Dr. Gawlik is the James A “Buddy” Davidson Charitable Foundation Endowed Chair for Conservation and Biodiversity at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi and a Professor in the Department of Life Sciences.  His research focuses on developing science-based tools needed by managers to conserve coastal waterbird rookeries and the foraging habitat on which waterbirds depend.  He has published over 85 papers and is a Fellow in the American Ornithological Society and a member of the binational Whooping Crane Recover Plan Implementation Team.  Dr. Gawlik has held elected leadership positions in professional scientific societies, including the Association of Field Ornithologists, Waterbird Society, Wilson Ornithological Society, and the Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society.