Dr Gerald Boalch is a marine phycologist and has worked at the MBA since 1958, for the first thee years as International paints research Fellow and then as phycologist on the staff. From 1993 to 1999 he also served as Bursar and assistant to the Director. He has published a number of papers on seaweed ecology and distribution, and on the taxonomy, ecology of marine phytoplankton. For over 50 years he has recorded the phytoplankton species in tow net samples taken weekly from station L4.