Dr. Zachary Loughman, assistant professor of biology at West Liberty University, was honored in Charleston recently when he was named a member of Generation Next by West Virginia State Journal. Generation Next: 40 Under 40, is an annual award designed to publicize stories of the incredible things professionals younger than 40 are doing throughout West Virginia.

“I am grateful for this honor and happy to be representing West Liberty University in this manner,” said Loughman, who also is a WLU alumnus.

He graduated with a bachelor’s in science in 2002. Loughman then went on to earn a master’s degree at Marshall University and his doctoral degree in biology from Indiana State University in 2011. Loughman  is known for his research on crayfish and has maintained an active, student-involved laboratory in Arnett Hall since 2007.

His work was profiled on West Virginia Public Radio on March 10, 2014 by reporter Glynis Board.

“My students and I have done research on crayfish in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Texas,” he said.

To date, Loughman has discovered and named three new crayfish species and has received more than $300,000 in funding, with the majority of that work focused in Appalachia.

Loughman lives in Wheeling with his wife, alumna Kathy Vopal Loughman ’02, whom he met at West Liberty, and 5-year-old son Colin.

“This year’s class of Generation Next winners shows us the true Mountaineer spirit,” said Ann Ali, managing editor of The State Journal. “These are the people who wake up early and stay late, but still find the time to volunteer and give back.”

The State Journal received support from sponsors that included: Custom Business Solutions, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and Huntington Bank.

For complete information on the College of Sciences, visit the webpage or contact Loughman at zloughman@westliberty.edu.