....and here are some bios shamelessly cut-and-pasted from the web. Please give me other additional accolades for these folks.
Eric Borneman
Eric Borneman is the author of Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History, and is co-author for the book, A Practical Guide to Corals. He has authored and published over almost seventy articles and papers on marine subjects in various scientific and trade publications and journals internationally.
He is the host of The Coral Forum at Reef Central, is a contributor to many websites internationally, has spoken at many scientific and aquarium related conferences, events, and societies, and has taught classes on coral biology, coral propagation, and other reef issues. He co-founded the Marine and Reef Aquarium Society of Houston and is currently involved with reef conservation efforts, coral disease, and aquarium trade sustainability issues worldwide. He has been maintaining reef aquaria for twelve years, and has been diving and photographing coral reefs of the world for 23 years. His current aquaria include a linked multi-habitat system of over 500 gallons that includes a seagrass habitat, an intertidal habitat and a large coral reef that run without any filtration devices.
Eric has a degree in biology from Rice University, and is currently working on his Ph. D. in coral reef ecology in the specialty area of coral disease and immunity at the University of Houston. He lives in Houston where he is at work on his next books.
Charles Delbeek
JCD Consulting principal J. Charles Delbeek is an internationally recognized authority on captive living coral reef ecosystems and is a highly sought-after speaker and consultant on marine aquarium systems. J. Charles Delbeek holds three degrees from the University of Toronto; an honor Bachelors degree in biology, a Masters in zoology and a Bachelors in education, which gives him not only a strong basis in marine science, but also in education. This multi-disciplined background allows for a unique viewpoint when it comes to creating not only scientifically accurate living aquatic exhibits but also educational materials for exhibit graphic and interactive components. An Aquarium Biologist at the Waikiki Aquarium, Charles' professional interests include the ecology and captive husbandry of marine and freshwater fishes, live coral, mangroves, seagrasses, freshwater aquatic plants and cephalopods. In his capacity at the Aquarium, Charles has been part of the exhibit design team and has contributed to several award winning exhibits and conservation programs (Bean Award 2003, M.A.C.E. Award 2003, M.A.C.E. Award 1999) including live coral and giant clam exhibits, freshwater planted aquaria, cephalopod exhibits, marine fish exhibits as well as holding and research systems for corals and clams. With over 12 years experience in the public aquarium field, 8 years of teaching experience and 35 years of marine aquarium experience, Charles has developed a well-deserved world-wide reputation for excellence and accuracy in award winning exhibit design and implementation. Charles has lectured at over 46 aquarium-related conferences and meetings, and published over 68 articles in the popular aquarium literature in the last 21 years. In addition to writing a monthly reef aquarium column for Aquarium Fish International since 1997 and a bi-monthly column for Advanced Aquarist Online, he has co-authored three popular aquarium books with Julian Sprung. The Reef Aquarium series are considered by many to be the definitive works in the field. Charles has also served as scientific reviewer for ReefKeeping Online magazine and Advanced Aquarist Online, book reviewer for Freshwater and Marine Aquarium magazine and Veterinary Pathology and has acted as a peer reviewer for scientific journals such as Aquaculture and Aquarium Sciences and Aquaculture. A well respected figure in the aquarium industry, Charles brings with him extensive connections to marinelife suppliers around the world including Japan, Vanuatu, Indonesia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, USA and Europe making him a valuable addition to any aquarium development project.
In addition, his strong connections with public aquarium professionals around the world is another valuable asset when it comes to acquiring cutting edge information on exhibit and husbandry techniques.
