POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Dr. Nathan Roberts, associate professor of conservation and wildlife management and chair of the division of agriculture and natural sciences, received The Mildred Letton Wittick Professional Achievement Award at the 116th commencement at College of the Ozarks.

The Mildred Letton Wittick Professional Achievement Award honors faculty members for their professional accomplishments, which may include research, publications, performance, creative productions, and service to professional organizations.

“Dr. Roberts is relatively new to College of the Ozarks, but he has already made a big impact as an educator and scholar,” said Dr. Eric Bolger, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. “Within the last year, he has provided advice and assistance to several states on complex wildlife issues. He recently testified in the U.S. Congress as a scientific expert on a high-profile wildlife bill. He holds honorary appointments at several research-1 universities in the United States. He has published over two dozen peer-reviewed articles on furbearers and carnivores, as well as numerous technical and magazine articles.”

Roberts earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri and his doctorate from Cornell University, where his dissertation focused on furbearer management in the northeast. Before his arrival at College of the Ozarks, he has worked for several state and federal agencies, including as the bear, wolf, and furbearer research scientist at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as the lead biometrician for National Wildlife Refuge System in the Alaska region, and as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While at the College, Roberts has helped build strong relationships with state and federal agencies that benefit C of O students. He has used his prior academic and work experiences to prepare students for their lives after college.