Hall of Fame Member Biographies

Penny Hopkins, Ph.D.

Dr. Penny Hopkins taught biology and did research at OU for more than 35 years where she was a Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Presidential Professor. Her research, which was funded almost continually for 30 years by the National Science Foundation, has centered on hormonal control of regeneration in crustaceans. She received her Ph.D. in Biology from Tulane university and did postdoctoral work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

She was a proud member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. In 1992, she was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and served as a Fulbright Fellow in 2009. She also was on the editorial board of the international journal Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology for many years. Her professional service responsibilities have been extensive with service on many National Science Foundation panels and the executive board of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. She served as a graduate and undergraduate mentor to dozens of students. She received the University of Oklahoma Associated Distinguished Lectureship Award and the Regents Award for Superior Service to the University. She served as the chair of the Faculty Senate at OU in 1986, and chaired the Provost's special task force on General Education. A strong advocate for women in science, she worked for equity in professional opportunity and career development as a founding member of the Provost's Special Committee on Equality.