UACES Facebook Extension faculty win at Poultry Science Association Meeting
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Extension faculty win at Poultry Science Association Meeting

By Meleah Perez
U of A System Division of Agriculture
July 28, 2017

Fast Facts:

  • Center of Excellence for Poultry Science competed for awards at the Poultry Science Association Meeting
  • Several extension faculty were recognized, one elected second vice president
  • Five graduate students also took awards home

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Members of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science with University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture received awards at the 106th Annual Poultry Science Association Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Karen Christensen and Dustan Clark were recognized for their contributions to poultry science during the association meeting, which had a record attendance of 1,200 scientists and 200 student competitions.

Christensen, an extension poultry specialist for the center, received the Poultry Science Association Early Achievement Award for Extension. The award recognizes the achievement of Poultry Science Association members in the early stages of their careers.

“It is really amazing and humbling to be recognized by your peers by such an organization as Poultry Science,” Christensen said. “I have really enjoyed my three years in extension and the opportunity to work with both students and industry trying to help in any capacity needed. The extension service is made up of very talented and knowledgeable people that have a significant impact in many areas, and I am honored to be a part of that.”

Clark, an associate poultry science director in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science received the Phibro Extension Award, which is given to a member of the Poultry Science Association for conducting an outstanding program in poultry extension and outreach during a five-year period.

Billy Hargis, a Distinguished Professor of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas, was elected as the second vice president, which places him in the order to become the Poultry Science Association president in three years. The presidency is a four-year term beginning with the second vice president and ending as past president.

Walter Bottje, Steven Ricke and Yvonne Vizzier-Thaxton were also elected as Fellows, the highest honor a Poultry Science Association member can achieve.

The election to Fellow recognizes members of the Poultry Science Association for professional distinction and contributions to poultry science. A two-thirds majority vote by the Poultry Science Association Board of Directors is required to nominees. Four Fellows were named, and three were faculty from Arkansas.

Five graduate students also received presentation awards, which outnumbered all the other universities’ comprehensive amount of student awards.

Outstanding oral presentation included Katie Hilton, Basanta Raj Wagle and Juan Caldas-Cueva.

Hilton worked under the direction of Craig Coon, and Wagle worked with Dan Donoghue. Caldes-Cueva worked with Casey Owens.

Outstanding poster presentations included Craig Maynard and Deepti Samarth. Maynard worked under the direction of Sam Rochell while Samarth worked with Young Min Kwon.

Poultry Center director Michael Kidd said he and James Denton, Ex Officio for the Poultry Science Association Foundation, felt proud as they watched Arkansas faculty and graduate students cross the stage to get their awards.

“I have attended PSA awards banquets for almost three decades, and I can never remember one university being recognized as Arkansas was in Orlando,” Kidd said. “The Poultry Science Association is a vibrant society with our flagship journal, ‘Poultry Science,’ reaching top five globally, across like journals, and our meeting has grown in membership every year for over a decade.”

 

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu

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