Dr. Brian Arbogast, professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology, is the recipient of the American Society of Mammalogists 2023 Joseph Grinnell Award.
The award honors individuals who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to education in mammalogy over a period of at least 10 years, and recognizes excellence in teaching, public education, and stewardship.
“This award is especially meaningful to me for several reasons,” said Dr. Arbogast. “First, I believe that the legacy we leave behind as professors is primarily people—namely, the students we encourage and inspire to go onto do great things themselves. Second, ASM has been my “home” scientific society for 30 years, ever since I began graduate school. And thirdly, three of my most influential mentors—Peter Weigl (Wake Forest University), Mark Hafner (Louisiana State University) and the late Tim Lawlor (Humboldt State University) are previous recipients of the Joseph Grinnell Award. It is a true honor to be in their company.”
Dr. Arbogast’s research includes biodiversity exploration and conservation of mammals of the Sumaco Volcano region in the eastern Andes of Ecuador; the evolution, biogeography and conservation of gliding mammals; and conservation genetics of endangered species in the southeastern U.S.
He served as the assistant director of the Wildsumaco Biological Station in Ecuador and was a research associate in mammalogy at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University from 2013-18.
Dr. Arbogast received the 2022 Award for Excellence in Teaching from the UNC Board of Governors. In 2019, he received the UNCW Distinguished Teaching Professorship and was named the chair of the Conservation Committee of the American Society of Mammalogists.
Dr. Arbogast earned a bachelor’s and Ph.D. in biology from Wake Forest University and a master’s in zoology from Louisiana State University.
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