The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL) proudly announces a landmark $1 million donation from longtime supporters Brian Hochheimer and Marjorie Wax (pictured right). This generous gift will establish CBL's first endowed professorship, named in honor of Professor Thomas Miller, who led the laboratory as its director for more than a decade and continues as a professor and international leader in fisheries science. The donation marks a significant milestone as UMCES prepares to celebrate its centennial next year commemorating the founding of CBL in 1925 by Dr. R.V. Truitt.
The Thomas Miller Endowed Professorship will focus on the future with the goal of recruiting emerging leaders in environmental science. The prestige of an endowed professorship will help attract top-tier faculty as it represents one of the highest honors UMCES can bestow upon a faculty member.
"We are indebted to the Hochheimer/Wax family for this transformative gift," said Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, president of UMCES. "This honor recognizes Tom's exemplary leadership during his tenure as director and his commitment to fostering community engagement with our initiatives. We firmly believe this level of support amplifies our impact as it leads to breakthroughs that can influence environmental policies and practices on a global scale."
"Our family ties to the area go back several generations, and we’ve seen first-hand the incredible impact the Chesapeake Biological Lab has on understanding and improving the Bay’s ecosystem," said Hochheimer. "It was important to us to make this contribution now, to support the future of environmental science and to honor Tom Miller’s leadership and contributions to the University."
"It’s deeply humbling, and I am profoundly grateful for this recognition," said Miller. "What makes this so meaningful is knowing that one hundred years from now, this professorship will still exist, helping to attract the best young scientists to the Chesapeake Biological Lab. That’s what excites me - ensuring that future generations will continue to explore and protect the environment that we all value so much."
The Hochheimer-Wax family has long been connected to CBL. Hochheimer grew up in Maryland and while visiting his grandparents spent time at the lab and its pier. The couple’s children and family friends have all shared that experience. In 2022, they made a similar visionary gift establishing the Anthropogenic Changes in Estuarine Systems initiative, focused on understanding new emerging chemical threats in waterways that could have harmful impacts on environmental and human health.
"As someone who has spent a lifetime enjoying the Patuxent and the Chesapeake Bay with our children (and now with theirs), we’ve seen the improvements in water quality, but also the ongoing challenges," added Hochheimer. "UMCES and the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory play a key role in addressing these issues, not just locally but worldwide. This endowment is not just about research, it is about inspiring the next generation of scientists, much like Tom Miller did for us and our community. It's a privilege to be part of something that will have a lasting impact for years to come."
For more information, contact Jenni Pastusak at Jpastusak@umces.edu, or call 443-944-6285.
