Prof. Durden joined Georgia Southern University in 1992 and retired in 2021.

 — Biography from the 2021 Fall Commencement program —  

Dr. Durden received his BSc degree in Zoology from Royal Holloway College, University of London (1977), and his PhD in Zoology from the University of London (1981). Dr. Durden completed postdoctoral research positions with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, the Smithsonian Institution, and Auburn University. He was hired in 1990 as a research entomologist/ epidemiologist at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick. In 1992, he moved to the then Institute of Arthropodology & Parasitology and U.S. National Tick Collection at Georgia Southern, joining the Department of Biology in 2003. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2006 and Professor in 2011 and has taught many different courses, most often Emerging Diseases, Entomology, Insects & People, and Medical Veterinary Entomology. He has also mentored several master’s students. Dr. Durden has associateships with the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, and the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. Dr. Durden is an internationally recognized scholar in arthropodology and entomology. As a recognized authority on insects and other arthropods, he provides countless identifications in response to inquiries from the public and medical and research professionals. An expert in tick, lice, and flea identification, he has taught many workshops on identification of these parasites worldwide and has described 78 new taxa. His significant contributions to the field have been acknowledged by five organisms being named after him. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed publications, serves as co-editor of a leading textbook on Medical and Veterinary Entomology, and has served as an editor, co-editor, or editorial board member for seven journals. He has often been featured in national and international press releases. Dr. Durden’s impressive record of scholarship received international attention when he was awarded the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal by the American Society of Parasitologists in 2004. This prestigious honor goes to mid-career scientists acknowledged by the society as attaining a leadership position in the field of parasitology. Dr. Durden received the Georgia Southern Faculty Award of Excellence in Research and/or Scholarly Activities twice, the College of Science and Technology Faculty Research Award, and the Departmental Parrish Scholar’s Award. He has also received significant external funding to support his research program. Dr. Durden was active in departmental, college and university service. For these and other contributions to the department, college, university, and profession, Dr. Lance Durden has earned the title of Professor Emeritus of Biology.