Civil Rights Leader and Renowned Conservationist Honored At Annual Commencement

STONY BROOK, NY — W. Burghardt Turner, noted activist and proponent of civil rights on Long Island, and Russell Mittermeier, one of the world’s leading conservationists, were honored at the 2007 Stony Brook University annual Commencement. Professor Turner was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters while Dr. Mittermeier was given an Honorary Doctorate in Science.

Professor Turner is an emeritus Professor of History at Stony Brook University after teaching at the University for nearly 20 years. The son of immigrant parents, he has served the cause of civil rights and opened opportunities for underserved populations on Long Island. In 1988 Stony Brook named the Underrepresented Graduate fellowship Program in his honor. Since its inception, the Fellowship has graduated more than 100 Master’s candidates and 1808 Ph.D. candidates.

It was during his career at Stony Brook that the majority of his civil rights activities developed. While at Stony Brook, Professor Turner was actively engaged with issues relating to academic access for underrepresented students and their success at Stony Brook University. He acted as President of the Patchogue Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and a member of the Long Island Coordinating Committee on Civil Rights. He also acted as Vice-President and Executive Committee member with the United Fund's Admissions and Allocations Committee.

In 1970 he was appointed Chairman of the Suffolk County Human Relations Commission (SCHRC) until 1971 when he asked not to be reconsidered for re-appointment due to his academic responsibilities at Stony Brook. During his service as chairman, Turner addressed various problems including the desegregation of schools throughout Suffolk County, student rights, fair housing, police brutality, the plight of the migrant workers, to the desegregation of corporate and big business hiring practices.

A native of Long Island, Mittermeier has been an Adjunct Professor at Stony Brook University since 1978. He has been a prominent scientist of exceptional productivity, conducting research in the areas of primatology, herpetology, biological anthropology, and wildlife conservation.

Mittermeier's fieldwork focuses on primates, protected areas and other conservation issues in Brazil, Suriname, Madagascar and more than 20 other countries. His publications include 10 books and more than 300 papers and popular articles. He has also formally discovered several monkey species.

Dr. Mittermeier was named president of Conservation International in 1989, making him the only active field biologist to head an international conservation organization. He has held numerous positions with the World Wildlife Fund and served as Chairman of the World Bank’s Task Force on Biological Diversity, Chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature-Species Survival Commission's Primate Specialist Group, and President of the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation. His work has been recognized by a number of institutions and national governments, and is the recipient of many awards, including being selected as one of Time magazine's “EcoHeroes for the Planet.”

Held at the Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on campus, the commencement is Long Island’s largest graduation, awarding 5,088 degrees during this year’s ceremony. The breakdown of degrees granted was 3,113 undergraduate degrees, 1,211 Masters, 500 doctoral, 112 M.D., and 152 certificates.

The Student Speaker was Amy Wisnoski of Patchogue, a Political Science major who was also President of the Undergraduate Student Government and founder of the PASS program (Providing Academic Support to Students), for providing free tutoring to more than 100 undergraduates at Stony Brook since its inception in Fall 2006. The Commencement address was delivered by President Shirley Strum Kenny.