The Buck Stopped Here!: A History of the Central Michigan University Biological Station on Beaver Island

The Buck Stopped Here
A History of Central Michigan University

Biological Station on Beaver Island

The land on which Central Michigan University Biological Station (CMUBS) now resides was purchased on Beaver Island from the State of Michigan in 1942 for one dollar James Gillingham recounts the 50-year history from that momentous occasion until today, where CMUBS has gained the stature and reputation as one of North America's finest research and educational field stations. The CMUBS location on a biologically diverse island in northern Lake Michigan make it ideal for carrying out its goals of assisting in Great Lakes conservation endeavors.

James C. Gillingham, Professor Emeritus in the Central Michigan University Department of Biology, is a herpetologist and animal behaviorist. He has conducted research worldwide on the behavioral ecology of reptiles and amphibians for more than 40 years. His more than 60 published scientific papers and book chapters deal primarily with the behavioral ecology of reptiles. More specifically, he has studied the sexual behavior of a variety of snakes and most notably of New Zealand's ancient tuatara. He was the director of CMU's Biological Station on Beaver Island from 1985 until 2009 and taught a variety of zoology courses in CMU's Department of Biology from 1976 until his retirement in 2009. He and his wife Mary reside in the Mt. Pleasant area.