Dr. Don Hoss, hailing from Mexico, Missouri, has devoted a significant portion of his life to the field of fisheries. His educational journey began at the University of Missouri, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Fisheries. Don joined the Beaufort Laboratory in 1958 as a Fishery Biologist, embarking on a long and fruitful career that would span over four decades. He obtained a Master's degree from North Carolina State University in 1966, followed by a Ph.D. in 1971.

Dr. Charles "Chuck" Manooch III was born in Raleigh, NC. In 1962, he joined the U.S. Army and served for several years before enrolling at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. In 1966, he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biology. Chuck's career in marine biology started with a brief stint as a unit biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission in central Florida after graduation. Then he pursued further studies at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, working under Dr.

Dr. William "Bill" Sunda, a native of Arlington, Virginia, has made significant contributions to environmental science and research throughout his career. He completed his undergraduate studies at Lehigh University, graduating in 1968 with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science. Bill received a Fellowship for graduate studies at MIT and Woods Hole the same year. In 1975, Bill joined the Beaufort Lab as a Research Chemist, marking the beginning of a 40-year-long commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. Dr.

 Dr. Randolph “Randy” L. Ferguson was born in Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan and
spent his formative years there.

 During his mid-teens the family moved to New York; there, he enrolled in Cornell University and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor’s Degree concentrating in Environmental Sciences.

 He entered graduate school at Florida State University in Tallahassee and received his Ph.D. from FSU in 1971; his dissertation dealt with the effects of light and temperature on the growth and productivity of phytoplankton.