Reuben lasker
Encyclopedia
Reuben Lasker was a fisheries scientist
known for his contributions to larval ecology, particularly the Stable Ocean Hypothesis
.
, New York
, on December 1, 1929. He attended the Boys' High School
in Brooklyn, graduating at the age of 16. Lasker began his academic career at the University of Miami
in 1946. Initially, he majored in English, but transitioned to zoology
with notions of medical school
. However, he graduated in 1950, and applied for (and won) a scholarship for graduate studies in marine biology
. He studied marine shipworm
s and earned his master's degree
at the University of Miami in 1952. For his doctoral degree at Stanford
Lasker studied silverfish
gastrology, earning the degree in 1956.
Lasker was married to Caroline Hayman with whom he had a daughter, Pamela, and son, Paul.
to culture euphausiid shrimps
at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
in La Jolla, California. After teaching briefly at Compton Community College
and being granted a Lalor Faculty Fellowship at Scripps, Lasker was recruited to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Commercial Fisheries' new research laboratory on the Scripps campus; he began federal service as a fishery research biologist in June 1958. Lasker was charged with establishing what would become the Physiology Laboratory.
Lasker and his teams went on to study various marine invertebrates
, which eventually led him to his most widely recognized work with larval fish ecology. Most of his research centered around clupeid
larval survival, feeding, and relevant environmental and plankton
ic variables within the California Current System
(CCS).
In 1970, Lasker revitalized the academic journal
Fishery Bulletin
as its scientific editor. Under his leadership, the journal became a quarterly publication and its content tripled.
Lasker had been an Associate Professor of Marine Biology in Residence at Scripps since 1966 when he was appointed adjunct professor in 1973.
in 1983. In 1988, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists posthumously awarded Lasker its Outstanding Achievement Award.
on March 12, 1988, at the age of 58. His ashes
were scattered from the research vessel NOAAS David Starr Jordan on April 27, 1988, in the ocean off Point Loma. Lasker's friends established the Reuben Lasker Memorial Fund after his death.
, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
fisheries research vessel
, is named after Lasker.
Fisheries science
Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of oceanography, marine biology, marine conservation, ecology, population dynamics, economics and management to attempt to provide an integrated...
known for his contributions to larval ecology, particularly the Stable Ocean Hypothesis
Stable Ocean Hypothesis
The Stable Ocean Hypothesis is one of several hypotheses within larval fish ecology that attempt to explain recruitment variability . The SOH is the notion that favorable and somewhat stable physical and biological ocean conditions, such as the flow of currents and food availability, are important...
.
Early life and education
Lasker was born to Theodore and Mary Lasker in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on December 1, 1929. He attended the Boys' High School
Boys and Girls High School
Boys and Girls High School, the oldest public high school in Brooklyn, is a comprehensive high school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York...
in Brooklyn, graduating at the age of 16. Lasker began his academic career at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in 1946. Initially, he majored in English, but transitioned to zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
with notions of medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
. However, he graduated in 1950, and applied for (and won) a scholarship for graduate studies in marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
. He studied marine shipworm
Shipworm
Shipworms are not worms at all, but rather a group of unusual saltwater clams with very small shells, notorious for boring into wooden structures that are immersed in sea water, such as piers, docks and wooden ships...
s and earned his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at the University of Miami in 1952. For his doctoral degree at Stanford
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Lasker studied silverfish
Silverfish
Lepisma saccharina, frequently called silverfish, fishmoths, carpet sharks or paramites, are small, wingless insects in the order Thysanura...
gastrology, earning the degree in 1956.
Lasker was married to Caroline Hayman with whom he had a daughter, Pamela, and son, Paul.
Professional career
In 1956, Lasker was awarded a post-doctoral appointment from the Rockefeller FoundationRockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
to culture euphausiid shrimps
Krill
Krill is the common name given to the order Euphausiacea of shrimp-like marine crustaceans. Also known as euphausiids, these small invertebrates are found in all oceans of the world...
at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
in La Jolla, California. After teaching briefly at Compton Community College
Compton Community College
El Camino College Compton Center operates as a "center" of El Camino College. Under an agreement with El Camino College, Compton Center is open and offers accredited El Camino College courses to residents of Compton, Carson, Lynwood, Paramount and parts of North Long Beach...
and being granted a Lalor Faculty Fellowship at Scripps, Lasker was recruited to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Commercial Fisheries' new research laboratory on the Scripps campus; he began federal service as a fishery research biologist in June 1958. Lasker was charged with establishing what would become the Physiology Laboratory.
Lasker and his teams went on to study various marine invertebrates
Marine invertebrates
Marine invertebrates are animals that inhabit a marine environment and are invertebrates, lacking a vertebral column. In order to protect themselves, they may have evolved a shell or a hard exoskeleton, but this is not always the case....
, which eventually led him to his most widely recognized work with larval fish ecology. Most of his research centered around clupeid
Clupeidae
Clupeidae is the family of the herrings, shads, sardines, hilsa and menhadens. It includes many of the most important food fishes in the world.-Description and biology:...
larval survival, feeding, and relevant environmental and plankton
Plankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
ic variables within the California Current System
California Current
The California Current is a Pacific Ocean current that moves south along the western coast of North America, beginning off southern British Columbia, and ending off southern Baja California. There are five major coastal currents affiliated with upwelling zones...
(CCS).
In 1970, Lasker revitalized the academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
Fishery Bulletin
Fishery Bulletin
The Fishery Bulletin is a quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It was established in 1881....
as its scientific editor. Under his leadership, the journal became a quarterly publication and its content tripled.
Lasker had been an Associate Professor of Marine Biology in Residence at Scripps since 1966 when he was appointed adjunct professor in 1973.
Awards
Lasker was awarded the Meritorious Service Award (Silver Medal Award) by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1970, the Distinguished Service Award (Gold Medal Award) by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1974, and the Huntsman Medal for Excellence in Biological Oceanography by the Bedford Institute of OceanographyBedford Institute of Oceanography
The Bedford Institute of Oceanography is a major Canadian government ocean research facility located in Dartmouth in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia. The Bedford Institute of Oceanography is the largest ocean research station in Canada...
in 1983. In 1988, the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists posthumously awarded Lasker its Outstanding Achievement Award.
Death and legacy
Lasker died of lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
on March 12, 1988, at the age of 58. His ashes
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
were scattered from the research vessel NOAAS David Starr Jordan on April 27, 1988, in the ocean off Point Loma. Lasker's friends established the Reuben Lasker Memorial Fund after his death.
NOAAS Reuben Lasker
The NOAAS Reuben LaskerNOAAS Reuben Lasker
NOAAS Reuben Lasker will be a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fishery research vessel when completed. The ship's namesake, Reuben Lasker, was a fisheries biologist who served with the Southwest Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, and taught at the Scripps...
, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
fisheries research vessel
Research vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...
, is named after Lasker.