Almost 35 years ago, Steve moved to an empty piece of land 25 miles up the Salmon River from Riggins. The owner of the land, which was across the River from the road, assumed there was no way this kid was going to build a house there, so agreed to let Steve live on his property for free. It was hard work, but Steve likes a challenge, and he built a house, a pole barn with hand-split shakes, an irrigation system, a large garden, and a hydroelectric plant.

During his years on the Salmon River, Steve worked as a sheepherder and camptender (a herder of sheepherders). In addition, Steve moved irrigation pipes on alfalfa fields, mowed, raked, baled, and bucked a gazillion bales of hay, harvested grain, put it in burlap sacks sewn shut with a large needle and coarse thread, and stacked it a mile high in the barn while his 70-year old boss, Gus Carlson encouraged him by pointing to the roof with his cane, hollering 'the pile goes to here.'
Gus was a tough boss, but he liked Steve, and once was overheard saying to one of his family members "Steve will never lie to you. I like that kid."

It was a long drive to Riggins, so Steve's eldest son was home schooled in first grade. By second grade, the neighbors convinced Steve to drive the school bus up the big Salmon River Road to take all the river kids to school. Using CETA funds for depressed rural economies, the school provided Steve a job building concrete walls during the day.

In his spare time, Steve designed and constructed small hydroelectric plants. He enjoyed the hydraulic engineering, and started to read books about it. After a few years of sheepherding for $10/day, and driving the bus and building concrete walls for not much more pay, Steve decided to go to college. At night, he studied all the math books in Riggins High, and in 1977 he enrolled in the University of Idaho to study civil engineering to learn more about water.

Steve did well in college, was elected president of the College of Engineering by his classmates, was selected 'most outstanding student' by the faculty, and graduated summa cum laude with degrees in Civil Engineering and Mathematics. At the U of I, Steve had jobs that involved looking for off-stream sites to store water (thus avoiding damming rivers), helping with studies of ground water levels near a mine in southern Idaho, and programming software for a microbiologist.

Steve then attended graduate school at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, specializing in white water, but instead of in rivers, this time it was in the surf near the beach. In summer, Steve would return to Idaho and teach summer school at the U of I. After obtaining his PhD, Steve returned to Idaho to be a professor at the U of I. In 1986 he started to work at Washington State University, where he was a professor of engineering for about 13 years, before moving to Sandpoint.

Photo below: Steve (on right) directing Sandpoint resident Thor Seaborg and Navy diver Dennis Darnell as they operate a pump to install equipment in the sand under the water.

Today, Steve manages a team (similar to a small business) of engineers, technicians, and students that improves management of water resources. Steve's team builds instruments to measure water currents, waves, and sand motions. Steve makes measurements in rough water. His work in the field is physical, similar to construction, but under water in the waves. It is dangerous, with SCUBA diving in low visibility in big waves and strong currents while working near metal frames with sharp instruments, but it is fun. As part of this business, Steve has gained a wide range of experience with government funding, and has raised millions of dollars from state and federal agencies to support his employees. Steve has almost 20 years of experience managing large government-funded projects, including developing budgets and guiding expenditures. His selection as leader of many of these efforts attests to the trust others have in Steve's leadership, judgement, and ability to make decisions.

Above: Peter Schultz and Steve locate an underwater instrument frame using a small boat and GPS during a national study of pollution and water on beaches. Steve was chief scientist. The pump to the left of Peter is used to put steel pipes several feet into the sand to hold metal instrument tripods.

Steve was elected to the Board of Directors of Northern Lights, our local rural electric cooperative. In both of the last two years, the Board members elected Steve to serve as their secretary-treasurer. On the Board, Steve has worked hard to keep rates and expenses low, while maintaining high quality service. Steve voted against raising rates, in favor of returning capital credits to the elderly and estates, and for full access by members. Steve also serves as the elected president of his local home owners' association board, as well as a member of the Board of Bonner Partners in Care Clinic, Bonner County's "free clinic." Steve is on the executive council of the Ocean Sciences committee of the American Geophysical Union, and has been on several committees that guide the logistics of large scientific field programs.

In recognition of his contributions and his reputation for honesty, Steve twice has been honored for 'Excellence in Refereeing' by the American Geophysical Union, was elected chairman of a national committee that evaluated a large Navy laboratory, and has been the decision-making editor of two international scientific journals. Steve is invited to speak to the public, students, and colleagues about his work, and often is called upon by state and federal agencies, educational institutions, and international organizations to help judge current progress and plan future directions.

Steve has 4 children, all of whom graduated from Idaho high schools. Ulysses attends the University of Oregon. Suni is a nurse in Seattle. Sean recently was discharged from the Navy (he was on an amphibious assault carrier (the Iwo-Jima) in Iraq), and Tai is a student in Seattle.

Steve's wife, Britt is a scientist who works on erosion and currents near beaches in lakes and the ocean. Steve and Britt believe they are lucky to be able to work together, and have been almost inseparable for many years.