Poultry Science Association Announces 2026 Award Recipients
Celebrating Excellence in Poultry Science at the 2026 PSA Annual Meeting
Champaign, IL – July 7, 2026 – The Poultry Science Association (PSA) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 professional and student awards. These distinguished individuals have demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and leadership within the poultry science community. Their achievements reflect the excellence that propels our field forward.
Awardees will be recognized during the PSA Annual Meeting this July in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Awards Celebration will take place on Sunday, July 12th.
Join us in Toronto—or follow along on social media—as we celebrate their contributions to advancing poultry science.
2026 PSA Fellows
The designation of Fellow is the highest honor bestowed by the Poultry Science Association, recognizing professional distinction and contributions to the field of poultry science and service to the Association.
Dr. Nicholas B. Anthony, Cobb
Dr. Anthony, Senior Geneticist in R&D at Cobb, built a distinguished career in poultry breeding and genetics across nearly three decades at the University of Arkansas, where he reached the rank of Full Professor in 1999 and served as the inaugural Director of the Bumpers College Honors Program. His research on the genetic and physiological consequences of selection for growth and efficiency in poultry has resulted in more than 160 peer-reviewed publications, including a significant contribution to the Gallus gallus genome assembly as part of the Vertebrate Genomes Project. A dedicated mentor, he guided 16 M.S. and 10 Ph.D. graduates whose careers span academia and industry worldwide. Dr. Anthony served two terms as Section Editor for the Breeding and Genetics section of Poultry Science and has been an active contributor to PSA committees, scientific sessions, and student manuscript award programs.
Dr. Shai Barbut, University of Guelph
Dr. Barbut is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph, concluding a distinguished 40-year academic career, and serves as a Special Professor of Poultry Meat Science at Wageningen University with contributions to several European Union research initiatives. Internationally recognized as a leading authority on poultry meat quality, he has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and four books, including The Science of Poultry and Meat Processing—freely available online with nearly one million chapter downloads in its English edition and translated into Spanish and Chinese. Over his career, Dr. Barbut taught approximately 10,000 undergraduate students and supervised 50 graduate students. His expertise has been recognized by induction into the Poultry Science Hall of Fame and election as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists.
Dr. Douglas F. Britton, Georgia Tech Research Institute
Dr. Britton is a Principal Research Engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and Program Manager for the Agricultural Technology Research Program (ATRP), leading applied research focused on transformational innovation in advanced technologies for poultry, agribusiness, and food manufacturing. A specialist in image and signal processing, he developed multiple imaging-based inspection systems for food processing applications spanning citrus, baked goods, and poultry products. Dr. Britton earned a B.S. from LeTourneau University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. A PSA member who served as Secretary and Treasurer from 2019 to 2025, he is also a Fellow of the Food Systems Leadership Institute and co-chairs the International Food Automation Networking Conference.
Dr. Jesse L. Grimes, North Carolina State University
Dr. Grimes spent more than 30 years on the faculty of the Prestage Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State University as the Extension Turkey Specialist, having joined in 1994 following earlier faculty service at Clemson University focused on commercial layers. His extension work encompassed turkey nutrition, management, and waste management, and he coordinated the annual North Carolina Turkey Industry Days Conference for more than 30 years. Dr. Grimes earned B.S. degrees in Wildlife Biology and Poultry Science from NCSU and his Ph.D. from NCSU under the late Dr. Jon Ort, with research concentrated in turkey breeder hens. He retired January 1, 2026, and is a certified animal welfare auditor and educator.
Dr. Casey M. Owens, University of Arkansas
Dr. Owens is a Professor and holder of the Novus International Professorship of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas, where she has been on faculty since 2000 and has been a PSA member for more than 30 years. Her research emphasizes production and processing factors affecting poultry meat quality, including muscle myopathies such as white striping and woody breast, and the development of technologies to detect myopathies in poultry meat. She received the National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award in 2016 for this body of work, and earlier contributed to the development of the Meullenet Owens Razor Shear for assessing meat tenderness. Dr. Owens teaches Egg and Meat Technology and Value Added Muscle Foods at the undergraduate and graduate levels and serves as undergraduate curriculum chair.
