Eldred Skyler


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Basic information
Assignment



Professor Eldred Skyler, PhD is a noted cultural specialist perhaps most known for his work amongst the Federation scientific community throughout the better part of the 24th century. He currently works on detached duty aboard the USS Yorktown with the Cultural Archival Society, studying and chronicling the locales, species, and histories of the races in the region to the Galactic ‘North’ of the Federation, a region of space patrolled by Starfleet’s Eighth "Horizon" Fleet.

Personal History

Studies of the Federation

Eldred first arrived in Federation space in 2293 aboard one of two transports carrying El-Aurian refugees bound for Earth. The transports became ensnared in a strange astronomical phenomenon known as the Nexus. Unable to break free, they sent out an urgent distress call which was answered by the USS Enterprise-B under the command of Captain John Harriman while on her shakedown cruise. Eldred was one of only forty-seven survivors beamed to the Enterprise before the transports were crushed by the gravimetric shear. For a fleeting moment, however, he felt the irresistible tug of the Nexus.

Though he no longer had the privilege of studying amongst his own kind, Eldred found the cultures and peoples of the Federation to be equally fascinating. He spent his first few years on Earth exploring the planet and learning more about its diverse population before deciding to forego joining Starfleet in favor of touring the Alpha Quadrant on his own terms. It was a journey that would take him nearly half a century and would transcend various political boundaries of the age until it brought him nearly full circle with a position teaching advanced cultural studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By the late 2350s, Eldred had published several papers on the development of various cultures both within and outside of the Federation. Perhaps the most notable of these was his study regarding the “Theory of Parallel Development” which focused heavily on the socio-psychological factors responsible for similar cultural developments on what appeared to be vastly different worlds.

Influence of Galactic Events

The onset of the Dominion War in 2373 saw a significant increase in the number of men and women choosing to join Starfleet in defense of the Federation. Eldred made the conscious decision to remain at Harvard rather than directly participate in combat as several of his colleagues had chosen to do and continued to teach the tenants of cultural sensitivity to those students who entered his classroom each day. Following the close of the war, Eldred took a two year sabbatical during which he visited the devastated regions of the former Cardassian Empire to study the effects of the war on its population. His research and observation proved of great value to Federation humanitarian efforts which relied upon cultural understanding to bridge the gap between two former enemies.

Eldred was approached by Starfleet Command to serve as part of a team responsible for analyzing the records and logs of the USS Voyager upon its return from a seven year journey in the Delta Quadrant in 2378. He worked closely over the next few years with several other cultural specialists from civilian and Starfleet backgrounds as well as members of Voyager’s own crew. Their primary task was to help construct a better picture of what Voyager’s experiences could teach the Federation about the far reaches of their own galaxy. Eldred’s participation in this project inspired a supplement to his previous paper regarding the “Theory of Parallel Development” as it related to the Delta Quadrant species encountered by the Voyager crew.

Cultural Studies on the Federation Frontier

Sometime in mid-2387, Eldred was approached by the chairman of the Galactic Anthropology Committee and offered a position within the organization. Dr. Domenic Tyrrell believed Eldred’s experience with advanced cultural studies would prove advantageous to the committee’s efforts to study and chronicle the locales, species, and histories of the races in the region to the Galactic ‘South’ of the Federation. Eldred graciously accepted the position though it required frequent communication with his colleagues and the occasional personal visit in order to better study the cultures being encountered by vessels of the Eleventh Fleet. His scholarly work with the Galactic Anthropology Committee would continue through the remainder of 2387 and well into the following year.

It is through Eldred's work with the Eleventh Fleet that he was first introduced to Captain Lorian Tharos of the Cultural Archival Society, an organization similar to the Galactic Anthropology Committee which operated in the region to the Galactic 'North' of the Federation. Collaboration between the two groups meant members sometimes found themselves working closely with counterparts from the opposite side of the Federation on projects of mutual interest. As Eldred became increasingly aware of the intricacies surrounding tensions on the 'northern' frontier, he found himself becoming more and more interested in how their research could be practically applied to the situation. He was finally approached by Vice Admiral Iluvar in mid-2388 at the recommendation of Captain Tharos with the offer of a field position performing cultural research aboard the Legacy-class USS Yorktown in connection with Operation Sunrise.

