Professor, Director of the Michigan Sea Grant
Originally from Southern California, Professor Diana received a B.S. in Marine Biology and an M.A. in Biology from California State University, Long Beach in 1974 and 1975. He and his wife Barbara moved to Edmonton, Alberta, where he earned a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Alberta in 1979. He has been a faculty member in SEAS since July 1979. During that time, Professor Diana has been an assistant, associate, and full professor, a member of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Faculty Senate, a member of the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, and a Faculty Representative on the Board of Directors of the University of Michigan Alumni Association. He spent eight years as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in SEAS and is the founder (1998) and coach of the University of Michigan Fishing Club.
Professor Diana’s teaching at UM has included a general course in Environmental Sciences for hundreds of undergraduate students, as well as courses in Fishery Science and Aquaculture. He is the author of a textbook, The Biology and Ecology of Fishes, which is widely used in the field. He has advised graduate degrees of over 75 master’s and 9 Ph.D. students and received the University of Michigan Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2004-5. In 2007, SEAS established the Jim Diana Scholarship in Aquatic Ecology.Professor Diana’s research is focused in two main fields: ecology of fishes in the north-central region of the U.S., and the role of fisheries and aquaculture in feeding the world. In the former, he has published broadly on muskellunge, sturgeon, northern pike, yellow perch, walleye, trout, salmon, and many other species. In the aquaculture arena, he has conducted research sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development since the mid-1980s, focusing on sustainability of aquaculture in Southeast Asia. His publications have focused on marine shrimp, tilapia, walking catfish, sahar, and giant river prawns. In addition, he has published several articles on the sustainability of aquaculture and fisheries and their environmental impacts, as well as methods to improve aquaculture system.
Professor Diana is involved in a number of professional societies, including the American Fisheries Society for which he served as President of the North Central Division, as Associate Editor for the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, and a recipient of the Michigan Chapter’s Justin W. Leonard Award of Excellence. He is a member of the World Aquaculture Society from which he received their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He also serves on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Science Advisory Board.Through Michigan Sea Grant, Professor Diana is involved in education, outreach, and research on the Great Lakes. In recent years, the Michigan program has emphasized helping to develop the economy and quality of life for Michigan’s coastal communities.
The Dianas as a family are dedicated to the University of Michigan. In addition to Jim, his wife Barbara has worked at UM for over 28 years, their son Matthew earned a B.S (1999) and M.S. (2001) in SEAS, and their daughter received her master’s (2006) in SEAS.