Bruce Carlson
Bruce Carlson is a native of Michigan where he enjoyed studying the aquatic life in the stream behind his house. In 1971 he received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After graduating, he traveled to Guyana, South America, where he worked as a research assistant studying the reproductive biology of freshwater fishes. In 1972, he joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. His task was to conduct a biological survey of the marine life of the Fiji Islands and help establish a permanent collection for the university. Nearly 30 years later, the university has created a new museum to house this collection, which has become very important for marine studies in Fiji. In 1975, Carlson moved to Hawaii where he earned a PhD at the University of Hawaii. He started work at the Waikiki Aquarium in 1976 as a student aquarist. As an aquarist, he initiated a series of new exhibits which were “firsts” in the United States, including chambered nautilus in 1976, cuttlefish in 1977 and living corals and giant clams in 1978. His research on nautilus eventually led to a successful breeding program for these “living fossils,” and in 1991 the American Zoo and Aquarium Association awarded the prestigious “Bean Award” to the Waikiki Aquarium in recognition of this work. Carlson was appointed director of the Waikiki Aquarium in 1990. In 1992, he began work on a $3 million renovation of the old Aquarium. The Waikiki Aquarium is now considered one of the finest “small” aquariums in the world. It is also the third oldest aquarium in the nation and celebrated its 100th anniversary on March 19, 2004. Under his direction, the Aquarium operated on a budget of about $2.5 million annually and employed 38 full-time staff assisted by more than 200 trained volunteers from the community. After 27 years working at the Waikiki Aquarium, Carlson joined the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta where he now serves as the Vice President for Education, Exhibits and Conservation. He was part of the original team that designed the Georgia Aquarium and is now responsible for all research programs for this $300 million facility. Carlson is an avid scuba diver, underwater photographer and videographer. He has published numerous scientific articles ranging from descriptions of new species of reef fishes, to telemetry work on chambered nautilus, to culture methods for corals in aquariums
Walter Adey
Walter Adey received his B.S. in Geophysics from MIT, performed graduate studies at MIT and Harvard in Paleontology and Biology, and obtained his Ph.D. in Marine Botany and Geology from the University of Michigan. Since 1977, he has been the Director of the Marine Systems Laboratory at the Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Adey is an associate editor for Restoration Ecology and The Journal of Ecological Engineering. He has authored numerous publications including the book Dynamic Aquaria: Building Living Ecosystems, and has developed several exhibits and operational mesocosm systems. His technology, the Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) has been used in Biosphere II, the Great Barrier Reef aquarium in Australia, the Florida everglades and a variety of municipal wastewater treatment plants.
Julian Sprung
Julian Sprung is a biologist, author, photographer, aquarium design consultant, and a partner in the aquarium industry manufacturing and publishing company, Two Little Fishies, Inc. Julian graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology in 1988. Since 1988 he has written the column "Reef Notes" in Freshwater and Marine Aquarium magazine, and he was Science Editor from 1993 to 1995 for Aquarium Frontiers. In 1991 Julian wrote and narrated the video, An Introduction to The Hobby of Reef Keeping, which was the first product of Two Little Fishies, Inc, the company he formed with Daniel Ramirez. Two Little Fishies now publishes books and CD ROM'S, and manufactures a variety of popular aquarium products and foods for fishes and invertebrates. Julian's Reef Notes, Revisited and Revised, is a compilation of "Reef Notes" question and answer columns plus additional notes pointing out changes of opinion or errors. Two Little Fishies' Oceanographic Series guides include Julian's Corals: A Quick Reference Guide, Invertebrates: A Quick Reference Guide, and Julian's latest book, Algae: A Problem Solver Guide. A common theme in Julian's approach to aquarium keeping is to study the living ecosystem while keeping the technical support system simple. By promoting this philosophy he intends to increase the enjoyment of the hobby and attract those who might otherwise be deterred by the cost and complexity of "high-tech" aquariums.
Jean Jaubert
Jean Jaubert's fascination for the underwater world started since he spent his childhood paddling in the crystal waters of the South Coasts of the Western Mediterranean Sea. This fascination turned into a real passion when he saw Commander Cousteau's first films. As a student, he did his first internship in the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. He met Cousteau there and stroke up a friendship with icons of his team such as Claude Wesly, Armand Davso, Canoe Kienzy and André Portelatine. Jean Jaubert became marine biologist, doctor in oceanography and Doctor of Science, and practices all diving types. In 1975, invited by the NASA and the US NAVY, he took part to a simulation of space walking in deep sea with a midget submarine. However, intensive underwater diving did not make him forget the importance of laboratory experimentation and the usefulness of modern tools of molecular biology. In 1992, Professor at the University of Nice, he was assigned to the Principality to create the European Oceanological Observatory, which laboratories are located in the premises put at his