UW Professor Elected as TWS Fellow by the Wildlife Society

In recognition of her exceptional service to the wildlife profession, Merav Ben-David was recently elected as a TWS (The Wildlife Society) Fellow by The Wildlife Society Council.

As a TWS Fellow, Ben-David, a University of Wyoming professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology, is appointed for life and will serve as an ambassador of The Wildlife Society. She will be encouraged to engage in outreach and other activities that will benefit and promote The Wildlife Society and the wildlife profession, according to an awards letter sent to Ben-David.

Award criteria include: TWS member (current) for at least 10 years; is active in TWS at section, chapter, working group or parent Society level; and has a distinguished professional record that includes significant contributions to wildlife resources and the profession.

Her award will be presented at The Wildlife Society’s 24th annual conference in Albuquerque, N.M., Sept. 23-27.

Ben-David was previously recognized by The Wildlife Society. In 2016, that organization honored her with its Excellence in Wildlife Education Award.

Ben-David studies the effects of global change on a variety of animals. These include the effects of invasive lake trout on river otters in Yellowstone Lake; sea ice loss in the Arctic on polar bears; and timber harvest on marten and ermine in southeast Alaska. In 2012, she received the Barrett-Hamilton Distinguished Ecologist Award from the University of Manitoba for her contributions to polar bear conservation.

Raised on a farm in Israel, Ben-David served two years in the Israeli Air Force, after which she received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology (1984) and Master of Science (1988) from Tel Aviv University. After working as a safari tour guide in Kenya for five years, she relocated to Alaska and received a Ph.D. in wildlife management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (1996). She arrived at UW as an assistant professor in 2000.