Alumni Updates

Robert Klamt

Fisheries Biology, 1974

I retired in November from the N. Coast Water Quality Control Board after 35 years of service, including 8 months as the Executive Officer. My work was mostly in monitoring and assessment of our N. Coast waters, and more recently in working with the timber industry on water quality issues.

Richard T Sayre

Biological Sciences, 1974

Richard Sayre was elected to the National Academy of Inventors.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-academy-of-inventors-…

Claudia Carlson Cottrell

Fisheries Biology, 1974

In 1991 16 years after graduating from Humboldt State, Claudia Cottrell, Fisheries Biology, 1974, graduated from Northwestern Health Sciences University with a doctorate in Chiropractic. After 23 years of running a human chiropractic practice, she went to Options for Animals School of Animal Chiropractic. She now practices exclusively on horses, dogs, cats, and any other animals that are presented to her. Cottrell, says she feels like she has come full circle. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota (her native state) with her husband, Harry Cottrell, who is a native of Arcata, California, and is also a graduate of Humboldt State. They have two adult sons, have always had pets, and still visit Humboldt County.

Christopher Rush

Natural Resources, 1974

Christopher Rush completed hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Mexico to Canada in 2016 after hiking it in sections post retirement. After working the first half of his career with USDA & USDI (USFS-Willamette NF & BLM-Calif. Desert), he spent the last half with the Environmental Office at Edwards AFB, CA. Where Rush retired as Chief of the Conservation Branch in 2005. Married to Carol (Kohlenberger) Rush is also a 1974 HSU Grad.

Norm Benson

Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1974

Happily married. Living in N Cal.

Lately been passing along reasonably green thoughts at http://timberati.com

James David Ackerman

Biological Sciences, 1973, 1976

After graduating with a B.A. (1973) and M.A. (1976) in Biology, James ventured to the Deep South for his Ph.D. at Florida State University in Tallahassee, a cultural challenge without a doubt. With a predoctoral fellowship from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, he studied the interactions of orchids and orchid bees in Panama. This was parlayed into a Ph.D. (1981) and a job at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, where I have been teaching and studying ever since, making a career primarily of orchid biology and biological invasions. In 2024, the University bestowed upon him the title of Distinguished Professor, a rare honor for which he is grateful to the people of Puerto Rico, and perhaps interrupted the fossilization of an aspiring academic dinosaur.  

Gary Coyne

Oceanography, 1973

Gary Coyne worked for 40 years as a scientific glassblower, with over 30 years at Cal State University, Los Angeles. While working at CSULA He wrote the book "The Laboratory Companion" and had a wonderful career helping to make both glass apparatus used in general labs and many one-of-a-kind apparatus used by chemists, geologist, biologist, and physicist. He retired in 2015 and since then has gone deeper in his hobby of woodworking and has spent more time on his bike. He also helps Adobe in their forums answering questions on things like Lightroom, Photoshop, Acrobat and other related programs. In addition he still provides support to the national organization ASGS (American Scientific Glassblowers Society).

Ed Gullekson

Oceanography, 1973

After graduation Ed Gullekson, Oceanography, 1973, joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a commissioned officer where over six years he served on three different ships and at a NOAA fisheries lab at Tiburon, California. He then earned a master's degree in management science. From there he spent the next 30 years as a management consultant and executive coach. During that time he continued to scuba dive, enjoying the underwater world as a hobby. On retiring in 2014 he started volunteer scientific diving in Puget Sound for the University of Washington, helping on a variety of projects. One in particular, Sea Star Wasting Disease, he has contributed many hours of underwater observation. You can see his observations on his youtube channel.

Andre Degeorges

Natural ResourcesDr. Technology, Natural Resources, Tshwane University of Technology, 1973

Andre Degeorges, Natural Resources, 1973, is retired and is living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia hunting & fishing. Degeorges has several publications on researchgate.net under his name that are available to download for free. Publications include a seven volume book on conservation & development in Sub-Saharan Africa, one on the Taliban, many peer reviewed documents, gray literature & PowerPoint presentations on coral reefs, community based natural resource management (CBNRM), dams, wildlife management & hunting issues, and development/foreign aid, etc.

Theodore "Ted" Smith

Geology, 1972

Following a 30-year career with the State of California, Ted Smith retired as Supervising Geologist with the California Geological Survey in 2001. Since then he earned a PhD in Education (Specialization: Teaching & Training Online) and for 18 years has taught courses online, mostly with Baker College (located in Michigan). In 2019, Ted moved to Whidbey Island, Washington and recently was appointed to the Board of Directors of Geology in the Public Interest, a nonprofit that focuses on use of geology for the public good in sustainable ways.