A Wyoming Game and Fish Department employee recently received national recognition for her dedication to conservation. Tasha Bauman, forensic analyst for the Game and Fish Wildlife Forensic and Fish Health Lab, is the 2017 recipient of the American Fisheries and Wildlife Association (AFWA) Mark J. Reeff Memorial Award. The award recognizes distinguished young wildlife management professionals, under the age of 35, for their outstanding service in the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for creatively overcoming challenges. 

“Tasha’s selfless contribution to the world of wildlife forensics makes her a highly respected member of this tight-knit group of scientists as well as the law enforcement community. She is a team player who cares about the advancement of the science. ‘Above and beyond’ is something she does every day of the week,” said Dee Dee Hawk, Game and Fish laboratory supervisor. 

Bauman’s nomination highlighted her achievements over her ten year career with Game and Fish in the forensics field. Bauman is described as a leader in the international field of wildlife forensics, and currently serves as the vice-president of the Society for Wildlife Forensic Science. She is also one of less than 30 scientists in the world who are “Certified Wildlife Forensic Scientists.” Bauman is one of a handful of wildlife forensic scientists who were chosen by National Institute of Standards and Technology to serve on the new Organization of Scientific Area Committees Federal task force for forensics and is a member of the subcommittee on wildlife forensics.

“Tasha is an essential component of the Wyoming wildlife community as well as the  international wildlife forensic community. Her contributions are extremely valuable to our state and to conservation,” Hawk said.