Dr. Paul Hershberger currently sits on the Executive
Committee as the Elected Fish Health Section President. Paul is also the
Station Leader and a Research Fishery Biologist with the USGS Marrowstone
Marine Field Station where he directs research relating to diseases in wild fish. Additionally, Paul is an Affiliate Faculty member at the
University of Washington.
I have always been interested in fish; my parents started
taking me fishing when I was 4 years old; and the weekend fishing trips were a
source of constant inspiration throughout my childhood. I had my first formal introduction to
fisheries with an ichthyology course I took in college. Unfortunately, my high expectations for the
course left me disillusioned, as I did not find stimulation in the classical
fisheries approaches, and I was frustrated with memorizing the Latin names of
daces, darters, chubs and minnows that had been in formalin way too long. However, my passion for fish persisted and I
feel fortunate to have discovered the field of fish health in graduate
school. I was immediately hooked; the
field incorporated many of the issues, disciplines, concepts, and approaches
that I found fascinating.
2. What do you
like most about your current job?
1) I feel extremely fortunate to be able to interact with
the people in the fish health community who are committed to advancing our
field. These professional interactions
with people, ranging from temporary interns through emeritus scientists,
provide me with a great sense of humility and appreciation that together, we
are contributing to the advancement of our field.
2) I really enjoy the challenges inherent to addressing
scientific questions. This job has
provided me with the opportunity to address some of these basic and applied
questions using unique approaches that involve tools that are adapted from
multiple disciplines. Designing an
approach to addressing a question, executing the approach, and obtaining an
answer is a very simple process that provides me with great satisfaction.
3. When and why
did you first become involved with AFS and the FHS?
I started attending the FHS annual meeting when I was a
graduate student and I’ve enjoyed them ever since.
4. Who were
your mentors as you were an up-and-coming fish health specialist? How did they
influence you?
I’m not sure that I could put my finger on a particular
mentor as much as I could refer to the collective community of fish health
professionals. I have a keen interest in
history and I feel fortunate to have met (and sometimes worked with) some of
the pioneers in our field, including Drs. John Fryer, Gary Wedemeyer, Ron
Hedrick, Jim Winton, Vicki Blazer, Ted Meyers, Garth Traxler, and Ray
Brunson. Some people I have been
fortunate to work with very closely and others I met only once or twice, but
made a profound and lasting impact on me.
For example, as a post doc I briefly met a gentleman named Alistar
McVicar, who had written several wonderful reviews on Ichthyophonus. I remember very clearly when he put his hand
on my shoulder and said (in a thick Scottish accent) ‘Son, you can spend an
entire career working on this critter and still not have many answers.’ I continue to put a lot of value on these
professional interactions and I try to learn as much as I can from every
conversation, whether it involves the consummate professionalism of Jill Rolland,
the edgy pragmatism of Dick Kocan, or the endless energy and enthusiasm of
Scott LaPatra.
5. If you
mentor students currently or hire new graduates, what sort of qualities do you
look for?
The most important qualities I look for in any student or
employee involves a good work ethic, inquisitive mind, ability to work
independently, and overall healthy attitude.
These qualities are much more important to me than whatever pathogen
somebody may have worked with, or what particular laboratory techniques
somebody may have in their tool box. Tools
and skills can be learned quickly by anybody with an inquisitive mind, but a
solid work ethic and desire for knowledge are much more difficult to
teach.
