Remembering former director Dr. David M. Gates (1921-2016)
News of Dr. David M. Gates's death spread quickly among a saddened Biological Station community this past weekend. He died Friday morning, March 4, at the age of 94. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Marian Gates, in 2006,
In a remarkable life (50+ research papers; travel to 55 countries; work on the proximity fuse -- "one of the most original and effective military developments in World War II") whose many, varied chapters he was proud to recount, the U-M Biological Station had a central place.
Dr. Gates was the Station's director from 1972-1986. He first came to Douglas Lake, however, as a baby. His father, Dr. Frank C. Gates, taught Botany at the station for nearly 40 years beginning in 1915.
David Gates received all 3 degrees (B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.) from the University of Michigan, and took classes at the biological station in 1939. After retiring as Station director, Dr. Gates kept a cottage on the north shore of Douglas Lake to which he returned every summer.
Many UMBS students have benefited from Dr. Gates's scholarships. He created the Marian P. and David M. Gates Scholarship for Non-Residents to help out-of-state students attend the Station. He created the Frank Caleb and Margaret Thompson Gates Student Scholarship to honor his parents and provide undergraduate scholarships. And in 2008 he was among the donors to the David M. Gates and Marian P. Gates Graduate Student Support fund which provides graduate student research fellowships.
The UMBS family is grateful for Dr. Gates's leadership and support through and long after his time as director. You can learn more about Dr. Gates's globe-hopping, science-loving life in his obituary.
March 11 update: The New York Times published an obituary for Dr. Gates that recognized his role as an early ecological activist.
News of Dr. David M. Gates's death spread quickly among a saddened Biological Station community this past weekend. He died Friday morning, March 4, at the age of 94. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Marian Gates, in 2006,
In a remarkable life (50+ research papers; travel to 55 countries; work on the proximity fuse -- "one of the most original and effective military developments in World War II") whose many, varied chapters he was proud to recount, the U-M Biological Station had a central place.
Dr. Gates was the Station's director from 1972-1986. He first came to Douglas Lake, however, as a baby. His father, Dr. Frank C. Gates, taught Botany at the station for nearly 40 years beginning in 1915.
David Gates received all 3 degrees (B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.) from the University of Michigan, and took classes at the biological station in 1939. After retiring as Station director, Dr. Gates kept a cottage on the north shore of Douglas Lake to which he returned every summer.
Many UMBS students have benefited from Dr. Gates's scholarships. He created the Marian P. and David M. Gates Scholarship for Non-Residents to help out-of-state students attend the Station. He created the Frank Caleb and Margaret Thompson Gates Student Scholarship to honor his parents and provide undergraduate scholarships. And in 2008 he was among the donors to the David M. Gates and Marian P. Gates Graduate Student Support fund which provides graduate student research fellowships.
The UMBS family is grateful for Dr. Gates's leadership and support through and long after his time as director. You can learn more about Dr. Gates's globe-hopping, science-loving life in his obituary.
