Dr. John Smallwood began studying birds in 1979 and is internationally recognized for his expertise on the American Kestrel, a species of falcon. John was recruited to serve on the editorial board and was subsequently elected to be Editor of the Wilson Ornithological Society‘s journal, The Wilson Bulletin, for three consecutive years. During this time, between 2001-2004, the editorial office was operated out of Science Hall. He was elected Secretary, an executive officer position, of the Wilson Ornithological Society for 16 one-year terms, the most terms for an individual in the society’s 130-year history. Within that society John has a reputation as the society’s walking institutional memory.

Beyond the Wilson Ornithological Society, John has been an active member in the Raptor Research Foundation, with six three-year terms on the Board of Directors. He was also an associate editor of the Journal of Raptor Research, the top peer-reviewed journal for the study of predatory birds.

With this background, and over 15 years as an Elective Member in the American Ornithological Society, John was a clear choice in the eyes of the AOS, formerly the American Ornithologists’ Union to be named a Fellow. This past August John was nominated and later elected to be a Fellow in the Society, where he joins over 400 others in this distinct group. Learn more about the AOS on their website and view a list of the current fellows.