American Feed Industry Association Award in Ruminant Nutrition Research

Sponsored by: American Feed Industry Association

Reinaldo Cooke, Texas A&M University

Dr. Reinaldo Cooke serves as the Burkhart Endowed Professor for Beef Cattle Research in the Texas A&M University - Department of Animal Science. Dr. Cooke leads an internationally recognized program with emphasis on nutritional management of Bos taurus and B. indicus cattle. Through excellence in research and educational ventures, his accomplishments lead to the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge in cattle nutrition across the globe. Dr. Cooke has published > 230 journal articles, secured > $10 million in funding, mentored > 30 graduate students and 4 postdoctoral students. Dr. Cooke serves as Section Editor for the Journal of Animal Science since 2014, and received the ASAS Bouffault International Agriculture Award in 2024, ASAS Animal Growth and Development Award in 2021, ASAS Animal Management Award in 2020, ASAS Early Career Award in 2018, ASAS Western Section - Extension Award in 2017, and ASAS Western Section - Young Scientist Award in 2016. 

Animal Growth and Development Award

Lance Baumgard, Iowa State University

Dr. Baumgard’s group discovered that reduced feed intake only explains 50% of decreased productivity during heat stress (HS). He has since systematically discovered what explains the other 50%. He and his team have revealed that HS causes leaky gut and the resulting endotoxin infiltration causes hyperinsulinemia and activates the immune system. Hyperinsulinemia occurs because immune cells require insulin to facilitate glucose influx necessary to mount an immune response. This immuneactivation becomes the new dominant physiological state which homeorhetically reprioritizes nutrients away from food-producing important phenotypes. Lance has extended this immunometabolism to other common livestock stressors and immune activating events.

Animal Industry Innovation Award

Sponsored by: Zoetis

Jay S. Johnson, University of Missouri

Dr. Jay S. Johnson, Associate Professor of Animal Welfare and Stress Physiology in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri, is widely regarded for developing practical tools that help producers manage heat stress more effectively. His research led to the creation of HotHog, a validated decision-support platform now used globally to guide swine management decisions. He has advanced understanding of in utero heat stress and its long-term effects on pig development, directly informing management strategies in the U.S. and abroad. His work in precision nutrition has influenced feeding programs, while contributions to precision cooling and applied genomic strategies have supported efforts to improve heat tolerance in modern pigs. With 97 peer-reviewed publications, over $12.8 million in awarded funding, service to ASAS, and partnerships with industry, his work exemplifies impactful innovation that advances animal wellbeing and practical progress in livestock production.

Animal Management Award

Juan J. Loor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Juan Loor is Professor of Animal Sciences and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana. His research addresses critical challenges such as transition cow nutritional management and milk component variability, issues that impact profitability worldwide. By connecting nutrition to key physiological processes, his work has led to practical strategies that enhance transition success, enhance milk yield and quality, and improve feed efficiency. Through advanced analytical tools and collaborative studies across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, Dr. Loor has ensured that these solutions apply to diverse production systems, from confinement to pasture-based dairies. His ability to translate complex science into actionable practices has reshaped modern dairy nutrition and strengthened global efforts toward sustainable production. He has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed articles, receiving over 30,000 citations earning him an h-index of 85.

Animal Physiology and Endocrinology Award

Sponsored by: James W. Lauderdale Appreciation Club

Clay Lents, USDA-ARS-MARC

Dr. Clay Lents is a Research Leader at the U. S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Nebraska. Raised on a farm and cattle ranch in Oklahoma, he received an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University and completed his postdoctoral research at the Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University. Clay was an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia before joining USMARC. His research over the past decade has combined physiology and genomics to generate significant and crucial discoveries in pubertal development. His work substantially deepened our understanding of hormonal control of reproduction in livestock, yielding new methods and tools that producers are applying to improve selection for fertility. Dr Lents has authored 258 scientific publications and is a member of the American College of Animal Sciences.

ASAS Fellow Award: Administration

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

John Arthington, University of Florida

John Arthington is recognized for more than 20 years of administrative leadership, including service as Director of the University of Florida’s Range Cattle Research and Education Center and Chair of the UF Department of Animal Sciences. In his 35 years of membership in ASAS, he has provided dedicated service and leadership, particularly within the Southern Section. As an administrator, Dr. Arthington has consistently championed faculty engagement, graduate student involvement, and institutional support of ASAS. His service includes leadership roles as Southern Section President, Executive Board member, and Program Chair; co-founding the Bill Kunkle Interdisciplinary Beef Symposium to honor mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration; and serving two terms as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Animal Science. Through sustained governance, mentorship, and stewardship, Dr. Arthington has strengthened the Society and advanced the animal science profession.

