Marine Biological Hall of Distinction: Donald Putnam Abbott
- The Persaud Catalog
- Oct 25
- 5 min read
This article is part of our collection known as the Marine Hall of Distinction. This special collection will discuss marine biologists who have served marine biology and oceanography the most. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists and show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Donald Putnam Abbott.
Dr. Donald Putnam Abott was an American Marine Biologist, Invertebrate Zoologist, & Researcher known for his work on Tunicates, colloquially known as Sea Squirts. Tunicates are an interesting marine invertebrate that resemble a fleshy tube, & are surprisingly closely related to chordates.
In today’s article, we are going to delve into his formative years & education, his personal life & career, his achievements, awards, & accomplishments. With that being said, let us delve into the wondrous career of Donald Putnam Abott!
His Formative Years & Education
Donald Putnam Abott was born on October 14th, 1920, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Sadly, very little is known about his childhood or life pre-university.
His father, a physician & professor of medicine, passed away at the age of 52 in 1936. A few months after his death, Abbott would move away from Chicago. Upon graduating from University High School, he moved to Hawaii to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa for his undergraduate degree in Zoology, beginning in 1937.
It was here that he met, the extraordinary Marine Scientist Isabella Aiona, later Isabella Abbott. She was a student of botany, & both adored biology as well as botany. They both were enrolled in all of the biology courses that the University had to offer, showcasing their commitment to science. The pair married on March 3rd, 1943, & went on to have 1 daughter, & at least 1 granddaughter.
Upon graduating in 1941, he remained an instructor at the University until the outbreak of World War II.
Unfortunately, due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dr. Abbott had to take a sabbatical from marine science, & enlisted in the U.S Chemical Warfare Service in 1943, shortly after his wedding.
After the war ended, the newlyweds relocated to Berkeley, California, to attend the University of California, Berkeley. It was here that he earned his Master's Degree in Zoology, in 1948. The nearby Hopkins Marine Station had just seen a well-known marine scientist, Professor Tage Skosberg, retire, & was urgently attempting to fill the role. They attempted to recruit another marine biologist, C. M. Yonge, but failed. While on the search for a successor, the University discovered Abbott, & offered him an instructor position, to teach summer courses during the summer semesters of 1948, & 1949. Upon completion of his P.hD in zoology in 1959, he spent the rest of his career with the Hopkins Marine Station.
His Personal Life & Career
Upon joining the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley in 1950, he rose to become one of the most prominent tunicate researchers of the era, & a respected scholar on invertebrates as a whole. He was well known as an extraordinary professor, with his summer courses in invertebrate zoology being some of the most popular at the institution, & his classes were always full of students. Students from other states, & even other countries joined the institute specifically to take his courses.
Although he is often remembered as a taxonomist, this was not the only subject that he lectured about. He also discussed embryology, phylogeny, morphology, & generally systematics of various invertebrates in his lectures. His students were so greatly encouraged by his enthusiasm, that staff observed them working determinedly in the laboratory late into the night, or on days when they did not even have his course. Dr. Abbott was also well known for his thoughtful comments on his students' work, with him leaving long annotations on each of their workbooks.
In 1953, he joined a scientific expedition to Micronesia, specifically Ifaluk Atoll. On the expedition, he caught a terrible case of Polio, a disease affecting the nerves in the spinal cord & brain. Paralysis, wasting, migraines, fatigue, vomiting, fever, & stiffness of the limbs are all associated with the disease. Although he recovered, he feared that like many who were afflicted by the disease, he would never regain control of his legs. He managed to make a stunning recovery, & re-learned to walk, though with a slight limp.
In 1963, he began teaching a new course in a newly built building during the Spring Semester. The course recruited juniors & seniors at Stanford to design their own research projects in 8 weeks, & emboldened by his passion, the majority of them did. The course focused on the intertidal zone, teaching students about the wind, the waves, the tides, the troubles experienced by marine animals living in both the high & low intertidal zone, & the species that inhabited such environments.
Unfortunately, after his retirement, the beloved summer invertebrate zoology course gradually declined in quality, & was eventually shelved. Many people have wondered why this occurred, & to quote his memorial resolution “One has to conclude the teacher was the message. Don’s tremendous enthusiasm, his desire to know everything about each species of invertebrate, fired his students to do the same”.
Upon retiring in 1982, his wife, Isabella Aiona Abbott, was offered a faculty position at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. As such, the couple moved from Pacific Grove back to Hawaii. He stayed in Hawaii for the rest of his life.
Unfortunately, Dr. Donald Putnam Abbott passed away on January 18th, 1986, at the age of 65, following a battle with cancer. He was survived by his wife, Dr. Isabella Aiona Abott, & his daughter, Annie Abbott Foerester. In honour of his passing, a symposium dedicated to invertebrate biology, & invertebrate zoology was held at Asilomar Conference Center in Asilomar, California, USA. It was held soon after his death, from November 20th, to November 23rd, 1987. His contributions to the field were significant, & his work will not be forgotten. He is remembered as one of the most extraordinary professors of Hopkins Marine Stations, & his enthusiasm for the field continues to drive marine scientists today.
His Awards, Achievements, & Accomplishments
1. He published approximately 14 publications over the course of his life, on a variety of different marine invertebrates, from sea urchins to tunicates.
2. He effectively advised 25 P.hD students, & 10 Master’s Degree Students, all of whom earned their degrees.
Coxicerberus abbotti, Enteropsis abbotti, & Hastigerella abbotti.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Memorial Resolution Donald Putnam Abbott 1920-1986”, Written by Lawrence Blinks, Arthur C. Giese, & Colin Pittendrigh, & published at an unknown date. Published by Stanford University.
Citation No. 2: “Donald P. Abott”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Stanford University.
Citation No. 3: “Abott, Donald Putnam (Professor; Phd)”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Conchology Inc.
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