SBE Professor Michael Kinnison Wins NSFA Outstanding Research Award
Michael Kinnison has received the College of Natural Sciences Forestry and Agriculture Outstanding Research Award. He has developed an extraordinarily successful research program in two general areas: the causes and consequences of rapid evolution, and the conservation of freshwater fishes. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the discipline of evolutionary biology through his research on how organisms evolve in modern times in response to natural and human pressures. More recently, he has expanded this work to establish a new field that considers the consequences of such evolution for ecological processes in general, as well as for applied applications in human health, food security, and the environment. In the words of one of his peers, “Michael Kinnison is, quite simply, a paradigm changer….he has fundamentally changed the way we view evolution.” At the same time, he is well respected within the state of Maine for his applied research on conservation and restoration efforts for threatened and endangered fish species. Since receiving his Ph.D. in 1999, Mike has published numerous highly cited journal articles, commentaries, books and book chapters. Since coming to Maine, he has shown tremendous successes in funding his research program, bringing more than $3.5 million to the university. His successful research program spills over into his teaching where he provides excellent opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students to begin their own research careers. Mike is known for his immense enthusiasm for science. It is due to this enthusiasm, commitment, and innovation that the college is pleased to award Michael Kinnison the 2012 Outstanding Research Award.
Source credit: University of Maine