ASAS Fellow Award: Extension

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

David Lalman, Oklahoma State University

Dr. David Lalman is a professor and Extension Beef Cattle Specialist at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Lalman holds the Howard M. and Adene R. Harrington Endowed Chair with split extension and research appointment. He also serves as the Animal Science Extension Program Coordinator and the supervisor for the Range Cow Research Center, North Range Unit. He works primarily in the beef cattle industry focused on cow/calf production. His extension and applied research program include beef cattle nutrition and management with emphasis on beef cattle grazing and genetic by environment interactions in beef production systems. He and his colleagues have developed an internationally recognized extension and research program in beef cow efficiency.

ASAS Fellow Award: Industry

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Thomas A. Rathje, DNA Genetics

Tom Rathje completed his Ph.D. in 1995 and then joined the swine genetics industry as Chief Technical Officer of what is now DNA Genetics. He has mentored students in swine breeding and production and built and assembled a team of geneticists at DNA that continues to lead the swine breeding industry. He has also been active in industry service, including as Board Member of ASAS and for the National Pork Board, most recently on its Gene Editing Task Force. Throughout, Tom has remained committed to three core values: 1) service to others; 2) a balanced approach to genetic improvement that incorporates a comprehensive view of physiology, animal performance, and practicality; and 3) a desire to help solve our biggest challenges. Tom is a highly respected and trusted expert in the swine production and science communities and his practical approach to genetic improvement, experience, and ability to understand the needs of producers are important contributions of his 30-year industry career.

ASAS Fellow Award: Research

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Adegbola Adesogan, University of Florida

Adegbola Adesogan received his B.S. degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. His international research, which has ranged from developing strategies to improve livestock nutrition, performance, and health to devising technologies and practices for improving human nutrition and health, has resulted in over 780 publications including over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, books and book chapters and over $91 million in grant funding. He has presented over 190 international seminars in over 25 countries. He has taught various graduate and undergraduate courses and mentored over 100 graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scholars. He has received various US and international awards for his teaching, mentoring, research, and leadership.

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Joel Caton, North Dakota State University

Joel Caton was born in central Missouri and raised on his parents’ livestock and grain farm. Joel’s highly collaborative research program has used methodologies from whole animal to in vitro to multi-omic approaches to understand nutritional, physiological, and metabolic principles that influence whole animal production responses and efficiency. He has received more than 9 million dollars in grants and published 258 refereed manuscripts and book chapters. He has trained 50 graduate students (15 Ph.D. and 35 M.S.), 6 postdocs, and more than 40 undergraduate researchers. He is currently the Hogoboom Endowed Professor at North Dakota State University. Joel has served the ASAS in a variety of capacities including, National Board of Directors, National Program Chair, and ASAS President; and as Associate Editor, Division Editor, and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Animal Science. Joel and his wife, Kristina, live in Fargo, North Dakota and have 5 children and 11 grandchildren.

ASAS Fellow Award: Teaching

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Nancy A. Irlbeck, Washington State University

For 36 yrs, Dr. Nancy A. Irlbeck has impacted animal science education in the classroom and in college administration. She began at Colorado State University as an Assistant Professor, moved through the ranks to Associate Dean of Academic Affairs before returning to the classroom at Washington State University. She prioritizes training and mentoring students in formal and informal teaching, research and experiential learning and her expertise in comparative nutrition brings a unique perspective. Dr. Irbeck’s students learn to identify a problem, collect data, practice problem-solving and have the confidence to discuss their conclusions. As an early adopter of distance learning, she created nutrition courses for undergraduates and non-degree seeking students. An accomplished and complete academician, Dr. Nancy A. Irlbeck distinguishes herself as an exceptional teacher and mentor committed to student learning and the preparation of career ready graduates proficient in problem solving.

ASAS President's International Award

Sponsored by: James Sartin Appreciation Club

Frank Dunshea, University of Melbourne

Dr Frank Dunshea is a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Chair of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne in Australia and Professor of Animal Growth and Development at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He has a BAgSci and PhD from La Trobe University and post-doctoral training at Cornell University. Dunshea worked as a government scientist for 17 years before joining the University of Melbourne in 2006. He has published over 1100 journal, conference, book, or technical articles across broad areas. Since joining the University Dunshea’s primary research focus has been on the effect of climate change on livestock production and identifying nutritional interventions such as strategic mineral supplementation to mitigate heat stress. He has trained over 60 graduate students and has been PI or co-PI on over $30 million in research funding. Overall, his nutritional research has led to exciting findings, many of which have been adopted by the livestock industries.

