Laurel A. Degernes Papers 1970-2016 (bulk 1985-2016)

Dr. Laurel “Laurie” Ann Degernes was a professor of avian medicine at North Carolina State University from 1992 to 2016. She holds a B.A. in Biology (1976), a B.S. in Veterinary Sciences (1979), and D.V.M. (1981) from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. In 1992, Degernes interned at The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, and eventually served as a staff veterinarian there from 1986 to 1990. During this time, Degernes gained national attention for her work treating and rehabilitating lead-poisoned trumpeter swans through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Trumpeter Swan reintroduction program. Degernes later moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to complete her residency training in exotic and wild bird medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. After her residency, she became a faculty member at NC State. During a sabbatical leave in 2005, Degernes earned a M.P.H. in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon her retirement in 2016, Degernes established the Dr. Laurie Degernes Fellowship for Avian Medicine Education.

The Laurel A. Degernes Papers, 1970-2016, contain a wide variety of materials, including correspondence, photographs, conference materials, patient charts, radiographs, manuscripts, course materials, conference handbooks, presentation notes, newspaper clippings, magazines, slides, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes. The collection provides information about Degernes’ work as a staff veterinarian at the Raptor Center at University of Minnesota, St. Paul, her involvement in the Trumpeter Swan reintroduction program, and her work as a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. The collection also includes materials relating to Degernes' participation in various professional organizations and conferences, her contributions to avian medicine and surgery scholarship, and her work as a consultant in parrot, raptor, and waterfowl medicine.

This collection is arranged in seven series:

• 1, The Raptor Center Files, 1986-1990
• 2, North Carolina State University Teaching Files, 1990-2016
• 3, Professional Organizations and Conference Materials, 1980-2013
• 4, Consulting Files, 1988-2011
• 5, Publications and Clippings, 1970-2012
• 6. Digital Files
• 7. Slides

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The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

[Identification of item], Laurel A. Degernes Papers, MC 00602, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Gift of Dr. Laurel A. Degernes 2016-2018 (Accession nos. 2016.0234, 2018.0234)

Processed by: Arielle Petrovich, July 2017; machine-readible finding aid created by: Arielle Petrovich, July 2017; addition processed and finding aid updated by Shima Hosseininasab, December 2020.