Tom Suchanek, Ph.D.

                                                EDUCATION

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Ph.D. - (Zoology: Marine Ecology) University of Washington, Seattle, WA (1979)

            Dissertation:  The Mytilus californianus community: Studies on the composition, structure,                                                          organization and dynamics of a mussel bed.

 

M.A. - (Ecology and Evolution) Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY (1972)

           Dissertation:  The effects of thermal elevation on marine phytoplanktonic primary production.

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B.S. -  (Biology) University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (1969)

                         
                         

                                                           CAREER POSITIONS

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CURRENT  POSITIONS:

• Scientist Emeritus: Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA  

  (2001-present)

• Scientist Emeritus:  U.C. Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, Bodega Bay, CA (1983-present)

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FORMER  POSITIONS:

• Scientist Emeritus: US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Sacramento, CA

  (2014-2018)

• Lead Scientist, Research Manager & Climate Change Coordinator: US Geological Survey -

  Western Ecological Research Center (2008-2014)    

• Climate Science Coordinator: US Geological Survey, Southwest Climate Science Center, Tucson, AZ (2012-2014)

• Research Ecologist/Assoc: Dept. of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, U.C. Davis (2001-present)

• Director: Environmental Contaminants Division: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Sacramento  (2002-2004)

• Deputy Director: Environmental Contaminants Division: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Sacramento (2001-2002)

• Chief: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Branch:  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Sacramento (2001-2004)

• Research Ecologist: Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, and the Bodega Marine Laboratory,

    University of California, Davis (1998-2001)

• Director: U.C. Davis - Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC: 1997-2001)

• Research Ecologist: Department of Environmental Science and Policy, and the Bodega Marine Laboratory,

    University of California, Davis (1996 to 1998)

• Director: Western Regional Center - National Institute for Global Environmental Change (NIGEC),

     A Department of Energy sponsored program: [located at U.C. Davis]   (1994 to 2001)

• Associate Research Ecologist: Division of Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis (1990-1996)

• Assistant Research Ecologist: Division of Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis  (1986-1990)

• Visiting Lecturer:  Division of Natural Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California -

    @ Bodega Marine Laboratory (Spring 1986)

• President and CEO: Tropical Marine Expedition Society (1986-1989)

• Visiting Assistant Professor:  Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington.

    (Summer: 1983)

• Visiting Lecturer: Division of Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis, California (1983-1992)

• Acting Assistant Professor:  Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

    (Summers: 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989)

• Visiting Assistant Professor: West Indies Laboratory, Fairleigh Dickinson University, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin

   Islands, (1980-1981)

• Post-Doctoral Research Associate and Instructor:  West Indies Laboratory, Fairleigh Dickinson University,

   St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.  (1979-1980)

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​                                                                  SERVICE

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• Action Coordination Team: West Coast Governors’ Council on Ocean Health: (2009-2014)

• Peer Review Committee Chair: USGS-Wide Fundamental Science Practices Advisory Committee: (2008-2013)

• UC Davis Lead Campus Co-Director: CALSPACE Educational Outreach Committee (1998-2001)

• UC Davis Campus Co-Director for SPACEGRANT: (1998-2001)

• Bodega Marine Laboratory Advisory Committee - UC Davis: (1992-1996)

• UC Davis Ecotoxicology Program: (1991-2001)

• UC Davis Graduate Group in Ecology: (1991-2001)

• National Academy of Sciences (National Research Council): Science & Litigation Group

    Committee to evaluate conflicts between litigation secrecy practices and scientific inquiry in health and

    ecological damage cases. (1991-1993)

• Treasurer: Western Society of Naturalists: (1990-1994)

• University of California Natural Reserve System Advisory Committee: (1988-1998)

    Committee representative for the Division of Environmental Studies, U.C. Davis

• American Society of Zoologists: Committee on Public Affairs (1987-1989)

• Environmental Policy Institute: Washington D.C. (1987)

    Committee to evaluate the impact of the United States Coastal Exclusive Economic Zone on coastal resources.

• Marine Researchers in Northern California - (Coordinated four annual research conferences) 1986/87/88/90:

• NOAA's Program for Ocean Technology Development (1986) -

    Committee to implement NOAA's West Coast Undersea Research Program

• Secretary & Board of Directors Member: Virgin Islands Conservation Society: (1979-1981)

• University of Washington Diving Safety Board: (1974-1978)

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                                       FIELD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

 

TEMPERATE AND BOREAL ENVIRONMENTS:

             •  Russia (Commander Islands)                                                      -    2006

             •  Great Britain                                                                               -    1994

             • Mediterranean Sea                                                                       -    1987

             • West Coast U.S. (Washington, California, Oregon, Baja)           -    1972 to present

             • Alaska (multiple locations)                                                          -    1976 - 1997, 1989 - 1993

