May 23-24, 2002

ITEM 115-2004-R0502  Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Biology upon Calvin M. Kaya; Montana State University-Bozeman

 

THAT: Calvin M. Kaya, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, merits the commendation of the Board of Regents of the Montana University System and has earned the title of Professor Emeritus of Biology in recognition of his excellent teaching and notable professional and institutional service throughout his career at Montana State University-Bozeman.

 

EXPLANATION: Dr. Kaya earned his Ph.D. degree in 1971 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and that year joined the faculty of Montana State University. He has since served continuously on this faculty and has performed commendably in teaching, research, and service to this university and the state of Montana. Students have benefited greatly from the broad diversity of courses he has taught, ranging from seven undergraduate and graduate courses in his professional field of aquatic and fish ecology, to general biology for majors and for non-majors and human anatomy and physiology. These courses included both indoor and natural field laboratories. He has provided service on many department and university committees and has been one of the primary advisors to undergraduate majors in Biological Sciences. While maintaining teaching loads among the highest for permanent faculty of this academic department, he also has had an active program of research supported by numerous research grants from federal, state, and private agencies and foundations. Except for a sabbatical year as a Visiting Scientist in Hawaii with the National Marine Fisheries Service, his research has concentrated on aquatic and fish ecology in Montana and the northern Rocky Mountain region. Research of Professor Kaya and his graduate students pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees has resulted in numerous articles in technical journals and many presentations at regional, national, and international scientific conferences. Professor Kaya's professional contributions to Montana were recently recognized at the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Montana Chapter, American Fisheries Society. A special session was held in his honor, at which he was invited to give the concluding presentation. He has fully earned recognition as Professor Emeritus of Biology through his accomplishments and services through 31 years on the faculty of Montana State University.