History

Inspirations
I believe that we all stand on the shoulders of giants, and my life has been shaped by many amazing people. There are too many wonderful individuals to list here, so I will focus exclusively on those who inspired my career:

My dad, Rick Hixon (1921-1996), who raised me on many coasts around the world.  I miss you, Dad.	My mom, Marge Hixon, who took me to the seashore countless times when I was a kid.  Thanks, Mom!

 

Lloyd Bridges (1913-1998), who introduced me to SCUBA via TV's "Sea Hunt" (1957-1961).
 

Jacques Cousteau (1910-1997), who introduced me to marine biology via his many TV specials.
 

Bill Brisby on left (1924-2001), who organized the Ventura County "Marine Biology Institute" for selected high-school seniors, and sealed my career choice in 1968-1969.  What a gift!
 

Dr. Al Ebeling, who inspired me to become a marine fish ecologist and served as my advisor in graduate school at the University of California at Santa Barbara (1974-1979).  Thanks always, Al!
 

My fellow Ebeling lab mates, shown here at the WSN meeting in Long Beach in 2003 (L to R):  Ralph Larson, Greg Cailliet, me, Dick Bray.  Thanks for everything, guys!
 
Early Years
Raised on many coasts, my first deep connection with the ocean came from surfing:
 

Starting at age 12, I lived through the "short board revolution," here at Ventura Pier in 1970.  (Thanks for the boards, Blinky!)
 

During my undergraduate years, I was on the U. C. Santa Barbara Surf Team, shown here in our 1971-72 yearbook photo.  (Can you find me?)
 

Still surfing after all these years, here at the California Channel Islands in 2010.  (Thanks, Rick!)
 
Graduate School
UCSB years brought SCUBA diving and undersea research, still my great career passion:
 

A research diving trip to Santa Cruz Island in 1975 (L to R):  Ralph Larson, Dick Bray, me.
 

Dick Bray (sitting) and I map a study reef (1975).
 

I check a fish trap for surfperch to tag for my dissertation research (1975).
 

Fellow grad student Dave Laur and I boat camped at Santa Cruz Island so we could make dawn and dusk observations of surfperch behavior (1977).
 

I prepare to dive with an underwater tape recorder for fish behavioral observations at Naples Reef (1977).