Robert Black

Emeritus Professor of biology and former assistant men’s basketball coach Robert Black died Jan. 13, 2012, in Solon, Iowa. He was 62.

Black joined the faculty in 1987, and taught for 23 years, retiring in 2010.

Black was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., and a Ph.D. from SUNY Stony Brook in Stony Brook, N.Y.

Black was known for his research on the migratory patterns of raptors, the ecology of ornate box turtles, and the ecology of fire coral. He was instrumental in launching the ongoing off-campus study programs at the Gerace Research Center in the Bahamas and the Wilderness Field Station in Minnesota.

Black served for years as assistant men’s basketball coach, and was an advisor to numerous student organizations, including the Environmental Club. He was also involved in creating the Mount Vernon-Lisbon solid waste program. He is survived by his wife, Susan Peterson, and two daughters.