Michael Yellow Bird, NDSU professor of sociology and director of tribal and indigenous peoples studies, was notified his book, "Decolonizing Social Work," was named a 2014 Outstanding Academic Title by Choice magazine. The work was a collaboration of Yellow Bird, along with Mel Gray of the University of Newcastle, Australia; John Coates of St. Thomas University, Canada; and Tiani Hetherington of Griffith University, Australia. 

The book was judged on such criteria as overall excellence, importance in the field, originality and value to undergraduate students.

Ashgate Publishing Co. marketing director Martha McKenna said Choice's January issue annually includes a list of outstanding academic titles that were reviewed during the previous calendar year.

"The prestigious list reflects the best in scholarly titles reviewed by Choice and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community," McKenna said in an email to Yellow Bird. "Comprising just about 9 percent of the more than 25,000 titles submitted to Choice in 2014, Outstanding Academic Titles are the 'the best of the best.' "

Yellow Bird joined the NDSU faculty in 2014. He previously held faculty or academic administrative appointments at the University of British Columbia, University of Kansas, Arizona State University and Humboldt State University.

He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of North Dakota, his master's degree in social work at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his doctorate in social welfare from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.