Prof. Gleason joined Georgia Southern University in 1996 and retired in 2025.

— Biography from the 2025 Spring Commencement program —

Dr. Gleason received his BS (1980) from Furman University and his MS and PhD (1984 and 1992) from the University of Houston. He completed postdoctoral training (1992-1994) and two years as a Research Assistant Professor (1994-1996) at the University of Houston. In 1996, Dr. Gleason joined Georgia Southern as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor (2001) and Professor (2007). Dr. Gleason taught an array of courses that included Environmental Biology, Marine Ecology, Evolution and Ecology, and Invertebrate Zoology. He also taught several Tropical Marine Biology classes abroad in the Bahamas and Mexico. He mentored 17 MS Biology students and 25 undergraduate research students. Dr. Gleason’s research focused on the ecology of marine invertebrates, primarily corals, sponges, and sea squirts; this research was conducted at many locations in the Caribbean, including the Bahamas, Belize, Florida Keys, Jamaica, Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He established a strong research relationship with the staff at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, located off the Georgia coast, and his research has been integral to the management of this sanctuary. Dr. Gleason was principal or co-principal investigator on 16 externally funded grants, and he had external research funding every year he was employed by Georgia Southern. He published 45 peer reviewed papers and technical reports, gave 90 poster and oral presentations at professional meetings, and participated in 32 invited seminars and 21invited workshops and symposia. He received the 2006 University Award for Excellence in Contributions to Research, the 2010 College of Science and Technology Award for Excellence in Research, the 2012 Department of Biology Parrish Award, and the 2013 College of Science and Mathematics Tenured Faculty Member of the Year Award. Dr. Gleason was Associate Chair of Biology (2005-2008), Chair of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (2012-2013), and President of the Benthic Marine Ecology Meeting Society (2012-2013). From 2013 until his retirement, he served as the inaugural director of the James H. Oliver, Jr., Institute for Coastal Plain Science, an entity promoting interdisciplinary research and education directed toward understanding and sustainably managing the physical and biological resources below the Fall Line. In this capacity, he was integral to the team that developed the BS in Sustainability Science and MS and PhD degrees in Environmental Science. From 2023 until his retirement, Dr. Gleason was also the inaugural director of the School of Earth Environment and Sustainability. For these and many other contributions to the departments, college and University, Dr. Daniel Gleason has earned the title of Professor Emeritus of Biology and Director Emeritus of the School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability.*