ASHEVILLE, NC, November 22, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Robert P. Higgins, PhD, DSc, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Higgins celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A respected authority in the fields of biology and zoology, Dr. Higgins has served as an adjunct research professor with the University of North Carolina since 1994. He is the former curator of invertebrate zoology with the National Museum of Natural History, a position he held for more than a decade. Throughout the course of his career, Dr. Higgins has been featured in a wide range of honors publications, including the first edition of Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, and the 24th edition of Who's Who in the East. He was previously selected as a grantee through the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1964 and 1968, and NATO in 1988. Between 1959 and 1961, Dr. Higgins was recognized as a James B. Duke fellow.
Prior to pursuing a career in the study of life science, Dr. Higgins served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve between 1949 and 1959 where he rose to the rank of gunnery sergeant. During this time he attended the University of Colorado, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1956 and Master of Arts in 1958. Dr. Higgins went on to complete a PhD through Duke University in 1961. During this time, Dr. Higgins served as an assistant professor, then associate professor, with Wake Forest University.
In 1968, Dr. Higgins briefly served as a resident systematist with the Marine Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole, supported by a NSF grant before he joined the Smithsonian Institution, where he became director of the Mediterranean Sorting Center in Carthage, Tunisia, in 1969. He served as "acting science attache" at the U.S. Embassy for two years until he transitioned into a role as the director of the oceanography and limnology program with the Smithsonian Institution. He became curator of invertebrate zoology with the National Museum of Natural History in 1978. Upon his retirement in 1993, Dr. Higgins received an honorary D.Sc. from Copenhagen University, and continues to be recognized as a respected educator.
Dr. Higgins participated in several oceanographic expeditions including the International Indian Ocean Expedition, Peru Chili Trench Expedition, the University of Hamburg's expedition to the Faroe Islands and was a visiting research scientist at the Danish Arctic Station in Greenland. In all, Dr. Higgins conducted research in some 30 different countries. In 1984 he was elected a member of The Explorers Club.
Dr. Higgins has served in numerous educational appointments throughout the course of his career. In addition to being recognized as an adjunct research professor with the University of North Carolina, Asheville, he was a former adjunct professor of biology with Western Carolina University and former distinguished adjunct professor of biology with the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He served as president of the North Carolina Academy of Science from 2000 to 2001 and was later elected a lifetime member of the academy. Since the inception of his career, Dr. Higgins has contributed articles to professional journals pertaining to his areas of expertise, namely 4 lesser-known phyla: Tardigrada, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha and Loricifera, the newest phylum discovered with Dr. Reinhardt Kristensen. He previously served as an editor for the International Symposium on Tardigrada and as a co-editor for "Introduction to the Study of Meiofauna." From 1974 to 1999, Dr. Higgins served as a research associate with the Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research.
In an effort to remain active and engaged in the scientific community, Dr. Higgins maintains involvement with a variety of industry-related organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Association of Meiobenthologists, American Society of Zoologists, Society of Systematic Zoology, Biological Society of Washington and North Carolina Academy of Science. In addition, he is recognized as the former president of the American Microscopical Society.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Robert P. Higgins, PhD, DSc, has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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