disposal by the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. As a specialist in reef-building corals, he quickly raised this new research center to a world-famous level of excellence demonstrated by publications in the best scientific serials. Some articles were published in reference journals such as Science, Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA). The main discoveries of Jean Jaubert teams concern the way coral reefs, sea counterparts of the virgin forest, contribute to the maintenance of great balances of biosphere. At the same time, he invented a sea water biological purification process that enabled him to raise corals in aquarium. Implemented in the Oceanographic Museum by two of his co-workers, Nadia Ounaïs and Pierre Gilles, this process led to the total renovation of the aquarium that accommodates today world-unique exhibition of living corals. In 2002, Jean Jaubert left the University of Nice and the European Oceanological Observatory to take the management of the Cousteau Society. It was the beginning of a new adventure. In November 2003, he sailed from Monaco onboard of the Alcyone, the famous Turbosail vessel of Commander Cousteau for a pilgrimage, in the footsteps of the Calypso. For 4 months, his crew filmed the shooting sites of 2 mythical films: The World of Silence and the World Without Sun, respectively Palme d'or in Cannes and Oscar winner of the foreign language film in Hollywood. In July 2004 Jean Jaubert came back to the Principality to manage the Oceanographic Museum. But adventure went on with a raid in the savage Socotra Island, off the coasts of South Yemen. In July 2005, he accompanied H.S.H. Prince Albert II to the Spitzberg. With his two team-mates, Patrick Marchand and Bruno Philipponnat, he dived into the icy waters adjoining the ice-pack and collected mollusks, which are rare under these latitudes, and which analysis shall bring information of paramount importance on climate evolution and pollution in the Arctic. Two recent events crowned the scientific career of Jean Jaubert : his promotion to the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour, upon the proposal of the Minister for Research, and the publication of a two-page "Profile" in the very famous American Science magazine
Jay Hemdal
Author and curator of Fishes and Invertebrates at the Toledo Zoo
Dirk Petersen
Dr. Dirk Petersen is an expert for captive coral breeding and sexual coral reproduction. At the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands, Dirk carried out fundamental research on coral breeding techniques such as the collection of planulae from aquarium colonies, coral larval settlement, transportation of coral larvae, and the grow-out of settled primary polyps. He is culturing the brooding coral Favia fragum in the 3rd generation, which is the first evidence of a complete life cycle of reefbuilding corals in captivity. Dirk co-ordinates the SECORE Project since it was initiated by the Rotterdam Zoo in 2001; he is also co-chair of the European Coral FAITAG (Fish and Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group). Dirk has published his work in scientific journals and hobby magazines, and has given lectures at congresses around the globe. Besides his research in corals, he is responsible for the natural system aquariums at the Rotterdam Zoo with tank sizes ranging from 1,000 to 16,000 gallons. Last but not least, Dirk has never lost the spirit of a hobbyist since his attempts to keep reefbuilding corals in his home aquarium in the early nineties were the basis to establish later the coral breeding.
Mitch Carl
Mitch Carl was born and raised in the hotbed of Marine Biology: Omaha, Nebraska. After a brief stint in freshwater, he began his saltwater career at Animal Talk Pet Center in 1994. After quickly realizing that he had no customer skills whatsoever, he obtained his Biology degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Not because he wanted to go there, but because he could afford nothing else. With degree in hand, he marched immediately to the Henry Doorly Zoo and demanded/pleaded for a job. After being mocked mercilessly, he was offered a volunteer scuba/underwater custodian position. Soon after, one of the aquarists mysteriously disappeared and he was offered the job and began his zoo career in 1997. On his way to his current position as Supervisor of Aquatic Inverts, Mitch tore down and renovated 4 displays. His current reef tanks include a 26,000gal Sulawesi Beach tank, a 6000gal stony/sps tank and a 2000gal Symbiotic tank. Add it all up and the Omaha Zoo has the largest volume of water dedicated to corals in the nation (at least for a bit longer!). Mitch also started the Zoo's coral propagation program. This 1000gal system produces over 1000 frags each year, and supplies many zoos and aquariums with captive corals. Mitch's new project is in conjuction w/ the SECORE (SExual COral REproduction) project and he'll be setting up 4 more troughs and beginning the adventure of getting corals to have sex. Before becoming a father to beautiful twin daughters, he and his wife dove reefs around the world (Bonaire, Grand Turk, Roatan, Catalina, Thailand, Fiji, and Sulawesi).
Rich Ross
Rich Ross maintains a 300 gallon live coral reef system in his living room, breeds cephalopods, and is active in the reef aquarium community. Oh, and he improvises too. Rich is a mainstage company member of BATS Improv, co-founder of San Francisco’s Start Trekkin’ - An Improvised Parody of the Star Trek Universe, and has performed with Fratelli Bologna and True Fiction Magazine.
Mary Middlebrook
Mary is the owner and operator of Marine Specialties International and Channel Islands Coral Reef Ornamentals propagation. Mary is also very active with various organizations pertaining to the hobby and industry. MAC representative.