ASAS Retiree Service Award

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

N. Andy Cole, USDA-ARS

Dr. Andy Cole began service to ASAS as a graduate student in 1971 at Oklahoma State University, receiving the Ph.D. in 1975. From 1976 until his retirement in 2015, Dr. Cole was Research Animal Scientist, Research Leader and Laboratory Director at the USDA-ARS-CPRL in Bushland, TX. During his 10 years of post-retirement service to ASAS, he has made significant contributions to the society. He has served on the ASAS Foundation Board, contributed thousands of dollars in support of ASAS in philanthropic giving, and donated time in support the ASAS mission. After retirement, he was presented the Distinguished Service Award from the Western Section of ASAS. Evidence of his long-standing post-retirement service to ASAS is represented by authorship of 35 refereed manuscripts, and multiple invited reviews for JAS and AAS. It is common to observe him actively participating in ASAS annual and sectional meetings, while providing a mentorship role to the younger membership.

ASAS Young Scholar Award

Sponsored by: Elanco

MaryKate Byrd, University of Kentucky

Dr. MaryKate Harrod Byrd is recognized as an ASAS Young Scholar for her innovative and integrative research in stress physiology across livestock species. Her work has advanced understanding of pre- and postnatal heat stress, thermotolerance, reproductive and metabolic resilience in swine and dairy cattle, and fescue toxicosis in beef cattle with direct implications for animal welfare and production efficiency. Dr. Byrd has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, contributed extensively to ASAS scientific meetings, and demonstrated leadership through mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students. Her interdisciplinary approach highlights her strong potential to continue making impactful contributions to animal science.

Sponsored by: Elanco

Nathaniel Ogunkunle

Nathaniel Ogunkunle, a recent doctoral graduate from Department of Food and Animal Sciences at Alabama A&M University is making significant contribution in the use of plant-derived bioactive compounds in preventing stress, improve rumen health and animal welfare. Notably, his work on industrial hemp supplementation in beef cattle demonstrates promising strategies to improve rumen function, mitigate oxidative stress, and support sustainable livestock production systems. He's currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food and Animal Sciences at Alabama A&M University. In this role, he actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, fostering academic excellence and scientific curiosity in the next generation of animal scientists. Dr. Ogunkunle has published 10 Peer-reviewed articles, 6 Book chapters and 13 Conference proceedings/Abstracts. Additionally, he has prepared and successfully submitted two grant proposals for his work in sustainable beef production. 

Sponsored by: Elanco

Cheyenne Star Summers, University of Connecticut

Dr. Cheyenne Summers recently earned her Ph.D. In Animal Science from the University of Connecticut.  She earned her B.S. in Animal Sciences and M.S. in Comparative Biosciences–Veterinary Medical Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining the University of Connecticut, she managed a full service, AAALAC-accredited equine breeding and foaling facility. Her dissertation examines broodmare body condition as a key management factor influencing metabolism, ovulation induction, lactation, and fetal programming. Her findings demonstrate that moderate variation in maternal body condition has minimal effects on reproductive performance and maternal or offspring metabolism, supporting industry practices that promote maintaining broodmares in moderate body condition to optimize productivity and foal health. Cheyenne has received multiple national awards for her research and serves as a Graduate Director for the American Society of Animal Science.

Sponsored by: Elanco

Supatirada Wongchanla, University of Connecticut

Supatirada (Jane) Wongchanla is a Ph.D. candidate in the Animal Biology Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) from Kasetsart University in Thailand, graduating first in her class. Driven by her passion for animal nutrition, she began her early career as a technical product advisor for animal feed supplements in the swine industry, an experience that sparked her deep interest in animal nutrition research. Jane is currently pursuing her Ph.D. with support from the prestigious Anandamahidol Foundation Scholarship, a fully funded Ph.D. program scholarship. She is dedicated to advancing sustainable animal production. Under the guidance of Dr. Yanhong Liu, her research focuses on the role of functional amino acids—L-glutamate and L-aspartate—in enhancing gut health and resilience in young piglets, with the goal of reducing antibiotic use in swine production. By exploring the complex interactions between diet, intestinal health, and immune responses, her work aims to develop innovative, evidence-based nutritional strategies that improve livestock productivity, animal welfare, and the sustainability of animal agriculture.

Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award

Sponsored by: Jean Claude Bouffault International Award Fund

Geoffrey E. Dahl, University of Florida

Geoffrey E. Dahl is the Harriet B. Weeks Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. Dr. Dahl conducts applied and basic research with direct impact on animal production and health. His program focuses on understanding the physiological impact of management interventions, particularly heat stress abatement and photoperiod manipulation, at various stages of the lactation cycle, and using that knowledge to optimize cow health and performance. Geoff has also had significant impact in Low and Middle Income (LMIC) countries in Africa and Southeast Asia to enhance livestock productivity and increase animal source food availability to at risk populations of women and children. That work has been funded by USAID, USDA and the Gates Foundation, and resulted in significant productivity gains.

Corbin Award in Companion Animal Biology

Sponsored by: Jim Corbin Award Fund: Companion Animal Science

Patricia Massae Oba, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Oba is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Companion Animal Nutrition at the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on companion animal nutrition, emphasizing dietary management, gut and oral microbiome health, and functional ingredients that promote overall pet well-being. She has an internationally recognized profile, with over 70 peer-reviewed publications (23 as first author), numerous invited lectures, and contributions to the Specialist Certification Exam in Canine and Feline Nutrition in Brazil. An accomplished educator and mentor, Dr. Oba actively supervises graduate and undergraduate students, serves on university and graduate committees, and leads outreach initiatives, including I-PETS (Illinois Pets Education • Translation • Support), translating research into practical nutritional solutions for pets.

Distinguished Teacher Award

Sponsored by: Purina Animal Nutrition, LLC / Land O' Lakes, Inc.

Jennifer Bundy, Iowa State University

Dr. Jennifer Bundy is recognized for outstanding contributions to animal science through excellence in education, curriculum development, advising, and mentorship. She teaches and mentors nearly half of Iowa State University’s Animal Science undergraduate students each year, preparing them with a strong scientific foundation, problem solving skills, and professional competencies essential for careers in industry. Her instruction in animal breeding, laboratory animal science, and student orientation directly supports workforce readiness. She has led development of innovative curricula, including the Animal Enterprise and Innovation major, which integrates animal science with ag business, entrepreneurship, and technology-focused problem solving to prepare students for leadership in the broader livestock industry. Through advising, learning community leadership, and mentoring, Dr. Bundy has strengthened career preparation, professional networking, and innovation in animal agriculture.

Early Career Achievement Award

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Xiaoqiu "Churchill" Wang, North Carolina State University

Dr. Xiaoqiu “Churchill” Wang earned his B.Sc in Animal Science and his first Ph.D. in nutrition from China Agricultural University. He then completed a second Ph.D. program in reproductive biology at Texas A&M University. Dr. Wang joined the Animal Science Faculty at NC State University in 2018, after a Postdoctoral Fellowship at NIEHS/NIH. He has developed a research program focused on understanding the mechanisms that govern fertility and reproductive success in livestock and humans. His research program is strongly supported through extramural funding and a team of students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, who benefit from his interdisciplinary expertise in nutritional biochemistry, reproductive physiology, and molecular epigenetics. Dr. Wang’s accomplishments include 55 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 34 invited presentations, 63 peer-reviewed abstracts, and 5 million dollars in funding. NC State recognized him as Goodnight Early Career Innovator (2022), he was named “Rising Star in Reproduction Biology” (2024) by the Society for the Study of Reproduction and Outstanding Early Career Animal Scientist (2026) by the Southern Section.

Equine Science Award

Sponsored by: Zinpro Corporation

Sarah Reed, University of Connecticut

Dr. Sarah Reed is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Reed earned her M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Florida, followed by a post-doctoral position in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Florida. At the University of Connecticut, Dr. Reed has been active as a researcher, teacher, and mentor. Dr. Reed’s equine research focuses on the impacts of exercise conditioning and deconditioning in the horse, particularly as related to inflammation and oxidative stress, and the impacts of maternal body condition on maternal metabolism and foal growth and immunity. As a teacher, Dr. Reed has developed several academic courses and an Equine Sports Rehabilitation minor in the Equine program. Most important to Dr. Reed is the success of her graduate and undergraduate students, many of which have gone on to equine careers in veterinary medicine, academia, and industry. Dr. Reed lives in Connecticut with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.

