Southeastern professor receives Distinguished Herpetology Award
Contact: Rene Abadie
Date: August 14, 2013 
HERPETOLOGY HONORS – David Sever, professor and former head of the Department of Biological Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University, handles a copperhead snake used in his research. Sever was honored with the Distinguished Herpetologist of the Year Award presented by the Herpetologists' League, an international association.
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University snake and salamander expert David Sever has been
honored with the Distinguished Herpetologist of the Year Award presented by the international
association Herpetologists' League.
Sever, the Kenneth Dyson Endowed Professor and former head of the Southeastern
Department of Biological Sciences, was presented the award at the annual Joint Meeting
of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists held recently in Alberquerque, N.M. At the meeting
Sever presented an invited address and has been asked to author the lead paper in
a future issue of the League's journal "Herpetologica."
"The recognition of Dr. Sever as the Distinguished Herpetologist of the Year
is well-deserved," said Christopher Beachy, head of the Department of Biological Sciences.
"Sever's international expertise in reproductive anatomy of vertebrates is unquestioned.
In terms of number of scientific publications and grants, he is simply prolific. It
is difficult to name anyone who has written and worked more in this area. From my
perspective as a professional and as editor of a journal that publishes herpetological
work, I consider Dr. Sever one of the most important salamander biologists in history."
A member of the Southeastern faculty since 2004, Sever is known widely for his
research into the sexual characteristics of salamanders and snakes. He is the recipient
of several National Science Foundation Grants and co-edited the text "Reproductive
Biology and Phylogeny of Snakes," a heavily illustrated 759-page text.
