Biosphere Researcher Killed in Accident

University of Arizona Professor Raphael Sagarin has died. He was struck by a truck while riding his bicycle.

Written byJef Akst

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RAFESAGARIN.COMUniversity of Arizona (UA) marine ecologist Raphael “Rafe” Sagarin was killed Thursday (May 28) when a pickup truck swerved partially off the road and hit Sagarin from behind while he was on his bicycle, the Arizona Daily Star reported. He was 43.

The driver, Gary Colvin, was allegedly impaired at the time and was charged with manslaughter.

Sagarin was leading a project at UA’s Biosphere 2 to create a living model of the Gulf of California. He was also an expert in adaptability and would consult with the American Red Cross, the US Department of Defense, and large corporations “on how they can unleash the natural power of adaptability to survive and thrive in an unpredictable world,” according to his website. His books included Learning from the Octopus: How Secrets from Nature Can Help Us Fight Terrorism, Natural Disasters, and Disease and Observation and Ecology: Broadening the Scope of Science to Understand a Complex World.

“Dr. Sagarin was committed to education and research, and understood that the ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
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Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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