Personal History Timeline

General Timeline

  • 2174 – Eldred Skyler is born at the El-Aurian colony on Silvian
  • 2189 – Silvian Colony is assimilated by the Borg
  • 2206 – Eldred studies history and cultures on the El-Aurian homeworld
  • 2272 – El-Aurian homeworld is assimilated by the Borg
  • 2293 – Eldred is among those rescued from the Nexus by the USS Enterprise-B
  • 2298 – Eldred begins a tour of the Federation as well as the Alpha and Beta Quadrants
  • 2348 – Eldred returns to Earth to teach advanced cultural studies at Harvard University
  • 2357 – Eldred publishes a notable paper regarding the “Theory of Parallel Development”
  • 2366 – Eldred takes a specific interest in the Federation’s survival of the Battle of Wolf 359
  • 2373 – Eldred drafts but does not publish a paper on Federation resistance to the Borg
  • 2373-2375 – Eldred continues to teach at Harvard University throughout the Dominion War
  • 2375 – Eldred takes a two year sabbatical in the former Cardassian Empire
  • 2376-2377 – Eldred publishes several articles on the Effects of Positive Reconstruction
  • 2378 – Eldred selected to be part of a team analyzing Voyager’s database
  • 2382 – Eldred publishes a second paper regarding the “Theory of Parallel Development”
  • 2387 – Eldred is invited to join the Galactic Anthropology Committee
  • 2388 - Eldred is asked to serve as Cultural Research Specialist for Operation Return aboard USS Yorktown

Degrees Conferred

  • Basic Degree in Cultural Studies from Sinterin University (2214)
  • Proficient Degree in Cultural Studies from Sinterin University (2232)
  • Advanced Degree in Cultural Studies from Taelar University (2264)
  • Master’s Degree in Exolinguistics from Oxford University (2298)
  • Proficient Degree in Socio-Psychology from Aelenbar University (2312)
  • Advanced Degree in Socio-Psychology from Aelenbar University (2316)
  • Doctorate Degree in Exolinguistics from Harvard University (2372)

Positions Held

  • Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies, Harvard University (2348-2352)
  • Associate Professor of Cultural Studies, Harvard University (2352-2355)
  • Professor of Cultural Studies, Harvard University (2355-2377)
    • Professional Sabbatical, Cardassian Reconstruction (2375-2377)
  • A.E. Hodgkin Professor of Cultural Studies, Harvard University (2377-Present)
    • Cultural Specialist, Project Alexandria (2378-2382)
    • Cultural Specialist, Galactic Anthropological Committee (2387-2388)
    • Cultural Research Specialist, USS Yorktown (2388-Present)

Academic Publications

  • Learning Another’s Story: Understanding Cultural Diversity in El-Aurian Academia (2232)
  • Rethinking Cultural Inclusiveness as it Applies to Cultural Diversity and Socio-Political Theory (2264)
  • Understanding Cultural Diversity and Biological Unity (2342)
  • Lessons Learned About Cultural Understanding as a Tenant of the Federation (2349)
  • Cross-cultural Differences as Products of Subjective Representation (2352)
  • Cross-cultural Similarities Resulting from Parallel Development Amongst Species (2357)
  • Socio-Political Triangle: A Delicate Balance of Power (2362)
  • Socio-Political Triangle: Common Desires Breed Conflictive Goals (2362)
  • Socio-Political Triangle: Open Détente Versus Isolated Silence (2362)
  • Advantages of Federation Diversity in Opposition to Borg Perfection (2373 – Unpublished)
  • Post-War Reconstruction Throughout History: A Vital Opportunity for New Birth (2376)
  • Importance of Psychosocial Interventions in Post-War Reconstruction (2376)
  • Rising from the Ashes: Cardassian Cultural Heritage in Post-War Reconstruction (2377)
  • Cross-cultural Similarities of the Delta Quadrant Resulting from Parallel Development (2382)
  • The Role of Historical Themes in Parallel Development (2384)
  • Galactic South and the Five-Year Exploratory Mission (2388)

Service Record

Year Placement Rank Assignment
2348 - 2352 Harvard University
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Civilian
Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies
2352 - 2355 Harvard University
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Civilian
Associate Professor of Cultural Studies
2355 - 2377 Harvard University
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Civilian
Professor of Cultural Studies
Cardassian Reconstruction (2375 - 2377) Professional Sabbatical
2377 - 2388 Harvard University
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Civilian
A.E. Hodgkin Professor of Cultural Studies
Project Alexandria (2378-2382)
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Civilian
Cultural Specialist
Galactic Anthropological Committee (2387-2388)
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Civilian
Cultural Specialist
2388 - Present USS Yorktown
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Civilian
Cultural Research Specialist
Cultural Archival Society (2388-Present)
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Civilian
Cultural Specialist