[Coral-List] Passing of Alan Kohn

[Paulay,Gustav]

Dear All,

I am sharing the sad news that Alan Kohn died peacefully in Seattle at the age of 91.  Alan was one of the most gentle, kind, and supportive scientists and touched many lives over his long life and career working on cones, mollusks, coral reefs and ecology.

Alan's PhD was one of the first tests of Hutchinson's niche concept on Hawaiian cones that led to a lifelong passion for what he often referred to as the most diverse invertebrate genus.  He revised the early nomenclature of cones, created guides to Indo-Pacific and Atlantic species, and published widely on many aspects of their biology.  He was an amazing naturalist, broadly knowledgeable about mollusks, other invertebrates, birds, and all living things.  He shared this passion with his late wife, Marian Adachi Kohn, with whom they were gracious and ever-welcoming hosts in their home and large garden, where visits invariably involved observations and discussions about life around us, the slugs, terrestrial nemerteans, plants and birds there that kept them company.

His passion for the living world, encyclopedic knowledge, supportive nature, and dedication to mentoring has guided many into appreciating and working on invertebrates, marine life, systematics, and ecology. Over his long career AJK mentored a large number of grad students and a constant stream of undergraduates who pursued research in his lab and often ended up pursuing careers in the field.  He was supportive and helpful to the malacological and marine science communities around the world, offering help and support to institutions throughout the world and corresponding and sharing his knowledge and puns.  His favorite tool, I think was a diffuser for photography that he named Kohn's cone cone.

Alan spent most of his career at the University of Washington, where over the span of more than 60 years in the Dept of Zoology/Biology, frequently taught at the Friday Harbor Labs and was adjunct curator at the Burke Museum. Alan visited most major mollusk collections in the world and deeply appreciated their importance.  He bequeathed their family home, together with Sievert Rohwer, to endow a curatorial position at the Burke. Alan worked regularly in his office as emeritus until the last two years and his impact lives on.  He will be missed.

Gustav

Gustav Paulay
Florida Museum of Natural History
University of Florida 
Gainesville FL 32611-7800 USA