Glenn obtained his BS degree from the University of Washington in 1972 and a PhD from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1978. He joined the University of Washington as part of the United States Geological Survey Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 1993 and retired from USGS on June 1, 2017. Glenn’s contributions to science spanned an incredibly broad range of ecosystems. From the kelp forests of the Channel Islands and Big Sur coast, to the open Arctic and South Atlantic Oceans, to the Sounds of Washington and Alaska, his knowledge and wonder about these diverse natural systems was inspiring. Glenn’s knack for being an amazing natural historian was coupled with an inquisitiveness regarding the connections between all living things in the ecosystems he studied from bacteria to large cetaceans. Those who worked with Glenn were amazed at his ability to apply his expertise to solving real world problems because he deeply cared about his research having a conservation impact.

Glenn published over 50 papers in the peer-reviewed literature and contributed to several books, including three books on sea otters, the last of which was published in 2015. He mentored over 30 students as their major advisor and contributed to the education of generations of undergraduate students through his very popular Marine Mammalogy class. Glenn supported management of the endangered black abalone through membership on the status review, critical habitat, and recovery teams. Glenn and his students advanced understanding of the endangered western gray whale, Glenn being a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Western Gray Whale Panel.

It is fitting that Glenn’s last foray into the field was to his beloved San Nicolas Island where he initially studied the impacts of sea otter translocation on black abalone communities and then focused on black abalone population dynamics and recovery in the wake of a marine pandemic that nearly wiped out the species. His connection to San Nicolas Island went beyond sea otters and black abalone. He had a commanding knowledge of the geology, indigenous people, and natural history of the Island and he imparted this knowledge to those who will carry on the body of work he initiated.

Glenn is survived by his wife, Kristina, his brother Don, two daughters Christy and Betsy, and five grandchildren. Glenn wanted in memoriam donations to be sent to Doctors Without Borders where you may also send a sympathy ecard to Glenn’s wife Kris at krisvanblaricom@yahoo.com