Peter Rubec
Peter Rubec has been an aquarium hobbyist since 1958. He obtained an Hons. B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Ottawa, in biology and a Ph.D. in zoology from Texas A&M University. He presently works for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a Fisheries Research Scientist. He helped found the International Marine life Alliance (IMA) in the U.S.A,, Philippines, and Canada. The IMA was one of the first organizations to sound the alarm about the impact of destructive fishing on coral reefs. He has written papers in scientific journals and aquarium magazines about the harmful effects of cyanide collecting on marine fish and coral reefs. He has made presentations at MACNA and at other conferences, testified before a congressional subcommittee, and helped to organize the Trade Advisory Group (TAG) which was the precursor to the the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC).
Bob Fenner
Robert (Bob) Fenner is a content provider to the pet-fish (ornamental) aquatics hobby and trade, dive/travel adventure and underwater natural history genres; writing, photography and videography. Though retired since 1994, he continues to produce in this field as well as consult on aquaculture and public aquarium installations. Bob has "lived" the science, hobby and business of aquatics in the Philippines, Japan and United States. All phases; collector, wholesale, jobber, retail, design, construction and maintenance. All levels; manager, owner, hatchery worker, retail clerk, technician. Except for a stint teaching high school sciences for four years, he has worked all his life in the field of ornamental aquatics. Academic experience includes fifteen years of college, a couple of life science degrees and a teaching credential for chemistry, physics and biology. Published works include several studies on aquatic biological and chemical questions, and an extensive book and article publishing (helped author a few books, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, Fishwatcher's Guide to the Tropical Marine Aquarium Fishes of the World, Natural Marine Aquariums Reef Invertebrates...) and photographic background in aquatic industry and hobby fields. Have taught High School sciences and Marine Sciences and Aquariology courses at the State University, University of California levels.
Bob has been an avid aquatic hobbyist since day one and is active in hobbyist and scientific organizations. He has served on numerous Boards, judged shows and given many programs. Helped form and run (President) of the employee-owned corporation, Nature Etc., Inc. in San Diego, started in 1973; a turn-key operation in the field of ornamental aquatics, designing and building ponds, lakes, fountains and waterfalls (Aquatic Environments), designing, installing custom aquarium systems and maintenance (Aquatic Life Services), and operating retail outlets (Wet Pets).... currently does consulting, content provision to the trade, sciences and hobby of aquaristics.
Martin Moe
He's been working with marine life in one way or another for the last 45 years. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he works hard, and he's lucky. Not lucky in the "win the lotto" sense, but lucky in the conduct of life. This consists of knowing, as much as possible, who you are, always moving in the direction of your interests and abilities, and mostly, pursuing, recognizing, and accepting opportunities and responsibilities that carry you in this direction. You also have to respect others, always deliver more than the contract specifies, and inspire others to do the same, but that's not luck, that's just part of who you are. If he had gone with the flow, instead of pursuing his interests, he could very well have spent his life running a hobby shop, selling life insurance, being a lifeguard, teaching middle school, or even delivering donuts, all respectable occupations, but not fulfilling the ambitions and aspirations of his youth. Martin has a masters degree in marine biology, and has worked as lifeguard, a teacher, a fishery biologist, a marine fish breeder, and a writer. He began breeding marine fish, pompano, in 1969 and then developed the techniques for breeding clownfish in 1972. He started Aqualife Research in 1973 with clownfish and goby culture and then moved the company to the Florida Keys in 1975. There, the company continued to breed clownfish and other species, but concentrated on developing a method for breeding the large Atlantic angelfish, the French and the gray. This effort was biologically but not economically successful. The company moved to Walker's Cay in the Bahamas in the mid 1980s and concentrated on commercial clownfish culture. Martin became a bit "burned out" with running a fish hatchery and in the late 80s, and turned to writing and publishing books with his wife Barbara. Barbara was very good for Martin. They met in 1959 over a cup of coffee; she married him, put him through school, had three kids, edited and published their books, and generally kept the whole show on the road. He wrote The Marine Aquarium Handbook, first edition published in 1982, which was very influential in the development of the marine aquarium hobby. The Marine Aquarium Reference followed in 1989 and since then he and Barbara have published a comprehensive book on spiny lobsters, a book on Breeding the Orchid Dottyback, and The Marine Aquarists' Quiz Book. The new edition of the Reference will update everything in the previous editions and include much more basic data and information on captive marine systems. Martin and Barbara now live in old house on the beach in Islamorada in the Florida Keys. The last three years have been a whirlwind of moving, working on the old house, trying to write, and of course, working with marine life and the fragile coral reef environment of the Florida Keys. A current project is working with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to restore the keystone herbivore, the long spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, to the reefs of the Keys.