Many individuals have helped me in my academic career to realize my interests. In 1969 Prof. Dr. Roberto Marchetti, a famous Italian limnologist, allowed me to work in his laboratory and supervised my research and the writing of my Laurea dissertation. Dr. Livia Tonolli, director of the Istituto di Idrobiologia in Pallanza, also instructed me in the importance and methodology if limnological research. I remained their friend and colleague for the rest of their lives. When I was in Italy they often invited me to give seminars and lessons to their students.

In the summer of 1970 I traveled by myself to the United States. There I visited many campuses and Dr. Lawrence Pomeroy, of the University of Georgia, suggested that I could study towards a Ph.D. degree in oceanography under his supervision. Upon my return to Italy I went to the USIS, the United States Information Service, and there I was informed on how to compete for a Fullbright scholarship. I won the scholarship and on September 11, 1971 I left Milan to travel to the University of Georgia.

There I spent two years in the oceanography program with Dr., Pomeroy. I also had many meetings with Eugene P. Odum and had the good fortune to take the courses in systems ecology taught by Dr. Bernie C. Patten. At that time I realized that I was more interested in theoretical ecology, computers and programming than I was in laboratory work. I therefore shifted my major to Systems Ecology. With the assistance of Dr. Bargman, a statistician and member of my graduate committee, I explored the relation between model parameters and model simulations. I graduated with a Ph.D. in Ecology in the spring of 1975 and I was the first student to defend a Ph..D. dissertation in the new Ecology building.

In September 1974 I presented a paper, derived from my dissertation, at the First International Congress of Ecology. After my presentation Dr. T.J. Simons, a Canadian scientist, invited me for a Chinese lunch, and offered me a Post Doc position at his institute at Environment Canada, the Canada Centre for Inland Waters. I gladly accepted and in June 1975, my pregnant wife and I drove from Georgia to Canada to start a new personal and scientific life. The idea, back then, was to stay a year and then move on to another position. However, a research scientist competition took place there in the Fall of 1975, I won it, and never left Environment Canada.The list of my publications summarizes my research endavours.

Thus, with the help and direction of Profs. Roberto Marchetti, Livia Tonolli, Senator Fullbright (indirectly), Lawrence Pomeroy, Eugene Odum, Bernie Patten and T.J. Simons I was able to start my academic career in systems ecology.

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