A West Liberty University researcher has been named the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia’s Professor of the Year.
The foundation presented Zachary Loughman with its annual award Tuesday night at a banquet in Charleston.
Loughman is an assistant biology professor whose research focuses on North American crayfish. He has named three species of crayfish, including one found in the Tug Fork region, and his laboratory conducted a five-year survey of crayfish in all 55 counties.
Loughman received a $10,000 cash award.
Other finalists were Lisa Di Bartolomeo and Powsiri Klinkhachorn of West Virginia University, Harald Menz of Bethany College, and William Palmer of Marshall University.
The Faculty Merit Foundation was created in 1984 to recognize and reward innovation and creativity at West Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities.