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Pergams is one of 18 educators who won the award which is now in its 20th year of honoring full-time faculty who have contributed in the most highly creative ways to teaching, learning and technology.

“I am honored to receive this award and to have been nominated by Olive-Harvey College. It is wonderful encouragement to motivate me to do my best teaching and mentoring,” Pergams said.

A conservation scientist, Pergams holds research appointments at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Field Museum. Dr. Pergams views conservation as a problem-focused discipline, and has used many different methods to solve various conservation problems. For example, these methods come from biology (molecular genetics including ancient DNA, morphometrics and extinction prediction) as well as the social sciences (sociology & economics). 

In addition, Pergams has published more than 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles in prestigious journals such as Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and has written several book chapters and encyclopedia articles. Dr. Pergams has testified as an expert witness before Congress and has given numerous presentations, sometimes as keynote speaker. 

During his career in conservation he has received a number of awards, including a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STAR Fellowship, a David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship, and a U.S. Department of State Fulbright Senior Lecturing/Research Award.

“We’re proud that Dr. Pergams has been honored for his efforts in teaching and we know that because of his attention to our students that it will result in more students completing their studies at Olive-Harvey and furthering their education and career goals,” says Dr. Craig T. Follins, President of Olive-Harvey College.         ​