CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

When Carla Blumberg arrived in Duluth in the 1990s, a story she saw in the newspaper about the UMD’s Large Lakes Observatory caught her attention. The sonar technology used by the research vessel, the Blue Heron, was developed by her father, Roland K. Blumberg. Her father had conducted defense-related work on sonar at Harvard University during World War II. While at Harvard, he also completed his doctorate in geophysics and developed the first direct-reading seismograph.

As the co-owner of the restaurant Chester Creek Café/At Sara’s Table near the UMDcampus, Carla doesn’t use her molecular biology degree from the University of Texas very often. Nevertheless, “…environmental work is my greatest love. I really care about umd’s research,” she said. Blumberg’s family foundation, the H.H. Weinert Foundation, supports other environmental projects in Texas in addition to the work of the Blue Heron.Carla does more than support umd’s project financially. She has catered a dinner for visiting scientists, interviewed researchers, photographed the research vessel, and written about the Large Lakes Observatory for a Duluth newspaper. Carla supports the effort with time, talent and treasure.