Dr. Ronald Shaklee attended high school in Lanham, Maryland. He served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam (1970-1971). Following Vietnam he served with the 1st Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kansas. After his discharge from the U.S. Army, Dr. Shaklee attended the University of Kansas where he earned B.A. (1975), M.A. (1979) and Ph.D. (1983) degrees in Geography. His geographic specialties included Remote Sensing, Urban Geography and Latin American Geography. While at the University of Kansas Dr. Shaklee was involved in the first NASA funded efforts to develop civilian applications for the Earth Resources Satellite System (ERTS), forerunner to the Landsat series of earth resources satellites.
Prior to accepting a position at Youngstown State University (YSU), Dr. Shaklee held teaching positions at Missouri State University and Mississippi State University. While teaching at Mississippi State University Dr. Shaklee was introduced to the teaching and research facilities at the Bahamian Field Station (now the College of the Bahamas Gerace Research Centre) on San Salvador Island. Upon his arrival at YSU he instituted a Bahamian teaching and research program at the university. YSU students have visited San Salvador every year since 1988. Through his efforts, faculty members in Archaeology, Biology, Geology, and Mathematics have been introduced to teaching and research opportunities in the Bahamas. In 1991, The College of the Bahamas Gerace Research Centre and Youngstown State University entered into an Affiliation Agreement. This agreement serves as the longest continuous active agreement between YSU and a partner international institution. To date, over a thousand YSU student
In August 2000, Dr. Shaklee was appointed to serve as the Acting Assistant Director of the University Scholars and Honors Program at Youngstown State University. He was appointed Director of the University Scholars and Honors Program beginning in August 2001. He continued in that capacity until the June 2015 when he was appointed to the position of Assistant to the Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Dr. Shaklee was inducted into Chapter 143 (YSU chapter) of the Honors Society of Phi Kappa Phi in 2002. He served as the Chapter 143 scholarship officer for eight years. In 2012 he was elected to the position of President-elect. In 2014 he was elevated to the position of President of the chapter.
Dr. Shaklee’s publications are focused on the Bahamas and the Caribbean. He consistently involves students in his research efforts. The results of student research conducted on San Salvador are routinely presented at QUEST and at professional conferences held at regional, national, and international levels. Dr. Shaklee’s publications include: In Columbus’ Footsteps: A Geography of San Salvador Island, The Bahamas and, San Salvador Weather and Climate. His numerous research articles deal with historical weather conditions in the Bahamas, Bahamian environmental issues, Bahamian tourism, and the cartographic evolution of the Bahamas Archipelago over time. He has published a children’s book, The Misadventures of Maria the Hutia, a book that addresses mankind’s impact on threatened tropical environments. In his spare time he enjoys writing and recording music. He and his wife, Dr. Sharon Stringer of the YSU Department of Psychology, annually engage in travel to faraway places.