Extension Award

Sponsored by: Zoetis

Gregg Rentfrow, University of Kentucky

Dr. Gregg Rentfrow is an Extension Professor of Meat Science at the University of Kentucky. He earned his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois and Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. He has more than 35 years of rich experience in the meat industry. Dr. Rentfrow’s extension program is critical to enhancing the economic competitiveness of animal and meat industries in the US, and he has conducted extension activities pertinent to livestock industry in 42 states in the US. His YouTube videos on carcass fabrication are very popular and have been viewed over 2 million times. Dr. Rentfrow has received the ASAS Animal Industry Innovation Award (2023), AMSA Distinguished Extension Award (2020), ASAS Southern Section Extension Award (2019), M.D. Whiteker Award for Excellence in Extension, Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals (2017), ASAS Midwest Section Outstanding Young Extension Specialist Award, (2014), and Outstanding Service to Kentucky’s Beef Industry Award (2011).

Gary L. Cromwell Award for Minerals Nutrition

Sponsored by: Gary L. Cromwell Appreciation Club

Frank Dunshea, University of Melbourne

Dr Frank Dunshea is a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Chair of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne in Australia and Professor of Animal Growth and Development at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He has a BAgSci and PhD from La Trobe University and post-doctoral training at Cornell University. Dunshea worked as a government scientist for 17 years before joining the University of Melbourne in 2006. He has published over 1100 journal, conference, book, or technical articles across broad areas. Since joining the University Dunshea’s primary research focus has been on the effect of climate change on livestock production and identifying nutritional interventions such as strategic mineral supplementation to mitigate heat stress. He has trained over 60 graduate students and has been PI or co-PI on over $30 million in research funding. Overall, his nutritional research has led to exciting findings, many of which have been adopted by the livestock industries.

H. Allen Tucker Graduate Student Travel Scholarship

Sponsored by: H. Allen Tucker Appreciation Club

Santhi Priya Voggu, University of Connecticut

Santhi Priya Voggu is a Ph.D. candidate in Animal Science at the University of Connecticut whose research focuses on fetal programming and growth physiology in livestock. She holds a DVM degree and a master’s degree in veterinary pathology from India, bringing both clinical and research perspectives to her work. Her USDA-funded dissertation research investigates how maternal nutrition during gestation influences offspring growth, metabolism, and epigenetic regulation in the developing fetal liver. By integrating animal production studies with advanced molecular approaches, including DNA methylation profiling, her research contributes to a deeper understanding of developmental programming in livestock. A portion of her research received third place in the Ph.D. competition at the 2024 ASAS-CSAS-WSASAS Annual Meeting for her work on maternal nutrition and developmental programming.

Innovation in Animal Breeding and Genetics Award

Sponsored by: ASAS Foundation

Huaijun Zhou, University of California - Davis

Dr. Huaijun Zhou, Chancellor’s Leadership Professor of Animal Science at UC Davis, has transformed animal genetics and breeding through pioneering innovations that address global food insecurity, enhance animal health, and advance sustainable livestock production. His integrative research in functional genomics, epigenomics, immunogenetics, and bioinformatics has improved productivity, disease resistance, and heat resilience in livestock, particularly poultry in low-income regions. As Director of the Feed the Future Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, he developed genomic strategies to combat Newcastle disease and improve resilience in African indigenous chickens. A leader in global genome annotation and a key contributor to the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes Consortium, he has helped establish international standards for genome annotation that enable modern precision breeding. With more than $40M in research funding and over 176 publications, Dr. Zhou’s contributions have been widely recognized, including the 2023 NAS Prize in Food and Agriculture Sciences, the first time the award has honored an animal scientist, and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Zhou exemplifies scientific excellence and leadership in advancing sustainable livestock production.

Joseph P. Fontenot Travel Scholarship Award

Sponsored by: Joseph P. Fontenot Appreciation Club

Vishnudas Kulangara Veettil, Texas A&M University

Vishnudas Kulangara Veettil earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India, and his Master of Science in Livestock Economics from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute. He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University, where he works in the AI for Sustainable Livestock Systems Lab with Dr. Karun Kaniyamattam. His dissertation integrates system dynamics modeling, livestock economics, and machine learning to forecast economic performance in cow calf, stocker and feedlot sectors across the U.S. beef value chain. At the ASAS Annual Meeting, he presents Machine Learning for Economic Decision-Making in Texas Stocker Cattle Operations, offering producers data-driven tools to navigate market uncertainty. He has authored or co-authored more than 12 peer-reviewed articles and 20 conference abstracts, and has mentored over 20 graduate and undergraduate students across multiple disciplines.

