March 25-26, 2004

ITEM 122-2001-R0304:  Authorization to Confer the Title of Research Professor Emeritus of Microbiology upon Keith Cooksey; Montana State University-Bozeman

THAT: Upon the occasion of the retirement of Keith Cooksey from the faculty of Montana State University, the Board of Regents wishes to express its appreciation for his service to the University, the Montana University System, and the people of the State of Montana.

 

EXPLANATION: Dr. Cooksey has had a long and distinguished career in microbiology. He received both his B.Sc. in Biochemistry (1956) and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry (1959) from the University of Birmingham in England. After working as a Postdoctoral and Research Fellow in Biochemistry from 1959-1963, he became an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Bacteriology of the University of California, Berkeley. His research career developed throughout the 1960s with "Scientist" appointments with "Shell" Research Limited and at the Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. From 1970 until 1983, he was a tenured Professor in the Division of Biology and Living Resources, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami.

Dr. Cooksey joined MSU in 1982 as a Visiting Professor and co-Directed the Institute for Biological and Chemical Process Analysis in the Department of Civil Engineering from 1983-1985 (the forerunner of the CBE). From 1989-1991, he was honored to be chosen by the Office of Naval Research as their Liaison Scientist for Europe and the Middle East and was based in London, England. During this period, he retained an Adjunct Professorship of Microbiology in the Department of Microbiology at MSU. When he left ONR he was awarded an Outstanding Performance of Official duties A citation. He was appointed as liaison between the US National Association of Marine Laboratories and the European Community Marine Station Network from 1990-1991.

Dr. Cooksey has provided distinguished service to both MSU and the profession of Microbiology. Dr. Cooksey has a long list of scholarly publications and invited lectures. Many of these publications have been with other scientists outside the Microbiology Department, MSU or the USA. He has also maintained a laboratory at MSU continuously funded by outside funds for over 20 years.

Dr Cooksey has a distinguished record of teaching throughout his career. Although a Research Faculty member, he has willingly taught courses on the MSU campus, advised graduate students and trained post doctoral fellows. He has also served on a number of MSU committees at the departmental and university B wide levels.

For these and other contributions, The Board of Regents of Higher Education is pleased to confer on Dr. Keith Cooksey the rank of Research Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at Montana State University, and wishes him well for many years in the future.