R. E. (Robert Ervin) Coker

Born in 1876 and living until 1967, Robert Ervin Coker built a long career around zoology, fisheries, and the study of aquatic life. He is remembered as a scientist who cared about both careful observation and real-world use, writing and teaching about topics such as water conservation, food supply, and marine resources.

In 1922, he joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as professor of zoology. There he taught generations of students in vertebrate zoology, introduced hydrobiology in the 1920s, and later helped pioneer introductory oceanography courses. From 1935 to 1944 he served as department chair, and in 1939 he was awarded a Kenan Professorship.

After retiring from teaching in 1947, he organized UNC's Institute of Fisheries Research and continued leading its work for years afterward. The institute building was later named in his honor, and his research and teaching helped lay important groundwork for what became UNC's marine sciences program.