After 27 years of service to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Dr. Donald Boesch is stepping down as president. In the time that he has served, the United States elected five different presidents and Maryland elected five governors. UMCES has had a unique honor of having just one president during that time, one who has worked artfully with the highest levels of leadership at the state and national level.
Boesch has dedicated his life and talents not only to protecting the environment through his own research, but using his platform to lift others up and grow UMCES into one of the nation’s leading environmental science institutions. To honor his tireless work and dedication to the field, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science has established the Don Boesch Environmental Leadership Fund.
“This initiative will build on Don’s steadfast leadership in applying science to the most pressing environmental challenges facing our planet,” said David Balcom, UMCES vice president for institutional advancement. “With Don’s guidance, the fund will support the next generation of leaders through student fellowships, advance research on the most difficult questions facing our environment, and continue the essential work to restore the Chesapeake Bay, America’s largest estuary.”
Staying true to the historical roots of UMCES, Boesch has overseen tremendous work protecting Maryland’s blue crabs, oysters, and other fisheries. He has worked to preserve and protect the Chesapeake Bay. He has also advised key public officials across the country, including five Maryland governors, and offered key scientific insight as a member of President Barack Obama’s Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission. In addition, he has engaged in direct discourse regarding climate change, often citing the work of UMCES’ researchers.
Although Boesch has decided to step down as president of UMCES, he won’t be going very far. He will return to the classroom to teach and mentor the next generation of scientists who will take up the mantle of leading the application of science to solve pressing issues. Boesch also plans to write to continue communicating the role of research in building a sustainable future in the face of budget cuts and the crisis of climate change.
The Don Boesch Environmental Leadership Fund was created with the idea that private philanthropy must be called upon to work with government funding to conserve our natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
Boesch has dedicated his life to environmental science, and this fund will give the opportunity for others to honor his legacy and continue his work to secure a cleaner, healthier, and more abundant planet.
To learn more about the fund and make a donation, visit the fund's website.
