Dr. Zachary Loughman, assistant professor of biology at West Liberty University, has been selected as one of the five finalists for West Virginia’s 2014 Professor of the Year.
“I congratulate Dr. Loughman on this honor. He is devoted to his students, his research, and the field of biology and this distinguished honor recognizes his exceptional talent as a professor and member of West Liberty University faculty,” said WLU President Robin C. Capehart.
“I am humbled by this honor and look forward to representing the University in this manner,” said Loughman, who also is a WLU alumnus.
Finalists will interview for the last stage of the selection of Professor of the Year on Jan. 22, 2015, in Charleston. Then all five finalists and the recipient of the 2014 Professor of the Year will be announced at a banquet in Charleston in March 2015. The Professor of the Year will receive a $10,000 award, the runner-up will receive a $2,500 award and the remaining finalists each will receive $1,000.
Professor Loughman is known for his research on crayfish and has maintained an active, student-involved laboratory in Arnett Hall since 2007. He and his students have done research on crayfish in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Texas.
He has discovered and named three new crayfish species, one of them in honor of the legendary Hatfield and McCoy feud families, and has received more than $300,000 in funding, with the majority of that work focused in Appalachia.
Loughman is passionate about the environment and has been responsible for creating two new biology majors at WLU, the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology major and the Environmental Education and Stewardship major (with assistance from biology professor Dr. Karen Kettler.)
Loughman is a well-respected professor by both students and faculty alike and has received the WLU Faculty Excellence Award in Professional Activity twice. This award is based on faculty recommendation after review of nominated candidates’ portfolios, with President Capehart making the final decision.
Loughman also has received the “Generation Next: 40 Under 40” statewide honor given last spring by the West Virginia State Journal that honors professionals in business and education.
He lives in Wheeling with his wife, WLU alumna Kathy Vopal Loughman, whom he met at West Liberty, and 6-year-old son Colin.
The Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia was created in 1984 to provide a means to recognize and reward innovation and creativity among the faculties of West Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities. Through the Professor of the Year program, the outstanding achievements of those individuals are brought to the attention of the general public.
Nominations for this prestigious award must include comprehensive and specific information about each nominee. The Foundation board selects Professor of the Year finalists based on the written information presented and on interviews with candidates.
