Awards
2015 Distinguished Investigator Award, University of Chicago
Collegiate Teaching Award, University of Chicago
2012 National AfterSchool Champions, AfterSchool Alliance
2011 Chicago’s 50 Most Beautiful People, Chicago Magazine
2011 Honoree, Phi Beta Kappa of the Chicago Area
2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (Project Exploration)
2009 Distinguished Explorer Award, Roy Chapman Andrews Society
2009 Outstanding College Alumni Award in Liberal Arts & Sciences, Northern Illinois University
2005 Faculty Service Award, University of Chicago
2004 Outstanding Community Leader Award, Association of Fundraising Professionals
2003 Leonardo da Vinci Award, Order Sons of Italy in America
2000-now Explorer, National Geographic Society
1999 University Medal for Excellence, Columbia University
1999 Master-In-Residence, North Shore Country Day School, Winnetka
1997 LifeModel, OMNI Society
1997 The Century Club, Newsweek Magazine
1997 50 Most Beautiful People, People Magazine
1997 100 Best People in the World, Esquire Magazine
1997 Walker Prize, for extraordinary contributions in paleontology, Museum of Science, Boston Society of Natural History
1996 Chicagoan of the Year, Chicago Magazine
1996 Best of What’s New, Popular Science Magazine
1996 Distinguished Visiting Professor, Universidad Nacional de San Juan (Argentina)
1995 Scientist of the Year, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation
1993 40 Under 40, Crain's Chicago Business Magazine
1992 Teacher of the Year Award, Chicago Tribune
1991 Outstanding Young Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts and Science, Northern Illinois University
1990 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University
1989-1994 Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering
1986 Doctoral Training Fellowship, American Museum
1984-1986 Columbia Graduate Faculty Alumni Fellow
1979-1986 Columbia University Faculty Fellowship
1979-1982 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship