On April 21, 2020, Tanner Kern interviewed Hans Laufer in Essex, Connecticut, for the Maritime Studies Capstone Seminar Oral History Project. Laufer recounts his early life in Germany, including his family’s forced emigration following Kristallnacht in 1938. He describes the challenges of adjusting to life in New York, his education at Stuyvesant High School, and the development of his interest in biology and aquaculture. Laufer details his academic achievements, including earning a PhD at Cornell University, where he studied insect hormones, and his career at the University of Connecticut, focusing on developmental biology and the endocrinology of invertebrates.

Laufer highlights his pioneering research on crustacean hormones, particularly the discovery and application of a juvenile hormone for shrimp aquaculture. He discusses the environmental challenges facing marine species, such as pollution and plastic breakdown products, which impact crustacean reproduction and growth. He reflects on his collaborations with industry and his concerns about declining government funding for research. Laufer emphasizes the importance of addressing environmental and climate issues to protect marine ecosystems and preserve species like lobsters, which have experienced dramatic population declines.