If you ever joined a film club, you probably saw the movie, “The Three Faces of Eve.” The 1957 classic was directed by Nunnally Johnson; starred Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, and Lee J. Cobb; and was loosely based on the true story of a woman (Chris Costner-Sizemore) who had a multiple personality disorder. Well, it’s stretching the analogy, but Professor Dar Roberts has also undergone several identity changes. There was “Dar the Beast Master” in 2001, “Dar the Snake Charmer” in 2006, “Dar the Pirate” in 2007, and “Dar the Hippie” in early 2008. But, just last week, Dar made a valiant effort to assert his true identity—he shaved off his beard!
While “Dar the Smoothie” commented that some people didn’t even realize the difference, the news about his clean shaven appearance quickly spread through the Department, and Geography personnel suddenly began to go out of their way to get a peek and make their own evaluations. Our Geog paparazzi, Dylan Parenti snapped the attached picture yesterday—hey, hot off the press!
Teasing aside, Dar has always been an enthusiastic supporter of Geography theme events, and his willingness to enter into the spirit of the occasion has endeared him to everyone in the Department – it’s not surprising that he was awarded the UCSB Outstanding Mentor Award for 2008. Sadly, Dar admits that his wife “can’t stand” his new shaven appearance, so Dar has begun re-growing his beard. Stay tuned for the next installment. Will it be “Salvador Dali Dar”? “Abraham Dar Lincoln”? Or “Rip Van Dar”?
Whiskers aside, Dar received his BA in Environmental Biology and Geology from UCSB, his MS in Applied Earth Sciences from Stanford University, and his PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of Washington. His research interests include remote sensing of vegetation, geology, ecology, and ecophysiology. Dar joined the UCSB Department of Geography in 1994; he is also a collaborative partner in Terrestrial Plant and Ecosystem Ecology at UCSB, as well as Vice Chair of the Department of Geography.
“If the beard were all, goats could preach” (Danish proverb)
“It’s not weird, it’s only a beard” (George Carlin)
“There was an old man with a beard, / Who said: ‘It is just as I feared! / Two owls and a hen, / Four larks and a wren / Have all built their nests in my beard’” (Edward Lear)
“Our finding suggests that high resolution sensory maps that can quickly and accurately handle many different kinds of sensory features are an essential hallmark of high sensory acuity, in whatever mode of perception is most important to the animal. It makes sense that mammals develop intricate sensory maps in the sensory system that is crucial for them–like vision is for us or the whisker system is for rodents.” (Christopher Moore)
“Chins without beards deserve no honor.” (Spanish proverb)
“Ideas are like beards: men do not have them until they grow up.” (Voltaire)
“There is always a period when a man with a beard shaves it off. This period does not last. He returns headlong to his beard.” (Jean Cocteau)
“He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man.” (Shakespeare)
“A kiss without a moustache is like an egg without salt.” (Spanish proverb)
“The beard is a sign for the love of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Shaving is taking the beauty Allah (The Exalted) gave to man and falling in the trap of Shaytan.” (Aphorism from hadith literature and/or the Qur’an. Cited at .
“Sometimes you have to sacrifice your beard in order to save your head.” (Iraqi proverb)
“Men who have beards are just lazy.” (Reg Golledge)
Article by Bill Norrington
