Campus Life

Liberal Arts Prof Is ‘The Bee’s Knees’

The American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists recently awarded Vaughn Bryant the AASP Medal for Scientific Excellence.
September 30, 2016

Professor Vaughn Bryant
Professor Vaughn Bryant

The American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists (AASP) recently awarded Vaughn Bryant, professor in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts, the AASP Medal for Scientific Excellence for his outstanding years of dedication in teaching, scientific research and service.

“I am overwhelmed by this great honor and for this prestigious recognition,” he said. “I only hope that I will not run out of time before finding more challenges to conquer.”

The AASP has also chosen him to receive the Outstanding Educator and Distinguished Service awards.

Bryant is one of the nation’s top experts in palynology—the study of pollen grains—and is one of two forensic palynologists in the United States.

He also started the Palynology Laboratory at Texas A&M, which is used in a forensic capacity to track ivory poachers, identify counterfeit honey, helped the federal government track down terrorists, probe the drug trade and help investigators identify bodies.

According to Andrew Laurence, a former student of Bryant’s who is the other forensic pollen analyst in the U.S., this type of analysis is possible because each region has its own unique pollen print generated from local plants.

“Think of it,” says Laurence, in an article for The Atlantic, “as a fingerprint for a region.”

Continue reading from the College of Liberal Arts.

This article originally appeared in the College of Liberal Arts website.

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