and tied across the chest as a ceremonial symbol of lineage, responsibility, and readiness for the next stage of life. 

“It’s an opportunity to acknowledge the communities that fostered my success here in Texas, and it’s also a way to honor my advisor for his guidance and the work he’s done throughout his career,” Cockett said. 

This might be the most unique way a student has celebrated receiving an advanced degree under Montagna’s tutelage, but it also symbolizes how he has fostered innovation and imagination in his work and in the scientists he has mentored. Cockett said Montagna has a gift for simplifying science so that non-scientists can understand, and he reshaped how she saw science and the world as a result. 

“It will be a while before I master communicating science like him, but it’s definitely at the top of my list of things to do,” Cockett said. “He taught me what impactful science looks like in practice — community-aligned, transparent, and honest.” 

Montagna has a gift for elevating both people and science, a quality his colleagues, including HRI Senior Executive Director Dr. Greg Stunz, have seen firsthand.

“Paul’s ability to mentor young scientists goes well beyond the lab and the field, as he has touched the lives and careers of countless scientists across the Gulf and the world,” Stunz said. “The collaborative culture at HRI and across the Gulf exists in large part because of his leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to science.” 

Perhaps the best news for HRI and TAMU-CC is that Montagna has no immediate plans to retire because science is still fun for him.  

“It’s interesting that no one asks artists, actors, or writers if they will retire; and many in their 80s are still active,” Montagna stated. “Science is the same. At some point, I’ll walk away, but there are still a few more things I want to accomplish first.”