Dr. Elizabeth Flaherty, associate professor of wildlife ecology and habitat management, has earned several honors for her innovative teaching. Her most recent award, however, is for her interactions with students outside of the classroom. Flaherty was named as the Student Chapter Advisor of the Year by The Wildlife Society.
The Student Chapter Advisor of the Year award recognizes exceptional annual mentorship by a TWS chapter advisor. The award was initiated in 2002 and first handed out in 2004. Nominees are judged on four main criteria:
- Devotion to wildlife, natural resources and students pursuing careers in these fields
- Enhancement of knowledge and technical capabilities of wildlife students
- Ensuring and furthering growth and diversity of TWS student chapter
- Promoting profession standards for wildlife research, education and management among students
“Dr. Flaherty supports our chapter tremendously and has played an integral role in ensuring that members gain an array of knowledge and experiences relevant to the wildlife profession,” chapter vice president Amanda Heltzel said. “She has pushed for the inclusion of meetings focusing on topics ranging from policy to professional certification and has encouraged our members to build relationships with organizations and individuals in the natural resources field. We are grateful for the work and care that she puts into serving as our advisor and as a mentor to students.”
The Purdue chapter of The Wildlife Society Quiz Bowl team won first place among all wildlife programs in the country at the Wildlife Society annual convention in Reno, Nevada, in 2019. This marked the team’s fourth straight podium finish after placing third in 2018, second in 2017 and third in 2016.
In 2019-20, Flaherty was named as a Murphy Award winner and also was inducted as a Purdue Teaching Academy Fellow. Previously, she earned the Teaching Leadership Award from the Purdue University Teaching Academy and the Center for Instructional Excellence, received the College of Agriculture’s Kohls Undergraduate Teacher Award (Much to learn from annual Celebration of Teaching Excellence) and was an Honorable Mention selection for the college’s Unsung Diversity Hero Award.
