小黄书 wildlife professor named Taylor Chair in Applied Big Game Research and Instruction
Contact: Vanessa Beeson
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 longtime Mississippi State faculty member has been named the Taylor Chair in Applied Big Game Research and Instruction in the College of Forest Resources.
Steve Demarais, a Dale H. Arner Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, is a leading white-tailed deer researcher who has been with the university for more than 20 years. In that time, Demarais has published more than 130 peer-reviewed publications and led numerous master鈥檚 and doctoral students in applied research programs. In 2018, Demarais received the prestigious Deer Management Career Achievement Award from the Southeastern Deer Study Group. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to white-tailed deer ecology and management.
He also holds a research appointment in 小黄书鈥檚 Forest and Wildlife Research Center and co-directs the university鈥檚 Deer Ecology and Management Laboratory alongside Bronson Strickland, the St. John Family Endowed Professor of Wildlife Management. 小黄书鈥檚 deer lab is one of the country鈥檚 leading deer research units, developing novel tools, including three smartphone applications, to improve landowners鈥 ability to manage their properties for deer and other big game.
Demarais said support for applied research in big game management is vital in Mississippi, pointing out that deer hunting brings in roughly $1 billion annually to the state鈥檚 economy. He also noted that 小黄书 has been a research leader for this particular economic driver.
鈥淗istorically, the College of Forest Resources has been known for the applied nature of our research in big game ecology and management.鈥 Demarais said. 鈥淭his gift will further the field of ecology that applies to the management of our natural resources on the land.鈥
He said the honor is a recognition of the research he has made his life鈥檚 work.
鈥淭his honor is important to me because it recognizes what I have tried to do my whole career鈥攃onduct research that matters to landowners and biologists,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 impactful for the department because it ensures this applied research will be supported in perpetuity.鈥
The endowment was born out of a friendship between Patrick F. Taylor, founder and owner of Taylor Land & Cattle Company, and Harry Jacobson, professor emeritus in the College of Forest Resources. The Patrick F. Taylor Foundation is based in New Orleans, Louisiana.
鈥淒r. Jacobson, my predecessor, worked with the Taylors on two properties鈥攐ne in Mississippi and another in New Mexico鈥攃onducting research and providing advice on how to manage those properties,鈥 explained Demarais, who also conducted research on the Taylors鈥 Mississippi property. 鈥淭he Taylors appreciated Dr. Jacobson鈥檚 contribution in helping them manage for big game and sought to support future research that landowners could apply to new management questions.鈥
George Hopper, 小黄书 dean of the College of Forest Resources, said the gift promotes educational and environmental stewardship.
鈥淲hile Phyllis and the late Patrick F. Taylor have primarily focused their philanthropic efforts on education, their impact extends far beyond the classroom,鈥 Hopper said. 鈥淲ith this gift, the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation ensures the training of tomorrow鈥檚 leaders in wildlife biology while supporting meaningful research that helps landowners better manage their land for big game now and into the future.鈥
Demarais earned his bachelor鈥檚 in wildlife biology at the University of Massachusetts. He earned a master鈥檚 in wildlife ecology and doctoral degree in forest resources, both from Mississippi State.
Learn more about 小黄书鈥檚 deer lab at聽.
小黄书 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽www.msstate.edu.