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Randy Holmes-Farley has a BA in chemistry and biology from Cornell University (1982) and a PhD in chemistry from Harvard University (1986). He has 57 patents, numerous publications and several awards in a variety of chemical fields. In 1992 he helped start a pharmaceutical company (GelTex Pharmaceuticals). It was eventually bought by Genzyme where he now has the title of Vice President, Chemical Research. Randy is also the co-inventor of two commercial pharmaceuticals (Renagel and WelChol). Randy has been keeping reef aquaria for just over 10 years. He has been active on a variety of reef internet forums for that same period, and has been especially involved in chemistry-related discussions. For the past four years he has moderated The Reef Chemistry Forum at Reef Central. He has authored many reefkeeping articles with a chemistry emphasis for Fishnet, Aquarium Frontiers, Advanced Aquarists Online Magazine, and this one (Reefkeeping). Randy lives in Arlington, Massachusetts (outside of Boston) with his wife Becky and two daughters (ShuLan, 6, and Savannah, 8).
Sanjay Joshi
Sanjay Joshi is a professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Penn State University . He has been a reef addict since 1992, and currently keeps 3 reefs at home 55G, 60G and a 180G SPS dominated reef. In addition he co-manages the 500G aquarium at Penn State. He has published several articles in magazines such as Marine Fish and Reef Annual, and Aquarium Frontiers, and Advanced Aquarist, Aquarium Fish, and been an invited speaker at several national and regional marine aquarium society meetings.
Brian Plankis
Brian Plankis has always had three career interests in his life: technology, science and education. While most people would choose to focus on one, Brian's background reflects his efforts to integrate all three into his career. Brian received a BS in Natural Resources and Environmental Science in 1994 and an MS in Educational Technology in 1997, both from Purdue University. Brian is currently pursuing his doctorate in Instructional Technology at the University of Houston. His dissertation work focuses on exploring the use of Communities of Practice to improve science education in K-12 classrooms and adult learning situations. Following his graduation Brian has held a variety of positions in both industry and the academic environment. He has contributed to research efforts on marine mammals at the Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry & Biotechnology, on lake pollution and water clarity, the effects of groundcover and soil type on soil erosion and chemical uptake and binding in soil organic matter. Brian has conducted classroom teaching at the university level in creating instructional video, classroom technology integration, soil science and computer literacy. Brian has authored several peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations on a variety of technological and educational topics. Brian entered the aquarium hobby with freshwater tanks and spent seven years keeping freshwater fish while breeding various species of guppies, mollies and angelfish. He also has spent over 200 hours volunteering for the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois and the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Galveston, Texas. In addition to writing for Reefkeeping Magazine, Brian has been an active member and a presenter for the Marine Aquarium and Reef Society of Houston (MARSH) and was involved in the Chicago Marine Aquarium Society (CMAS). In 2006, Brian founded Project DIBS, also know as the Desirable Invertebrates Breeding Society, an organization dedicated to collaboration, distribution and education related to breeding of marine invertebrates in closed systems. Many important issues facing the hobby today interest him, including: exotic introductions, educating new hobbyists, the declining state of natural reefs and research on live rock hitchhikers and invertebrates. When he's not involved with any of the above activities, he enjoys spending time with his wonderfully supportive wife, Christine, and playing a variety of sports.
Anthony Calfo
Anthony Calfo was born in Hawaii and lives in Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong aquarist and an aquarium industry professional that has worked the better part of the last decade as a commercial coral farmer and wholesaler, producing cultured reef invertebrates in a greenhouse environment for the ornamental and zoological trade. Anthony has authored the reef aquarium books, "Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1" (ReadingTrees.com) & “Reef Invertebrates”, and numerous articles for print and electronic journals at large. He travels frequently to visit organizations and clubs to present information on the aquatic sciences. Anthony co-founded the Pittsburgh Marine Aquarist Society with the inimitable Bob Dolan. Schooled at Carnegie-Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, he has degree in English Literature.
I'll be presenting on November 17th at CAST.
