January 16-17, 2003

ITEM 118-2001-R0103   Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Management upon Lynn R. Irby; Montana State University-Bozeman

THAT:  Upon the occasion of the retirement of Lynn R. Irby from the faculty of Montana State University, the Board of Regents wishes to express its appreciation for his service to the University, the Montana University system, and the people of the State of Montana.

EXPLANATION:   Dr. Irby earned his Ph.D. degree from Texas A&M University in 1976. He joined the faculty of Montana State University in May 1977. For the past 25 years Dr. Irby has served in the Fish and Wildlife Management Program (now in the Department of Ecology). He was chosen as director of the Program in 1991 and has served in that position for over 11 years. During Dr. Irby's career at MSU, he has taught more than 6,000 students in 12 different courses (usually including 1 graduate and 2 undergraduate courses per year). His undergraduate-advising load for the Fish and Wildlife Management Program has varied from 20 to 50 students per year, and he has been the official faculty advisor to the Montana State University Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society since it was formed. He has served as the advisor or co-advisor for 42 M.S. students and 3 Ph.D. students. He has also served on more than 100 additional graduate committees. 

During his time at MSU, Dr. Irby has supervised 46 research projects with budgets totaling more than $2 million. These projects and his dissertation research have produced more than 50 scientific publications. Most of his research at MSU has been focused on resolving conflicts between native mammals and human land use in Montana and adjacent states, but Dr. Irby developed a broader view of human - wildlife interactions through NSF sponsored research in Africa as a graduate student and through a Fulbright Fellowship for work in Costa Rica.

Dr. Irby has been active in the Wildlife Society since 1967. He has served on numerous state, regional, and national committees for the Wildlife Society and was elected President of the Northwest Section of the Wildlife Society in 1993. He has volunteered his time as a reviewer for 9 or more scientific journals at the regional, national, and international level.

For these and other contributions, the Board of Regents of Higher Education is pleased to confer Lynn R. Irby the rank of Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Management at Montana State University and wishes him well for many years in the future.