Two of Michael E. Dorcas’s graphite drawings, Tradition Keeper and Plains Elder, were selected for the 2026 Greeley Stampede Western Art Exhibition in Greeley, Colorado. The juried exhibition presents artwork celebrating wildlife, Western culture, landscapes, and the people and traditions of the American West.

Michael E. Dorcas’s graphite wildlife drawing "Long View" was selected for Exhibizone’s international juried exhibition, Kingdom Animalia 2026. The exhibition celebrates artistic interpretations of animals and the relationships between wildlife, people, and the natural world.

Michael E. Dorcas received the 2014 Outstanding Mentor Award from the Council on Undergraduate Research in recognition of his long-standing commitment to involving students in meaningful scientific research and helping them develop as independent scholars.

Michael E. Dorcas was selected as a 2014 Distinguished Lecturer for the Moonlight on the Marsh lecture series presented by Naples Botanical Gardens and Florida Gulf Coast University. His lecture focused on invasive Burmese pythons in southern Florida, including their ecology, impacts on native wildlife, and the challenges involved in studying and managing this secretive predator.

Michael E. Dorcas received the 2012 Meritorious Teaching Award in Herpetology in recognition of his contributions to teaching, mentoring, and undergraduate research in amphibian and reptile biology. The award was presented jointly by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, The Herpetologists’ League, and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists at the World Congress of Herpetology in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Michael E. Dorcas received the Senior Research Award from the Association of Southeastern Biologists in both 2007 and 2012. The award recognizes sustained contributions to biological research, including his work in herpetology, ecology, conservation biology, and the mentorship of undergraduate researchers.

Michael E. Dorcas was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in recognition of his contributions to ecology, herpetology, conservation biology, scientific education, and public understanding of wildlife.

Snakes of the Southeast, coauthored by J. Whitfield Gibbons and Michael E. Dorcas, received First Place in the Nature Guidebook category of the 2005 National Outdoor Book Awards.

Michael E. Dorcas received the 2004 Environmental Educator of the Year Governor’s Achievement Award from the North Carolina Wildlife Federation in recognition of his contributions to conservation education, public outreach, and greater understanding of reptiles, amphibians, and their habitats.

Michael E. Dorcas received the 2002 Presidential Leadership Award from the School for Field Studies in recognition of his leadership and contributions to field-based environmental education, conservation, and experiential learning.