Michael E. Dorcas, Ph.D. (often cited in scholarly publications as Michael Dorcas and occasionally as Mike Dorcas) is a biologist, ecologist, and scientific consultant whose career spans more than 30 years of academic research, university teaching, scholarly publishing, and applied scientific work.

Michael E. Dorcas is a former Endowed Professor of Biology and the author of more than 140 peer-reviewed scientific publications, along with multiple scholarly books and book chapters in ecology, conservation biology, and herpetology. His research has been supported by more than $2.2 million in competitive funding from major agencies, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Defense.

His professional experience includes long-term faculty appointments, research mentorship, and extensive editorial and peer-review service for scientific journals, as well as participation on national review panels. This experience informs his work in scientific consulting, where Michael Dorcas provides guidance on research design, manuscript development, and funding strategy.

Through Tantilla Consulting, Michael E. Dorcas works with researchers, institutions, and organizations to strengthen the clarity, structure, and impact of scientific work—from initial concept through publication and funding.

In parallel with his scientific career, Michael Dorcas maintains a professional wildlife art practice through Tantilla Art. Working primarily in graphite and colored pencil, his artwork emphasizes anatomical accuracy, realism, and detail informed by decades of biological study and field experience.

Together, these efforts reflect a career defined by scientific rigor, precision, and a sustained engagement with the natural world.