Robert G. Wetzel

Robert G. Wetzel (born August 16, 1936 in Ann Arbor , Michigan ; † April 18, 2005 ) was an American limnologist and long-time Secretary General and Treasurer of the International Society of Limnology (SIL).

Life

Wetzel was born in 1936 in Ann Arbor , Michigan, the son of German immigrants. He made his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in 1958 and 1959 in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan . He received his PhD in hydro botany from the University of California , Davis , in 1962. In 1965 he became an assistant for botany at Michigan State University , where he also worked as a professor from 1971. 1986 to 1990 he then worked as a professor of biology at the University of Michigan. In 1990 he was appointed professor in the field of biology at the University of Alabama . In 2003 he became a professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. On April 18, 2005, Robert Wetzel died of cancer.

Wetzel was a polyglot cosmopolitan who spoke German as well as English and was able to communicate in the scientific field in Russian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Swedish.

In addition to his extensive scientific work, he held a large number of honorary offices and honorary memberships. From 1968 until his death, his most important function was, in addition to his function as general secretary and treasurer of the SIL, also as chief editor for the proceedings of this society. He was also a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) and a member of the editorial board of its scientific journal.

Wetzel was author or co-author of 23 specialist books and 420 scientific articles. His basic textbook "Limnology" was first published in 1975. In 2001 a completely revised third edition "Limnology - Lake and river ecosystems" was published (fourth edition 2005). The first edition was translated into four languages.

Awards

Robert Wetzel has received numerous prizes and awards. The most important were:

• Ph.D., (Honorary), University of Uppsala, Sweden (1984)
• the Naumann-Thienemann Medal (1992) of the Societas Internationalis Limnologiae and
• the Hutchinson Medal (also 1992)

Works

• Limnology . Thomson Learning and WB Saunders (Philadelphia, London, Toronto), October 1975, ISBN 0721692400 (Eng.)
• Limnology - Lake and River Ecosystems . Academic Press Inc. (London) Ltd., May 10, 2001, 3rd edition ISBN 0-12-744760-1 (English)

Web links

• detailed list of career stations, publications, memberships, dissertations and much more .
• Work of Wetzel (engl.)