Professor Taylor H. Ricketts, Ph.D., Gund Institute for Environment, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Taylor Ricketts received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, where he also completed a post-doctoral fellowship. Before joining UVM, he served as a Senior Fellow and Director of the Conservation Science Program at the World Wildlife Fund. Since 2011, he has been Professor and Director of the Gund Institute for Environment, including during the transition to an independent institute. Dr. Ricketts has been recognized as a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Ecological Society of America (ESA). His highly influential work in ecosystem science and conservation includes pioneering the concept of "ecoregion-scale conservation," which addresses the complex dynamics of entire ecological communities. He has conducted groundbreaking work to delineate, analyze, and prioritize ecoregions across North America and subsequently on all continents. Dr. Ricketts' expertise in spatial ecology, particularly patterns of animal movements, has significantly influenced landscape ecology, conservation science, and species mobility research. His exceptional productivity and international visibility have made him the highest cited researcher in environment and ecology. Dr. Ricketts' scholarly output includes over 150 peer-reviewed publications and six books. His research has been funded by prestigious organizations including the USDA, NSF, USAID, and the US Department of Commerce. As a university stakeholder, Dr. Ricketts has led numerous interdisciplinary teams working on climate and planetary health issues across various fields. He has guided 134 Gund scholars and mentored 10 graduate students, 20 post-doctoral fellows, and numerous undergraduate students. For his impactful and highly influential work on ecosystems, conservation, and planetary health, Dr. Ricketts is highly deserving of the UVM University Scholar honor.

Professor Brian L. Sprague, Ph.D., Department of Surgery, Larner College of Medicine
Brian Sprague is the Green and Gold Professor in Surgical Research. He is a nationally and internationally recognized epidemiologist specializing in breast cancer screening and surveillance. Dr. Sprague’s research integrates clinical and population health data to evaluate breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and survivorship in real-world settings. He directs the Vermont Mammography Registry, which links to national databases to create a comprehensive resource of patient radiology, pathology, and cancer diagnosis data that informs long-term outcomes. Dr. Sprague’s research has been continuously funded through the NIH, resulting in 200 publications in prestigious journals that have been cited over 13,000 times. His work informs American Cancer Society guidelines, and he is frequently sought after by the National Cancer Institute to serve on planning committees associated with population screening of breast cancer. At UVM, Dr. Sprague leads the Office of Health Promotion Research and co-leads UVM Cancer Center’s Population Sciences (CPS) Program, dedicating his time to mentor junior scientists in writing successful grant proposals. He has mentored over 50 trainees ranging from undergraduates to clinical fellows. Having been awarded the Larner College of Medicine Dean's Excellence in Research, Dr. Sprague is highly deserving of the University Scholar honor for his impactful and influential work.

Professor Boğaç Ergene, Ph.D., Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Ergene graduated from Middle East Technical University with a degree in Economics, received a Master of Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and obtained a second Master's in Economics from Middle East Technical University. He was awarded a Ph.D. in History from The Ohio State University. Dr. Ergene joined the History Department at the University of Vermont in 2001 as an Assistant Professor, earning the rank of Professor in 2017. He established an international reputation in Ottoman and Islamic legal history. In Spring 2014, he served as the Aga Khan Distinguished Professor in Islamic Humanities at Brown University, and in Fall 2015, he was a Visiting Fellow in the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard University Law School. Dr. Ergene also held a Visiting Professor position at Middle East Technical University in Turkey (2021). His scholarship has been recognized with a book award from his professional society and a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities International, as well as internal grant awards from the College. At UVM, Dr. Ergene’s teaching and research accomplishments were recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Lecture Award. His research has received support from numerous prestigious institutions, including the American Council of Learned Societies, Social Sciences Research Council, and American Research Institute in Turkey. Dr. Ergene has authored or edited seven books on critical topics including corruption in the Ottoman Empire, Arab and Turkish responses to Nazism and the Holocaust, the economics of justice in Sharia courts, judicial practices in the Islamic world, and legal practice and dispute resolution in provincial societies within the Ottoman Empire. His scholarly output includes special journal issues, 34 peer-reviewed journal publications, 15 non-peer-reviewed publications, 15 book reviews, and four translations. Dr. Ergene is frequently invited to speak on campus, across the United States, and internationally. For his impactful and highly influential work, Dr. Ergene is highly deserving of the UVM University Scholar honor.