Franz Mueter, Ph.D. appointed as the President’s Professor of Quantitative Fisheries and Ecosystems

University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen recently appointed Franz Mueter, Ph.D.  as the President’s Professor of Quantitative Fisheries and Ecosystems at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. 

Mueter was selected for his exceptional work with students and in research surrounding climate change and the influence of climate variability on the productivity and spatial dynamics of fish populations, as well as on the interactions between environmental drivers and harvesting on the marine ecosystem.

“I feel honored and am deeply humbled receiving this recognition,” said Mueter. “I am proud of the contributions I have been able to make to better understand and manage Alaska's marine ecosystems, but it has been a true team effort with many equally deserving colleagues, students, post-docs, and technicians. I will continue to do my best to represent the extraordinary group of scientists that work at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Science and at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.”

The President’s Professor of Quantitative Fisheries and Ecosystems is a vital part of the University of Alaska’s strategy to strengthen the fisheries program for graduate and undergraduate students. In this position, Mueter provides guidance on the scientific basis for sustainable fisheries management in Alaska and trains the next generation of fisheries scientists and biometricians to meet workforce needs of state and federal fishery management agencies, nongovernmental and tribal organizations, and the fishing industry. He leads a vigorous Alaska-based fishery research program that involves undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral researchers. 

“Franz’s service on the Science and Statistical Committee of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has played a vital role for the university in informing fisheries policy with good scientific and statistical data,” said President Johnsen. “His international service as co-chair of the Ecosystem Studies of the Subarctic and Arctic Seas program fostering collaborations across disciplines and regions within the circumpolar North is much appreciated. It is a pleasure to appoint Franz to the esteemed position of President’s Professor of Quantitative Fisheries and Ecosystems.”

Mueter earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Rhino-Westphalian Technical Institute (RWTH) in Aachen, Germany. He earned master’s degrees in statistics and biological oceanography as well as a doctorate degree in fisheries oceanography from UAF. Mueter’s research interests include the effects of climate variability, climate change, and fishing on marine and anadromous fish populations, particularly in subarctic and arctic seas. His research has focused on fish populations in the Gulf of Alaska and the Eastern Bering Sea, in particular the effects of varying temperatures and ice conditions on their distribution, productivity, and abundance. Much of his current research focuses on the transition zone between Subarctic and Arctic marine ecosystems, the impacts of climate change on these systems and the implications of these rapid changes for resource-dependent communities and management systems.