Society Presents Excellence in Service Award to University of Arkansas Biologist

Photo by Russell Cothren

Michael E. Douglas, University of Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists awarded its 2015 Robert K. Johnson Award for Excellence in Service to Michael E. Douglas, professor of biological sciences at the University of Arkansas.

The society presented the award to Douglas, who holds the Twenty-First Century Chair in Global Change Biology, at its annual meeting in July in Reno, Nevada.

The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists is the premier international society devoted to scientific study and conservation of fishes – ichthyology – and reptiles and amphibians – herpetology. It contributes to global efforts in biodiversity recognition and restoration, and actively promotes a new generation of scientist so as to advance the stewardship and sustainable use of resources in a rapidly changing world.

Douglas has served the society in numerous capacities over the past 30 years, including president from 2010-11, two terms on the executive committee (1990–2004, 2009–12), and 25 years on the board of governors (1990-present).

Douglas has been a longtime editor of the society’s international journal, Copeia, and chair of its editorial policy committee. Among his other contributions are the co-organization of the International Pacific Salmon Plasticity Symposium (2012), sponsored with endowment funds from the University of Arkansas.

His expertise and prominence in the field also extend to other international societies, as demonstrated by his service since 2013 as the society’s liaison to the American Fisheries Society.

His 15 years of service as editor of Copeia is especially noteworthy. Beginning in 1990, he guided the society into the digital era by requiring that manuscripts be submitted on floppy disks, rather than as hard copies. In 1999, Douglas ushered the society into the latest publishing trend by implementing a web-based process of submission, review, and manuscript publication through the AllenTrack publishing consortium.

Douglas advises his peers to “get involved in your professional society, assist in organizing aspects of the annual meetings such as book raffles, present your research contributions, serve as peer-mentors for younger students, and most importantly, network with professionals of all ages.”

“These establish life-long professional connections that transform societies into the vibrant professional communities that, in turn, will nurture our careers,” he said.

Douglas, along with his co-authors, also received an award at the society’s annual meeting for the best herpetology paper in 2014. The paper focused on the categorization of biodiversity within what is recognized as the Little Striped Whiptail complex, an assembly of small lizards found in southwestern North America.