We at Thayer Birding Software had the honor and a privlege of working with him for the past few years. Our condolences to his wife Frances, his family, and all those in the birding community who have worked with him.
He will be missed.
Sincerely,
Eric Heineke
Thayer Birding Software
Eric@birding.com | 513-561-0481
http://www.birding.com
The following is a brief outline of Dr. Sibley's life and contributions to the field of ornithology:
CHARLES G. SIBLEY, born August 7, 1917, Fresno, California, died April 12, 1998, Santa Rosa, California.
A.B. 1940; Ph.D. 1948 in Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
Minor fields: Paleontology, Botany.
1940-1941: Graduate School, University of California, Berkeley.
1941-1942: Field Biologist, Bubonic Plague Suppressive Measures, U.S. Public Health Service.
1942-1945: U.S. Navy, Ensign to Lieut. Communications and Medical Service Corps.
1946-1948. Graduate School, University of California, Berkeley.
1948-1949: Instructor in Zoology and Curator of Birds, University of Kansas.
1949-1953: Assistant Professor of Zoology, San Jose State College, California.
1953-1965: Associate Professor and Professor of Zoology; Curator of Birds; Cornell University.
1965-1986: Professor of Biology and William Robertson Coe Prof. of Ornithology, Dept of Biology; and Curator of Birds, Peabody Museum of Natural
History, Yale University.
1970-1976: Director, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University.
1986: Professor of Biology, Emeritus, Yale University.
1986-1992: Dean's Professor of Science and Prof. of Biology, San Francisco State University.
1993- Adjunct Prof. of Biology, Sonoma State University (by invitation).
Field Experience: United States: all regions and states. Mexico: six trips (1939, 1941 (2), 1946, 1948, 1950. Honduras: 1973. Costa Rica: 1972. South America: 1956, six countries. Europe: 1954, 1958, 1959-60 (sabbatic year), 1966, 1970, 1982, 1984, 1985 - mostly short visits; Africa: 1964, 1974, six countries, short visits. Australia: 1963, 1968, 1974, 1983, short visits. New Guinea: 1945, 1968, 1969. New Zealand: 1964, 1983, 1990. New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Philippines: 1944-1945, 19 months. Japan: Dec. 1992.
Research Experience: Fossil birds, 1939-1942. Geographic variation, speciation, and interspecific hybridization in wild bird populations, 1941-1957. Biochemical and molecular studies of proteins and DNAs of birds and mammals -- phylogeny reconstruction, classification, rates of genomic evolution, etc. 1957-1998.
Affiliations and Other Activities:
Member of ca. 15 scientific societies, U.S. and foreign;
Fellow, Honorary, or Corresponding Fellow of seven; officer or council member of five - 1946-present.
Guggenheim Fellow, 1959-1960. Oxford University.
Treasurer, American Ornithologists' Union, 1953-1962.
Secretary-General, 13th International Ornithological Congress, 1958-1962.
Brewster Memorial Medal of the American Ornithologists' Union, 1971.
Editorial Board, Evolution, (past).
Editorial Board, Journal of Molecular Evolution, 1983-present.
Editorial Board, Molecular Biology and Evolution, 1986-present.
Editorial Board, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 1991 -present.
President, American Ornithologists' Union, 1986-1988.
President, 20th International Ornithological Congress, 1986-1990. New Zealand.
Member, National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., elected 1986.
Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal, National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., 1988
Alessandro Ghighi Medal, National Institute of Wildlife Biology, Italy. 1991.
Publications: 1939-present - 132 titles, of which 77 pertain to molecular systematics and evolution.
Four books: "Phylogeny and Classification of Birds" (with Jon Ahlquist). Yale Univ. Press. 1990
"Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World" (with Burt Monroe). Yale Univ. Press. 1990
"A World Checklist of Birds" (with Burt Monroe). Yale Univ. Press. 1993.
"Birds of the World by Dr. Charles Sibley." Thayer Birding Software. 1995
http://www.birding.com/sibbiog.htm - Revised: April 15, 1998
Copyright © 1996 Thayer Birding Software