Peggy R. Dorris, PhD

Enjoying a long and successful career in education, Peggy R. Dorris, PhD, initially taught biology in public schools in Benton and Ponotoc, Mississippi, and Wilmot, Arkansas, between 1956 and 1962. She subsequently contributed for four years as a graduate assistant at the University of Mississippi while pursuing a master’s and doctorate degrees. In 1966, Dr. Dorris was acquired by Henderson State University, where she worked for the remainder of her career in teaching biology. An expert in field zoology, entomology, ichthyology, ornithology, herpetology and other areas of the field, she distinguished herself for 30 years on campus as a full professor and the chairperson of the Department of Biology. Officially retiring from the classroom in 1996, she was also a Simmental cattle rancher for over 25 years.

Dr. Dorris attended Mississippi College, where she acquired a Bachelor of Science, with distinction, in 1956. She later completed both a Master of Science and a PhD at the University of Mississippi in 1963 and 1967, respectively. To remain aware of developments in her field, Dr. Dorris has been very active with several industry-related organizations. She was a member and the first female president of the constitutional committee of the Arkansas Academy of Science. Other memberships to her credit include the American Arachnology Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.