A Quick Bio...

After retiring from Federal Service and moving on to Texas A&M I recognized the need at the University level a course for Science majors especially Biologist and Engineers dealing with Environmental and Resource Management, Policy and Politics. I have been teaching such a course and Texas A&M for 10 years and now at the University of Notre Dame since 1999. The A&M course was team taught with Wyndylyn van Zharen, JD, who specializes in Environmental and Maritime Law. During my 22 years of Federal Service both with the Navy and later with the Department of Commerce I was involved in environmental issues ranging from making environmental policy, participating in writing legislation, writing Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental  Impact Assessments and Endangered Species Take permits. My teaching is based mostly on this hands on experience.

During my involvement with the Marine Mammal Commission and later NOAA I participated in negotiating several environmental and fisheries agreements with, Norway, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Korea, the Peoples Republic of China and the former Soviet Union.

My most recent personal research has concentrated on the study of the international history of environmental policy and politics. I am also working on methodology for the study of large ecosystems including ocean basin wide study of concentrations of marine organisms (crustaceans, fin fish, mammals) and influence of global climate change.  From 1960’d through the 1990’s most of my research has concentrated on developing the use of similar systems for living marine resource assessment. I started to work on the impact of noise on humans and animals in 1956 with the Aerospace Industry (Douglas and Lockheed).

Those issues are still alive today especially as they impact the marine environment and terrestrial endangered species. Although no longer actively involved in research I still am active as a consultant.

I have supervised several graduate students and served on several thesis advisory committees at San Diego State University, University of California San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Texas A&M University.  Over the past 20 years I have taught undergraduate level courses in the University of California System, the California State University System and Texas A&M University.  I also hold a lifetime California Teaching Credential, grades 5-14, for all sciences.

I have actively contributed to scientific literature especially in the area of population biology, marine bioacoustics and remote sensing.  I have worked with and advised groups concerned with scientific animal display (zoological parks), fisheries (both commercial and recreational), animal protection, humane treatment of animals and eco-system based Fisheries management systems.

I have started creating water color art pieces. Here you can find a selection of pieces that I enjoy.