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UM
researcher earns highest
U.S. honor for young scientists
Doug
Emlen, a UM evolutionary biologist, has been awarded a 2001
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government
on scientists and engineers in the early stages of their
careers.
Only
20 of the awards are presented to National Science Foundation-supported
researchers across the nation each year. Emlen, 34, is the
first Montana researcher to earn the award, which will be
presented at the White House during a yet-to-be-scheduled
ceremony.
The
letter notifying Emlen of the honor said, "You are
a shining example to future generations of researchers.
You represent the best of the group of scientists and engineers
who will be responsible for America's 21st century greatness."
Emlen
is an assistant professor in UM's Division of Biological
Sciences. "This is an award that only comes around
once in a career," he said. "It's amazing. To
be recognized at this level of distinction for doing what
I love -- research and teaching -- means a lot to me."
The
UM scientist earned a $650,000 Faculty Early Career Development
grant from NSF earlier this year, which made him eligible
for the presidential award. The career grants encourage
early development of academic careers that stimulate the
discovery process through exciting research, inspired teaching
and enthusiastic learning. UM researchers have earned three
such grants in recent years.
Typically
only 5 percent to 10 percent of career award recipients
go on to earn the presidential award, Emlen said.
Don
Christian, associate dean of biological sciences, said,
"Having a UM faculty member receive this recognition
underscores the world-class scientific research conducted
by faculty and students here. Faculty members like Doug
view their research both as a way to answer key scientific
questions and to provide the best possible learning opportunities
for students."
Much
of Emlen's research involves the study of evolutionary biology
using a small variety of horned beetle. He has found that
male beetles have tremendous diversity in the size and shape
of their horns, and some invest more energy in growing their
horns -- relative to their size -- than a bull moose does
antlers.
Emlen's
beetle studies have given insight into some of biology's
most basic questions: Why is there so much diversity in
life? How can there be so much diversity among closely related
species or even within the same species?
Emlen has worked at UM since 1996. He teaches UM classes
titled Insect Biology, Insect Behavior and Evolution, and
Advanced Topics in Sexual Selection.
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