Dr. Ward Whicker, a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, received the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award on Feb. 10 at Colorado State University Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Awards and Recognition Banquet held at the Fort Collins Hilton.
Dr. Whicker is widely viewed as the “father” of radioecology because his early papers essentially defined the study of radionuclide transport through ecosystems. A large portion of his work has focused on understanding how exposure to radiation would impact biologic systems, not just organisms.
Receiving his PhD from Colorado State University in 1965, Dr. Whicker was one of the first graduates of the radiology program in the newly created Department of Radiology and Radiation Biology. After a post-doctoral appointment in Germany, he returned to Colorado State as a faculty member, conducting ground-breaking research in radioecology and passing on his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the field to his students, most of whom remain active in the field today.
The Colorado State University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Awards program exists to recognize CSU alumni and friends who have distinguished themselves professionally, brought honor to the University and have made significant contributions of time and/or philanthropy to the University and/or their community Each year, the Colorado State University Alumni Association honors an outstanding alumnus/a from each of the University's eight colleges. An Honor Alumnus/Alumna is a former student who, by his/her distinguished career and service to the university, state, nation, or world, has brought honor to Colorado State University and to himself/herself.
