Cal State L.A. Biologist
Robert R. Nakamura, 1954-2006

Robert R. Nakamura, 52, associate professor of biology at California State University, Los Angeles, died Monday, September 18.

A leader in developing integrated curricula in environmental science and a Cal State L.A. faculty member since 1991, Nakamura taught courses in plant biology and ecology, as well as “Writing for Biologists” and “Natural Science Field Studies.”

At Cal State L.A., Nakamura also mentored student research projects and served as a graduate advisor on numerous master’s student theses. He was also the Science Teaching Credential Advisor for Biology and faculty advisor for the Student Environmental Association and the Los Angeles Collaborative for Teacher Excellence Student Group.

Nakamura’s research focused mainly on the evolutionary ecology of plants and the assessment of student learning. He contributed significantly to both fields through presentations, publications and research grants. He coordinated Cal State L.A.’s Natural Science Program and was a key figure in other academic initiatives at the University.

In citing Nakamura’s character and dedication to teaching, Carlos Robles, professor of biology and director of the CEA-CREST (Center for Environmental Analysis) Program at Cal State L.A., said, “He was unflaggingly professional and considerate of the needs of his students. He was a gentleman in the best sense of the term.”

Philip LaPolt, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Cal State L.A., said, “Bob contributed in countless ways to his department, College, and University. His gentle warmth, sincerity, and sense of humor endeared him to students, staff, and colleagues alike. We remember Bob with great fondness, and truly miss him.”

Born in Los Angeles on April 18, 1954, Nakamura received a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Stanford University in 1976; an M.Phil. in 1979 and a Ph.D. in biology in 1983, both from Yale. Prior to coming to Cal State L.A., he was a visiting scholar at University of Washington, a contract scientist at Weyerhaeuser Company, and a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA and UC Davis.

A memorial service will be held at Maryknoll Japanese Catholic Center, St. Frances Xavier Chapel, 222 South Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, Monday, September 25, at 10 a.m., followed by a brief service at the Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

NOTE: Photographs are available

Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 190,000 alumni—with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds—reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. Six colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, to be housed in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center now under construction. www.calstatela.edu

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