Papers of Milner Baily Schaefer (1912-1970), a professor of oceanography and science administrator known for his work in fisheries, marine resources, and population dynamics. Schaefer served as director of investigations for the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) from 1951 to 1962, director of the University of California Institute of Marine Resources (IMR) from 1962 to 1970, and science advisor to the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1967 to 1969. The collection includes research notes, data, writings, correspondence, and teaching materials.
Milner B. Schaefer Papers, 1934-1973 (SMC 2)
Extent: 3 Linear feet (3 record cartons)
Milner Baily (Benny) Schaefer was born December 14, 1912 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. After graduating magna cum laude with a B.S. in fisheries from the University of Washington, Schaefer worked as a biologist for the Washington State Fisheries Department in Seattle, and then as a scientist for the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission in New Westminster, British Columbia. He served four years as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II, and then as an instructor for the University of Washington School of Fisheries; an aquatic biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Stanford, California, and chief of the Section of Biology and Oceanography at the Pacific Oceanic Fishery Laboratory in Honolulu.
Schaefer was awarded a doctorate in fisheries from the University of Washington in 1950 and then moved to La Jolla, where he was a research associate for Scripps Institution of Oceanography and director of investigations for the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) from 1951 to 1962. He became professor of oceanography at SIO and director of the University of California Institute of Marine Resources (IMR) in 1962. From 1967 to 1969, Schaefer served as science advisor to the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Stewart Udall, after which he returned to SIO. Schaefer participated in many scientific expeditions, including Operation Wigwam, and served on many U.S. and international committees, conferences, and organizations, including the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, International Law of the Sea conferences, the Latin American Science Board, the Pacific Science Association, and numerous committees for the United Nations and the National Academy of Sciences. Schaefer died in San Diego on July 26, 1970.
A small collection of the papers of Milner Baily Schaefer (1912-1970), a professor of oceanography and science administrator known for his work in fisheries, marine resources, and population dynamics. Schaefer served as director of investigations for the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) from 1951 to 1962, director of the University of California Institute of Marine Resources (IMR) from 1962 to 1970, and science advisor to the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1967 to 1969. The collection includes research notes and data, writings, correspondence, evidence of his role in important scientific groups and committees, and teaching materials.
Given the breadth of Schaefer's professional activities, there are clear gaps in the collection. The papers do not include any information on Schaefer's activities as a member of the SIO scientific party on Operation Wigwam. His career as a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is virtually undocumented, as is his work as a representative of the National Academy of Sciences on the Advisory Board of the National Oceanographic Data Center from 1960-1963.
Arranged in four series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS AND RESEARCH and 4) ORGANIZATIONS.