Joseph W. Rachlin
Lehman College
For distinguished contributions and achievements in the biological sciences, science education, and scientific mentorship
Quote
“The Lehman College Chapter holds an annual dinner where in addition to installing new members, both student and faculty, the chapter holds a poster session where students working in our research laboratories present their work to a general audience including several college administrators. This opportunity of encouraging students to present their research at these annual poster sessions has been particularly important to me.”
Biography
After graduating with a PhD degree in biology/fishery science from New York University in 1967, Joseph W. Rachlin joined the faculty of Hunter College in the Bronx, which became Lehman College in 1968.
During his 53 years at Lehman College, in addition to being a full professor, he has had several key administrative positions, including 10 years as the dean of the Division of Natural and Social Sciences, served twice (for six months each, 2001 and again in 2012) as interim vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost, one three-year term as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and one six-month term as chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences. He recently served as the interim associate provost and dean for Research (2014–2016).
He is also an active researcher in the field of aquatic ecology with special emphasis on fish and invertebrates in coastal and freshwaters of New York State, and these studies have resulted in 70 peer reviewed publications. He is committed to mentoring undergraduate students and has mentored 10 masters students and 7 PhD students. In addition, he is on the editorial board of the Northeastern Naturalist, and has received The Great Works Award, in honor of Thomas Berry, by the Environmental Consortium of Colleges and Universities in New York State. It is an award for a lifetime dedication to teaching and scholarship in the environmental field; emphasis on the region’s aquatic fish and invertebrate species. The award was presented at the Consortium’s 12th annual conference on November 7th, 2015, at Vassar College. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologist, the Willi Hennig Society, and the Linnean Society of London. He was recently elected as a Fellow of Sigma Xi.
He has been actively involved in Sigma Xi for 55 years starting as a graduate student at NYU and continuing at Lehman College. He has served as an officer of the Lehman College Chapter virtually since coming to Lehman.