Jeffrey Meldrum holds a Ph.D. in anatomical sciences and is a tenured professor of anatomy at Idaho State University. He is also one of the world's foremost authorities on Bigfoot, the mythical smelly ape-man of the Northwest woods. And Meldrum firmly believes the lumbering, shaggy brute exists.That makes him an outcast — a solitary, Sasquatch-like figure himself — on the 12,700-student campus, where many scientists are embarrassed by what they call Meldrum's "pseudo-academic" pursuits and have called on the university to review his work with an eye toward revoking his tenure. One physics professor, D.P. Wells, wonders whether Meldrum plans to research Santa Claus, too.Meldrum, 48, spends most of his days in his laboratory in the Life Sciences Building, analyzing more than 200 jumbo plaster casts of what he contends are Bigfoot footprints.For the past 10 years, he has added his scholarly sounding research to a field full of sham videos and supermarket tabloid exposes. And he is convinced he has produced a body of evidence that proves there is a Bigfoot."It used to be you went to a bookstore and asked for a book on Bigfoot and you'd be directed to the occult section, right between the Bermuda Triangle and UFOs," Meldrum said.

"Now you can find some in the natural science section."Martin Hackworth, a senior lecturer in the physics department, called Meldrum's research a "joke.""Do I cringe when I see the Discovery Channel and I see Idaho State University, Jeff Meldrum? Yes, I do," Hackworth said. "He believes he's taken up the cause of people who have been shut out by the scientific community. He's lionized there. He's worshipped. He walks on water. It's embarrassing."

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With regard to the Jeff Meldrum article, it's all good to criticize Meldrum's research but I am far more interested in hearing counter argumnets. Until the professors who criticize can offer explainations for the anatomical representations in the Bigfoot prints, i.e., pressure ridges, dermal ridges, etc. and the associated weight distribution evidenced in the footprints I would say, keep quiet. The critics are always quick to speak before thinking objectively. Unfortunately, many of these so called analytical professor's probably have modest intelligence and marginal reasoning abilities. Take note that the individuals with the exceptionally high I.Q.'s tend to remain neutral and objective. Although much of the evidence we see for Bigfoot is obviously hoaxed much remains intriguing and compelling. A proper scientists would review the big picture, drop out the obvious contamination and ponder the unexplained with a renewed enlightenment. Too bad so many professors that criticize are guided by the egos and personality anomalies rather than objective reasoning. To all those professors who claim objectivity regarding this subject, please, chime in but take care not to become a fool.