Meats Research Award

Robyn Warner, University of Melbourne

Professor Warner is a highly cited meat scientist across the globe, and a respected mentor. Warner’s research is used in Meat Standards Australia (MSA) model for assuring beef quality; she demonstrated negative effects of saleyards, high oxygen packaging, and acute stress. Her research enabled reduction of dark-cutting beef carcasses through understanding the role of nutrition, time of grading, bushfires and light scattering in muscle fibers. Her research on antioxidant-rich feeds for animals, and adding antioxidants to meat, have clearly demonstrated positive effects including increased consumer acceptability, and improved technological quality. As an outcome of Warner’s research, pork quality has improved through use of CO2 stunning, minimizing electric prodders, feeding magnesium to stress-susceptible pigs, and potentially selection for pigs with oxidative metabolism. Her research in sheep focused on breeding values for consumer eating quality, and meat quality heritability.

The Legacy Scholarship Travel Award

Sponsored by: The Legacy Fund

Luana Alvares, Colorado State University

Luana Alvares, a veterinarian who graduated in Brazil, holds an M.Sc. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida and is a Ph.D. student at Colorado State University studying pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), heart score (HS), and hair shed in Angus beef cattle. Her research focuses on identifying animals genetically resistant to high-altitude disease, also known as brisket disease, and understanding factors affecting hair shedding. By combining on-farm phenotyping with advanced genetic analyses, she estimates genetic parameters to help select cattle with healthier hearts, lower PAP, and improved welfare. Luana’s work has been recognized with multiple awards at major conferences and travel scholarships. She is actively engaged in the scientific community, serving as a judge for CSU’s Graduate Symposium and supporting colleagues as a collaborative team member. With this scholarship, she will present her results at the ASAS Southern Section Meeting, sharing strategies to enhance cattle health, welfare, and productivity.

The Morrison Award

Sponsored by: F. B. Morrison Fund

Mike Tokach, Kansas State University

Dr. Mike Tokach was born near Bismark, North Dakota and has had a lifelong relationship with agriculture. He graduated with a BS from NDSU in 1986, an M.S. in Swine Nutrition from Kansas State University in 1988, and his Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition from the University of Minnesota in 1991. Dr. Tokach then joined the faculty at Kansas State University and quickly rose through the academic ranks culminating in 2013 when he was promoted to University Distinguished Professor. Dr. Tokach leads a robust swine program at Kansas State and can be credited as a pioneer in many of the nutritional concepts and technologies used in today’s swine industry. He has coauthored over 500 refereed journal articles and has generated over 30 million dollars in grants, gifts, and fellowships. He has provided leadership for the university, industry, and our society. He is an ASAS Fellow, former board member, and served as ASAS president in 2022. He is a trusted leader, colleague, and friend.

Wettemann Graduate Scholar in Physiology Award

Sponsored by: Robert Wettemann Appreciation Club

Lucas Melo, University of Georgia

Lucas Melo received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Federal University of Uberlandia in 2021, where he joined the Biology of Reproduction Laboratory and participated in research on in vitro embryo production to study early embryonic development in cattle. This experience built his interest in assisted reproductive technologies and led him to pursue a Ph.D. in reproductive physiology. Lucas is currently a Graduate Research Assistant and Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Pedro Fontes’ laboratory in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on improving embryo transfer recipient selection using color Doppler ultrasonography and computer vision, and on understanding how paternal nutrition, particularly bull overnutrition, affects embryo development and conceptus elongation. Lucas has published 13 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 4 conference proceedings, 24 abstracts, and 5 popular press publications.

Wilson G. Pond International Travel Award

Sponsored by: Wilson G. Pond Appreciation Club

Kathlyn Hauxwell, North Dakota State University

Kathlyn Hauxwell is from Nebraska and earned her B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2022. As an undergraduate, she conducted research in ruminant nutrition and in swine genetics, fostering her interest in pursuing an animal science graduate program. Kathlyn earned her M.S. in Animal Sciences from North Dakota State University in 2024 under the mentorship of Drs. Joel Caton and Matthew Crouse. Her M.S. focused on modulating methyl donor availability throughout the periconceptual period and its effects on fetal development in beef heifers. She began her doctoral program at NDSU in 2025 under the guidance of Dr. Joel Caton while also serving as a Ruminant Nutrition Research Specialist. Her research focuses on the effects of micronutrient supplementation strategies during the pre-breeding period and its impact on offspring performance in beef cattle. Kathlyn earned first place in the 2023 Western Section Graduate Student Competition.