Dr. Leslie Watling
Professor of Oceanography, Cooperating Professor of Zoology
School of Marine Sciences, Darling Marine Center
Outside the University of Maine, Dr. Les Watling is probably known best for his tireless work on crustaceans. Not many people have the initiative and scientific credibility to found an international scientific society, but Les has this distinct honor on his record. He is widely known as the driving force behind the Crustacean Society. (A short history of the society is posted at <http://www.vims.edu/tcs/>.) Les served a term as its President and, perhaps even more importantly, was instrumental in launching the society's Journal of Crustacean Biology. The society was officially incorporated in 1981 and published the first volume of the journal in that year. Internationally, Les is known for his steady stream of publications on crustacean biology and for his contributions to peracarids in general and amphipods in particular. He has at least two species named in his honor. Les also has made significant and sustained contributions to University of Maine service, notably as Acting Chair of Oceanography in 1980-1981 and as Director of the Darling Marine Center from 1985 to 1990.
Les' contributions to research as detailed in his 120+ refereed publications goes well beyond crustacean biology and into oceanography; Les appreciates organisms in the contexts of their environments. He is known for his insights into muddy bottoms in general and for his work on organisms that provide structure to the benthic environment, from pellet-producing animals (most animals fall in this category) to deep-sea corals. As a Pew Fellow he has paid particular attention to the damage to such structure and community diversity changes caused by frequent and intense trawling.
Les has been equally tireless in his devotion to teaching and mentoring. During his 32-year University of Maine career, Les has rarely supported fewer than two graduate students in his laboratory and has supervised a substantial number of both M.S. and Ph.D. students. His formal teaching has included invertebrate zoology at both undergraduate and graduate levels, deep-sea biology, crustacean biology, biostatistics, introductory biological oceanography and ecology of marine sediments.
Les is a valued UMaine colleague and Gulf of Maine natural history resource. We hope to see him serve many more years in these roles in his new Emeritus status. Les, best wishes for a productive and probably crustacean-filled retirement. Congratulations!