Brian Austin is Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at the University of Stirling. From 1975-78 he was Research Associate at the University of Maryland, USA, and from 1978-84 was Head of Bacteriology at the Fish Diseases Laboratory in Weymouth, U.K. He joined Heriot-Watt University as a Lecturer in Aquatic Microbiology in 1984, was promoted to Reader in 1989, and to Professor in 1992, before moving to the University of Stirling in 2009 as Director of the Institute of Aquaculture and Professor of Microbiology. At Heriot-Watt University, he held various positions including, Head of Department, Head of School, and Dean of the University. Professor Austin gained a B.Sc. (1972) in Microbiology, a Ph.D. (1975) also in Microbiology, both from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and a D.Sc. (1992) from Heriot-Watt University. He was elected FHEA, FRSA and Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and until retirement was a member of the American Society of Microbiology, Society of Applied Bacteriology, Society of General Microbiology, European Association of Fish Pathologists, and was President of the Bergey’s International Society for Microbial Systematics. He has written previous books on bacterial taxonomy, marine microbiology, methods in aquatic bacteriology, methods for the microbiological examination of fish and shellfish, and pathogens in the environment.
Dawn Austin is a Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University, a position she has held since 1986. Prior to this she was Research Assistant at the University of Maryland (1977-79), Lecturer in Microbiology, University of Surrey (1983-84), and Research Fellow of the Freshwater Biological Association, The River Laboratory, Dorset (1984-85). Dr. Austin gained a B.S. (1974) from City College, The City University, New York; an M.S. (1979) and a Ph.D. (1982) both from the University of Maryland.
