split from the band , and they moved on with a new singer and name , ALL , an homage to their ethos of utter ambition . Aukerman rotated through various bio labs , landing with thennew professor Bob Schmidt , studying the developmental biology of corn . And though it may seem like punk rock and the study of corn couldn ’ t be further apart , Aukerman is quick to see the connection : “ They ’ re both the road less travelled , in a way . The majority of institutional genetic research is medical , but plant science is off the beaten path and can attract interesting personalities because it ’ s not really the mainstream .”
Though he sang for a bit in the campus band Milestone , Aukerman mostly devoted himself to science during graduate school . He also met fellow Triton Robin Andreasen ’ 91 , and the two would later marry while in Wisconsin , where Andreasen did graduate work in philosophy and Aukerman had a postdoc doing plant genetics . Suburban home and all , it would appear as if he had shifted gears for good .
But about this time in the early ’ 90s , mainstream music saw a sea change in the likes of Nirvana , Green Day , Foo Fighters and , later , San Diego ’ s blink-182 . Bands like these brought the melodic punk sound to the masses and often trace their influence directly to the Descendents . In the 2013 documentary Filmage , Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl recounts , “ The Descendents were a positive influence on generations of musicians . Those lessons that we learned from them back then were important .”
And as it happens , by the mid- ’ 90s Aukerman was writing songs again , albeit expressing a new angst coming from his work . “ Research can be frustrating ,” he says . “ Every scientist has periods where just nothing works . And as a postdoc headed to the job market , you feel like you have to be a superstar — just a fabulous , productive researcher . I was feeling downtrodden at the time , and that was definitely fodder for some songs .”
Short of scientific stardom , Aukerman and the Descendents cut a new album and returned to the stage with bona fide rockstar status , as the radio had primed listeners for the sound they pioneered . They spent a year playing to crowds of thousands and doing festivals around the world . And thereafter , just like at UC San Diego , Aukerman resumed a sort of double life , writing songs and playing occasional shows in between long stretches in the lab . Andreasen became a professor at the University of Delaware , and Aukerman spent 15 years at Dupont , doing agricultural biotech research into microRNAs before finally focusing on music full-time . “ I got laid off at DuPont during a downsizing , which surprised me because I never would have thought music would be the more stable thing in the end .”
The Descendents have since found the right cadence , he says — a handful of shows here and there rather than long , draining tours . Now living in different cities , the band has also perfected collaborating remotely , even though Aukerman has practiced that ever since going to college .
“ UCSD facilitated most of the important moments of my adult life ,” Aukerman says . “ I met my wife , I was able to stay connected with my band , and I even took some really unconventional classes for a music minor . That mix of rigorous science and an experimental , open-ended perspective — it ’ s a place where things are done a little differently . And really , it was just the perfect place for someone like me .”
Ever see Milo on stage in college ? Let us know at : tritonmag @ ucsd . edu
Few punk singers become biochemists — even fewer become a logo . But Milo Aukerman ’ 86 , PhD ’ 92 , has been a longtime icon , most notably with the Descendents ’ 1982 album Milo Goes to College , when his caricature wore a tie to symbolize his entry into UC San Diego .
Those signature square-rim specs have graced the cover of nearly every album since , and special tour T-shirts are often made for cities like San Diego . In 2016 , the band was cheekily drawn playing Black ’ s Beach in the buff .
And in 2021 , Milo was made into the Stuart Collection ’ s Sun God statue , bringing the singer even closer to his campus roots while on tour for their latest album , 9 th and Walnut .
See more modes of Milo at tritonmag . com / milo
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