On Campus: Space Invaders

A revealing look at UB's personal and public spaces

Fred Stoss, 228B Oscar A. Silverman Library

Fred Stoss

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A UB science and math librarian, Fred Stoss is a big fan of Bruce Springsteen, former Vice President Al Gore and fly-fishing (not necessarily in that order). He is also a dedicated advocate for the environment, with degrees in biology, zoology and information studies, and nearly a decade of research work in toxicology and sustainability under his belt. We think his eclectic office décor sets the bar for personalizing one’s work space.

Postcard collection: I have a few hundred of them in my office. I generally buy them. Obviously, place predominates: New York’s Adirondacks may be the largest category, plus other states or cities I’ve visited, and then people—Springsteen, Vonnegut, Warhol.

Bruce Springsteen poster: I did Bruce’s entire lower Great Lakes tour except for one show in Rochester, even making a mad dash from Detroit to Buffalo to see him.

Cups and mugs: These all have science themes, including one global warming mug where the seas rise when you fill it with something hot.

Italian PACE "peace" flag: My daughter’s a high school science teacher and her college fieldwork was in Tuscany. Since then we’ve exchanged a lot of peace-on-earth-related gifts.

Double helix model: This was part of a UB exhibit on the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA molecule, here in the Libraries. I super-glued it together.

Gavel: I got this when I served as chair of the Libraries’ faculty executive committee.

Eagle Scout sign: This is the only keepsake from my youth in the office. I can’t even remember what my final project was!

Rainbow trout: I love fly-fishing. If you weren’t here interviewing me, I’d be in a stream somewhere.

"Pi" plate: A math librarian gave this to me. One time we used it as filler in our library newsletter.

Autographed books:
A third of that shelf is filled with my autographed books, including titles by Al Gore, Michael Moore, Graham Nash and Jimmy Carter.