WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • SEPTEMBER 2019 15 Reminiscences • Robert Stickney Meryl was a very dedicated and determined scientist as he pursued his Ph.D. at Texas A&M. As the senior graduate student at the Aquaculture Research Center (now Aquaculture and Teaching Center), Meryl became a leader respected by the other students who were in the process of planning or conducting their research projects in pursuit of advanced degrees. He was highly respected in our small community of faculty and scientists-in-training and was often a go-to source of advice. He was a natural leader and was highly respected at the aquaculture facility and later in development of the BFAR facility in the Philippines. He also had a great sense of humor and did not seem to be phased by adversity. Well into his Ph.D. research, Meryl purchased a new car and wanted to show it off to colleagues. Near the College Station airport on his way from the Volkswagen dealership to the aquaculture center, he hit what was reported to have been the largest whitetail buck deer recorded in the county at that time! Meryl took the incident (which involved a few thousand dollars in damage) in stride and was not offended by the fact that he had the only predatory Rabbit in Texas. I believe one of his major contributions to society was his leadership in the development of the BFAR tilapia production facility in the Philippines, though shared credit is also warranted to Joe Lock, who was responsible for distribution of the fingerlings that were produced. At the time in the 1970s, which is probably true today, the average rice farmers’ family was composed of a husband, wife and several children. Their primary nutrient was rice and having several children in the family was important to provide labor for rice production. Animal protein in the diets of rice farmer families was rare at best. By introducing tilapia fingerlings into the rice fields, farmers were able to produce a second crop that could greatly increase their nutritional status. As mentioned by Ken Davis (below), Meryl enjoyed beer. During his time at Texas A&M he was a frequenter of a watering hole near the University called the Dixie Chicken. On one of his returns from the Philippines for his annual vacation from the hatchery development project, he visited the Dixie Chicken. The bartender greeted him by saying. “Hello, Meryl. Haven’t seen you in a couple weeks.” • Kenneth B. Davis I first met Meryl when he was an entering MS student at Memphis State University in 1970 and I was a beginning Assistant Professor. Ever since those years, Meryl was a trusted, valuable friend and colleague. It was exciting to watch his development during his career to become a skilled, productive professional. During his second year at Memphis State, he took a course on fish diseases and one evening during a social there was a large amount of home brew consumed. The next day he and Nick Parker decided that the calendar designation of BC and AD should be changed to BHB (Before Home Brew) and AHB (After Home Brew). Meryl also told me of an exciting night in the Philippines. An armed security guard had been posted outside his living quarters. Meryl slept with a machete next to his bed. One night he was awakened and picked up the machete on the way to the bathroom when he ran into an intruder. He swung the machete wildly and the intruder ran off. After the (CONTINUED ON PAGE 16) Meryl was a very dedicated and determined scientist as he pursued his Ph.D. at Texas A&M. As the senior graduate student at the Aquaculture Research Center (now Aquaculture and Teaching Center), Meryl became a leader respected by the other students who were in the process of planning or conducting their research projects in pursuit of advanced degrees. He was highly respected in our small community of faculty and scientistsin-training and was often a go-to source of advice. He was a natural leader and was highly respected at the aquaculture facility and later in development of the BFAR facility in the Philippines. He also had a great sense of humor and did not seem to be phased by adversity. — ROBERT STICKNEY
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