             • South America  (Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil)                         -    1975

             • East Coast U.S. (New England)                                                   -    1965 to 1972

 

TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS:

              • Palmyra Atoll                                                                              -    2007

              • Red Sea:  Israel, Egypt                                                                -    1987

              • Papua New Guinea                                                                      -    1985

              • French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea)                                              -    1985

              • Fiji                                                                                               -    1985

              • Micronesia (Enewetak and Kwajalein Atolls)                            -    1981, 1982

              • Hawaii                                                                                         -    1981, 1982, 1985

              • Guam, Philippines                                                                       -    1981

              • Jamaica                                                                                        -    1980

              • U.S. and British Virgin Islands                                                    -    1979 - 1982

              • Galapagos Islands, Ecuador                                                         -    1975

              • Panama                                                                                         -    1975

              • Bahamas                                                                                       -    1969

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                                          TEACHING EXPERIENCE

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• Lecturer: Department of Environmental Science & Policy, UC Davis: 1983 to 1992

       • Principles of Ecology - 4 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

       • Oceanography - 4 credit-hours (Upper Division)

       • The Oceans: Conflicts Over Ocean Resource Use: - 2 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

       • Biological Oceanography - 3 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

       • Quantitative Field Ecology - 6 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

 

• Visiting Lecturer:  UC Santa Cruz @ Bodega Marine Laboratory: 1986

        • Problems in Marine Biology - 15 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

 

• Acting Assistant Professor: Department of Zoology, University of Washington:   Summers 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989

         • Natural History of Marine Invertebrates - 6 credit-hours (Upper Division)

 

• Visiting Assistant Professor: University of Washington, Friday Harbor Laboratories:  Summer 1983

        • Invertebrate Zoology - 9 credit-hours (Upper Division)

 

• Visiting Assistant Professor:  - (West Indies Laboratory, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): 1980-1982

         • Marine Ecology - 4 credit-hours (Lower/Upper Division)

        • Biology of Tropical Marine Invertebrates - 4 credit-hours (Lower Division)

        • Special Topics in Tropical Field Ecology - 3 credit-hours (Upper Division)

 

• Instructor: West Indies Laboratory,  St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Summers 1979, 1980

        • Ecology of Coral Reef Communities - 6 credit-hours (Upper Division)

 

• Ph.D. Advisor:  Served on many Ph.D. thesis committees since 1980

         • UC Davis, U.C. San Diego and University of New Hampshire)

 

• Advisor:  Undergraduate independent research project advising: 1975 to 1979.

        • (Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle and West Indies Laboratory, St. Croix,

           U.S. Virgin Islands)

 

• Teaching Assistant:  1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976

        • (Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle; and Department of Ecology and Evolution,

          Stony Brook University).  Courses included:  Introductory Biology, Principles of Ecology, Natural History of

          Marine Invertebrates, Invertebrate Zoology, and Field and Theoretical Ecology.

 

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                    GRADUATE STUDENTS & POST-DOCS MENTORED

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• Benet Duncan: Post-Doctoral Fellow, NOAA/USGS, 2014

Post-doctoral Study/Product: A Monitoring Inventory and Plan for Tracking Climate Change in the North-central California Coast and Ocean Region.

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• Collin Eagles-Smith: Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 2006

Dissertation: Mercury in fish: Food web structure, trophic transfer, and bioaccumulation in two California lakes.

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• James Haas:  Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 2004

Dissertation: Legacy of mining, mercury distribution and effects on aquatic biota in the Guadalupe River, Santa Clara County, California.

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• Lee Ann Woodward: Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 1999

Dissertation: Assessment of sublethal mercury stress in a contaminated lake: Clear Lake, Lake County, California.

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• Edward Gilmartin: M.S., U.C. Davis, 1998

Dissertation: Effects of copper-methyl mercury mixtures on two cladocerans, Daphnia pulex and Ceriodaphnia dubia: Toxicity and bioconcentration.

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• Bruce Follansbee, Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 1996

Dissertation: Wetland restoration at Clear Lake, California: Species selection, phophorus monitoring, and coordinated resources management planning.

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• George Arthur Trevelyan: Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 1991

Dissertation: Aquacultural Ecology of Hatchery-Produced Juvenile Bay Mussels, Mytilus edulis L.

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• Roger Helm: Ph.D., U.C. Davis, 1990

Dissertation: Population dynamics of an intertidal eel blenny, Cebidichthys violaceus: diet, growth, homing, and avian predation.

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                                                 HONOR

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While documenting the diverse community of organisms associated with Mytilus californianus mussel beds (see Research Focus Areas section), Tom discovered a new species of amphipod crustacean. This new species was subsequently named in his honor as Paramoera suchaneki (by C.P. Staude, 1983). [Published Reference:  Staude, C.P. 1995.  AmphiPacifica 1(4):61-102]

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