Alison, thank you for sharing the sad news, and for the wonderful memoriam for a southern silviculture & ecology original and a beautiful person
--Seth -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Alison Munson Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 12:35 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ECOLOG-L] A short story about Bob Mitchell A short story about Bob Mitchell I was an almost still young postdoc from Laval University in Canada, presenting for one of the first times in the States at the North American Forest Ecology Workshop (NAFEW). Someone with a strong southern accent asked me the most interesting questions at the end. He introduced himself at coffee break, and so began an informal exchange and conversation with Bob Mitchell that continued off and on at NAFEW meetings or ESA meetings, over many years. His presentations were always among my preferred, dense with deep knowledge of southern pine ecosystems, their fire regime, the root systems anchoring them in place; but with a twist. He was, as are fewer and fewer ecologists, rooted in a place that he continued to study throughout his career. He understood this place probably as few people can. At that first NAFEW meeting as a postdoc, he threw me an idea: you should try this, Alison.... And I did, and it developed into one of my underlying research themes, spatial ecology. Bob was like that: informal, generous, thoughtful, genuine. There was no artifice, no agenda, just Bob, straight up, no ice. Despite his amazing breadth and depth of ecological knowledge, there was never a trace of arrogance to be found; in fact, he shirked any forum that hinted of scientific elitism or disrespect. He was always ready to discuss, to go a step further, to throw out ideas and challenges. When I invited him back to our local NAFEW in Canada, he was happy to come and talk about pine ecosystems once again. But we digressed into philosophy and ethics of science, and he (and I) seemed somewhat discouraged by the decreasing lack of connection of scientists to «place», and modeling as a substitute for presence in the field. As he took a pause in serious treatment for his final battle with cancer, he decided he could come to Quebec City as external for one of my PhD students. Are you sure, I kept checking; he was sure. Even more interesting conversations ensued, reaching further into philosophy. Bob was ever optimistic and determined, still brimming with ideas while adding a dimension to his vision that comes with this kind of battle. Cancer was another scientific study; the hypothesis was life. Afterwards, he even sent me the outline of a research proposal that he said he wouldn't use, saying I could perhaps use it to contribute to my work; how many scientists wouId do this? I am sorry we cannot continue our conversation, I will miss him. He must still be there, among the longleaf pines. Robert J. Mitchell, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Ichauway, GA. 1955 - May 2013. Alison Munson Professeure, Université Laval
