CURRICULUM VITAE

John Edward McCosker, PhD

California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, California  94118
(415) 321-8274   voice
(415) 321-8643   fax

Date of Birth: 17 November 1945
Citizenship: USA

EMPLOYMENT

1995 - present Senior Scientist and Chair of Aquatic Biology, California Academy of Sciences
1976 - 1995 Director, Steinhart Aquarium
1994 Interim Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences
1991 - 1992 Acting Director of Business and Finance, California Academy of Sciences
1988 - 1989 Interim Executive Director, California Academy of Sciences
1980 - 1983 Director, Public Programs, CAS
1976 - 1986 Acting Director (during absences of Executive Director), CAS
1976 - present  Adjunct Professor of Marine Biology, San Francisco State University
1973 - 1976 Superintendent, Steinhart Aquarium
1973 Lecturer in Marine Biology, University of California, San Diego
1972 Instructor in Biology, San Diego City College
1970 - 1971 Predoctoral Research Fellow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

EDUCATION

1967 - 1973 PhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
1970 - 1971 Predoctoral Research Fellow, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama, during one year leave from Scripps
1963 - 1967 BA, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California

HONORS & AWARDS

2005 Fellowship, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa
2005 Conservation and Research Award, Trout Unlimited
2004 Northern California Coast exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund sponsorship
2002 Fellows Medal, California Academy of Sciences
2001 Fellowship, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris
1996 Fellowship, Australian Museum, Sydney
1993 Marin County Cultural Achievement Award
1990 ARCS Bay Area Scientist of the Decade Award (amongst several other recipients)
1987 DSc, honoris causa, Occidental College
1980 Public Service Commendation, Department of Design and Industry, San Francisco State University
1976 Fellow, California Academy of Sciences
1971 Academic Achievement Award in Higher Education and Research, Smithsonian Institution
1967 Sigma Xi Honorary Award for Research in Biology
1967 Phi Beta Kappa, Occidental College

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Biology and conservation of anadromous fishes, particularly salmonids
Evolution and behavior of snake eels and moray eels
Aquarium and museum design
Evolution and community structure of eastern Pacific reef fish assemblages
Galápagos ichthyofauna and management
Biology of the white shark Carhcharodon carcharias
Biology of the coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae
Appropriate technology applications to museums and aquariums

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1976 - present Adjunct Professor in Zoology, San Francisco State University (SFSU)
1974 - present Instructor in Docent Aquarium course, (SFSU extension)
1973 Lecturer in Marine Biology, University of California, San Diego
1972 Instructor in Biology, San Diego City College
1970 Teaching Assistant, Ichthyology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
1966 Teaching Assistant, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Occidental College
1966 Teaching Assistant, Plant Anatomy and Taxonomy, Occidental College

CURRENT & PREVIOUS ADVISORY ACTIVITIES

Phoenix Science Center, Trustee
Ocean Trust Foundation, Trustee
Bolinas Lagoon Foundation, Trustee
University High School, San Francisco, Trustee
Oceanic Society, San Francisco, Director
American Association of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Governor
American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria, Professional Fellow
Paul F. Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Governor
Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Research Center, Advisor
National Outdoor Leadership School, Trustee
Society for the Protection of Old Fishes, Member and Conference Chairman
IUCN Genome Conservation Group, Scientific Advisor
IUCN Species Survival Commission, Shark Specialist Group
Science 81-84 Magazine, AAAS, Contributing Editor
Oceans Magazine, Contributing Editor
Pacific Discovery Magazine, Associate Editor
BBC Television, "The World About Us", Scientific Advisor
BBC Television, NOVA Television, "Jaws, the True Story", Writer and Presentor
Walt Disney Cable Network, "The Nature of Things", Scientific Advisor
Bay Area Skeptics, Advisory Board Member
California Shark Center and Aquarium, Ventura California, Advisor
Coastal Resource Center, Advisor
American Elasmobranch Society, Shark Conservation Commmittee
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Advisor
American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, Fellow
Hastings Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, Advisor
Henry's Fork Foundation, Board Member
Bothin Foundation, Trustee
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Consultant on aquatic biology

FIELD EXPERIENCE

Participated in or led research projects and expeditions in: Antarctica, Australia, Burma, California, eastern Canada, various Caribbean islands, Comoro Islands, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Galápagos, Hawaii/Midway, Indonesia, Israel, Line Islands, Melanesia, Micronesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Polynesia, Russia (northern Russia and Kamchatka), Seychelles, and Solomon Islands.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Author of 200 technical and popular articles and monographs. Author, coauthor, or editor of six monographs and books.