Norman Jack Meres

The most formative experience of my adolescence was working in the Wildlife Pathology Unit of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation under the mentorship of Ward B. Stone, Jr. I witnessed several environmental crises, including oil spills, pesticide spills, introduced wildlife diseases, and PCB contamination of the Hudson River. What I saw was the devastation that was visited upon New York's native wildlife. I also learned of the importance of speaking truth to power from a man who was not afraid to do so. Since that time I have studied a variety of subjects and have worked with many great scientists. Dr. Peter Chapman taught me microbial biochemistry as I worked on biodegradation of jet fuels. Dr. Patrick Gillevet instructed me in molecular ecology and enabled me to combine my various academic disciplines in studying epizootic shell disease in the American lobster. I have benefitted from the wisdom and guidance of many good people. They have asked very little of me, except to use what I have learned to expand the body of knowledge and to live a life of social responsibility. This project is one way that I intend to repay them.

February 2013