Harrell Gill-King, founding director of UNT's Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and co-founder of the UNT Center for Human Identification, has received the T. Dale Stewart Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences for work that has included responding to the World Trade Center after 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing and many other mass casualty events. Winners of the award, presented for outstanding contributions in the forensic anthropology field, are nominated by their peers and chosen by a committee of former award winners.

Patrick Willey, chair of the committee that chose Gill-King, said letters nominating him were "outstanding," citing his continuous work with law enforcement since the late 1970s. Willey also spoke about the unique capabilities of the Center for Human Identification, Gill-King's teaching and mentorship for aspiring forensic anthropologists in the College of Science, and his work in mass disasters.

"I don't have any illusions about being a great forensic anthropologist," Gill-King says. "If you're lucky, when you're young, you have good mentors. Then suddenly, you wake up in late middle age and you notice that you have a new set of mentors who are maybe half your age. If you're smart, you'll listen to what they have to say, because they will keep you in the game. They'll challenge you."