Dr. Dane is thirty-seven-years-old so he has many years of experience under his belt, including a PhD in history, and he is a college professor. This shows that he is a reliable person and willing to work hard in order to get things done. He holds the perspectives of many other people because he is a historian, and has learned from famous historical figures' mistakes of the past. In addition, it is a key factor that he is in good health and is very active.
Another positive attribute includes his interest in botany, which when deserted on an island will come in handy because he will know which plants to eat, and which to stay away from. He is also probably very down to earth and comfortable with nature because plants are a large part of nature. He is a happily married man with a child so he is good at stepping up to be a leader, and a very dependable person.