25 February 2015 Re: Nomination of Dr. Eric Hoberg to Membership on Science Steering Committee Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) Dear Review Committee Members, This letter is written in support of Dr. Eric Hoberg's appoint to the SEARCH Science Steering Committee. I have observed Dr. Hoberg in laboratory, field, scientific meetings and policy conferences over the past 25 years and I know he would make insightful and carefully considered contributions to the SEARCH agenda. In the early 1990’s, we were collaborators on a joint Russian/US research consortium (PanArctic Biota) initiated between the Russian Academy of Sciences and Smithsonian Institution. We first met in St Petersburg, Russia and subsequently put together an international (Finland, Russia, Canada, US, Sweden, Iceland) set of collaborations called the Beringian Coevolution Project that has produced more than 200 publications related to impact of arctic climate change on various aspects of biodiversity (e.g., emerging pathogens, conservation biology, community turnover). In addition to funding from a variety of natural resource agency sources (USDA, USGS, NPS), we have been co-funded through NSF (3 consecutive grants from 1999 to the present) to work on mammal and emerging pathogen questions related to the nexus between Asia and North America, Beringia. It is on the basis of this association that I make the following recommendation. Dr. Hoberg is an extremely motivated and focused individual who has demonstrated considerable productivity throughout his career. He would bring substantial expertise and new perspectives on the effects of climate change on emerging pathogens, zoonotic disease, and subsistence food security of northern peoples, as well as a deeper time perspective on our dynamic northern environments. Significantly, he understands the critical role that natural history collections and associated big data play as scientific infrastructure that can stimulate interdisciplinary approaches to questions of environmental change across time and space. Dr. Eric Hoberg is now Chief Curator and Zoologist at the US National Parasite Collection, among the largest archives of specimens and information documenting global parasite biodiversity. His undergraduate work was done at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he studied biology, ornithology and parasitology. Evolution of complex parasite faunas among seabirds became the focus for an MSc (Univ. Saskatchewan 1979), and then PhD (Univ. Washington-1984) with Dr. Robert Rausch. As a field biologist and biogeographer, he has traversed regions of Alaska, Canada, Siberia, Scandinavia and Antarctica. He has authored or coauthored over 250 publications, emphasizing the role of episodic events, climate, environmental perturbation and patterns of geographic colonization as determinants of diversity and emergent diseases in evolutionary and ecological time. As reflected by the number of invited presentations he has already delivered and papers published, Dr. Hoberg’s research in parasitology, biogeography, and conservation biology is highly regarded by his peers. His contributions are numerous, have high impact and are published in high impact journals like the Global Change Biology, Proceedings Royal Society of London, Trends in Parasitology, Journal of Wildlife Diseases and others. Dr. Hoberg interacts well within the academic, agency and policy spheres. He has mentored three of my graduate students directly (one for over a year in the Beltsville USDA Lab) and has been heavily involved in other graduate student committees elsewhere. He provides strong and solid guidance, demonstrating the level of Dr. Hoberg's energy and commitment to climate change research at high latitudes. Dr. Hoberg was a founding member of the Research Group for Arctic Parasitology, which drove the expansion of studies of parasite diversity in the north, becoming a powerful consortium linking the US National Parasite Collection, University of Calgary, University of Saskatchewan and research groups in Alaska, NWT, Yukon and Nunavut, Finland and Russia. RGAP complemented the Beringian Coevolution Project in working to develop geographically extensive baselines (from field sampling through agencies and Native communities) to understand environmental change and perturbation in northern systems and the consequences of emerging infectious diseases. Both RGAP and BCP were instrumental in the development of concepts for diversity addressed in the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment published last year. In summary, Dr. Hoberg is a clear, original thinker, good listener, and consensus builder. He has developed a solid scientific reputation among our national and international colleagues. He has a quick wit and his sense of humor is a welcome addition to group interactions. He is a trustworthy and compassionate human being who is respected for his good taste, judgment and sensitivity to cultural issues. You will find him to be a pleasant, positive force that will be fully committed to SEACRH efforts. This letter is meant to be a strong recommendation for Dr. Eric Hoberg’s nomination to the Science Steering Committee for SEARCH. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have further questions. Sincerely, Joseph A. Cook Professor of Biology Director, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico United States National Parasite Collection Agricultural Research Service, USDA Current as of February 2015 1. NAME: Eric P. Hoberg 2. PERSONAL DATA: Born: 18 October 1953 3. ADDRESSES: Business Address: US National Parasite Collection Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture BARC East, Bldg, 1180, 10300 Baltimore Avenue Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350 USA Telephone: (301) 504-8588/ Fax: (301) 504-8979 [email protected] Home Address: 16321 Oxford Court Bowie, Maryland 20715 4. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS: Degrees University Date Area Ph.D. U. of Washington 1984 Systematics, biogeography, evolution of parasites M.Sc.. U. of Saskatchewan 1979 Parasitology B.Sc. U. of Alaska 1975 Biological Sciences 5. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: Nov. 2000 - Present Research Zoologist, GS-15. Chief Curator, US National Parasite Collection. Unit Leader- Biosystematic Parasitology, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, USDA, ARS. Sept. 1999 - Nov. 2000 Supervisory Zoologist, GS-15. Chief Curator, US National Parasite Collection. Research Leader, Biosystematics & National Parasite Collection Unit, USDA, ARS. Sept. 1990 - Aug. 1999 Research Zoologist, GS-13/15. Assoc. Curator, US National Parasite Collection. Biosystematics & National Parasite Collection Unit, USDA, ARS. Concurrent Appointment, Nov 2013 – Nov 2018 Adjunct Scientist, Research Associate, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Concurrent Appointment, Nov 2013 – present Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette Concurrent Appointment, June 2009- 2015 Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary. Concurrent Appointment, April 2004- present Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Concurrent Appointment, June 1995 - present Adjunct Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Concurrent Appointment, June 2000- 2007 Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Concurrent Appointment Sept. 2000- August 2003 Affiliate Faculty, Department of Biology, Idaho State University, Pocatello. Jan. 1998 - June 1998 Administrative Detail to Office of Deputy Administrator, National Program Staff, Agricultural Research Service. Jul. 1989 - Sept. 1990 Assistant Professor. Veterinary Parasitology. Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island. Jan. 1985 - June 1989 Research Associate. Veterinary Parasitology. College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Jul. 1984 - Nov. 1984 Field Biologist. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle. Jul. 1984 - June 1985 Post-Doctoral Senior Fellow. Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington, Seattle. Jan. 1981 - Mar. 1981 Teaching Assistant. Parasitology. Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle. Oct. 1979 - Jun. 1984 Research Assistant. Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington, Seattle. 2 Sept. 1978 - Dec. 1978 Instructor, Parasitology. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Sept. 1977 - Dec. 1977 Teaching Assistant. Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. May 1977 - Aug. 1977 Biological Technician. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska. Jan. 1976 - Aug. 1976 Biological Technician. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska. Apr. 1975 - Oct. 1975 Biological Technician. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Aleutian Islands, NWR, Alaska. Jan. 1974 - Dec. 1974 Histological Technician. University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Jun. 1973 - Aug. 1973 Fisheries Technician. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Bethel, Alaska. 6. TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES: Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan: 1977 Helminthology (laboratory) 1978 Helminthology University of Washington: 1981 General Parasitology (laboratory) College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University: