California Diving Community Loses Pioneer

A pioneer in California diving passed away late in February, Dr. Bob Given. A certified diver for nearly 50 years, Dr. Given used scuba in almost every position he held since 1957. Since 1966 he held various positions at the Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, including resident biologist and director. Bob designed and taught various courses in underwater research techniques and has also designed specialized equipment and techniques for underwater data gathering. He was one of the founding forefathers of the Catalina Conservancy Divers. Hundreds of divers, marine biologists and oceanographers learned from this man. Given, and those he has taught, changed dramatically our understanding of how the ocean functions. In 2004 he was presented with the California Scuba Service Award in recognition of his many contributions to the California diving community.