Professional Awards
American Egg Board Research Award: Dr. Javier S. Garcia, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Garcia earned his B.S. in Animal and Poultry Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2011, an M.S. in Poultry Science from Texas A&M in 2013, and a Ph.D. in Animal and Poultry Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2017. He joined the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Athens, Georgia, as a postdoctoral associate in 2018 and in 2024 became a Research Food Technologist in the Egg and Poultry Production Safety Research Unit. His research focuses on how hen housing systems and management practices influence egg microbiology, quality, and functionality, supporting the development of science-based strategies to enhance the safety and quality of U.S. egg production.
American Feed Industry Association Poultry Nutrition Research Award: Dr. Michael T. Kidd, University of Arkansas
Dr. Kidd holds the Adisseo Endowed Professorship in Global Sustainable Poultry Nutrition at the University of Arkansas’s Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, where he leads one of the world’s most recognized programs in poultry nutrition. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in poultry science from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate from North Carolina State University specializing in nutrition and immunology, and also serves as an extraordinary professor at the University of Pretoria. Renowned for his expertise in amino acid nutrition, Dr. Kidd has published more than 450 articles, mentored more than 60 graduate students, and spoken at more than 130 international events. A Fellow and former president of the Poultry Science Association, he remains an influential voice shaping the future of the discipline.
American Poultry Historical Society Award: Dr. Paul B. Siegel, Virginia Tech
Dr. Siegel has made sustained contributions to the preservation of historically significant biological populations and longitudinal experimental records documenting the development of modern poultry genetics. In 1957 he established divergent selection lines for eight-week body weight in chickens—the High Weight Selected and Low Weight Selected lines—at Virginia Tech, and in 1973 he established high and low antibody response lines; these pedigreed populations have been maintained through uninterrupted annual selection for decades. These irreplaceable archival resources have enabled long-term evaluation of relationships among growth, immune competence, metabolism, and reproductive function, resulting in more than 600 peer-reviewed publications with collaborators in the United States and abroad. Over his career, Dr. Siegel trained more than 50 graduate students, many of whom hold leadership roles in academia and industry worldwide.
Evonik Award for Achievement in Poultry Science: Dr. Dianna V. Bourassa, Auburn University
Dr. Bourassa is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Auburn University whose research focuses on foodborne pathogens, processing efficiency, and stunning welfare outcomes in commercial poultry systems. She has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications addressing Salmonella and Campylobacter dynamics, antimicrobial resistance, meat quality, and processing interventions, and has contributed key findings that have informed USDA-FSIS detection approaches. Her program has generated comprehensive comparative data on electrical waterbath and controlled atmosphere stunning systems, linking physiological indicators, welfare outcomes, and meat quality to guide industry adoption of alternative technologies. More recently, Dr. Bourassa has integrated microbiome sequencing, transcriptomics, and antimicrobial resistance profiling to characterize pathogen persistence and environmental drivers of contamination.
National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award: Dr. Wilmer A. Pacheco, Auburn University
Dr. Pacheco is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Poultry Science at Auburn University, leading an internationally recognized research and extension program focused on feed manufacturing, poultry nutrition, feed processing, and feed safety. He earned his M.S. in Poultry Science and Ph.D. in Physiology and Nutrition from North Carolina State University, and prior to joining academia gained commercial feed mill management experience that continues to shape his industry-driven research. His program evaluates interactions among feed processing variables, nutrient utilization, gastrointestinal physiology, and broiler performance, with recommendations implemented in commercial feed mills and broiler production systems across the United States and internationally. Dr. Pacheco has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and more than 100 industry articles and has delivered invited presentations throughout the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East.
National Turkey Federation Award: Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny, University of Minnesota
Dr. Johny is a Professor of Poultry Science (Interventional Microbiology and Food Safety) in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota, nationally recognized for advancing turkey microbial food safety through practical, science-based Salmonella mitigation strategies across the preharvest–postharvest continuum. His integrated research program brings together microbiology, poultry science, veterinary medicine, and multiomics to develop interventions that are mechanistically informed, industry-relevant, and scalable for commercial turkey production, including significant demonstrated reductions in cecal colonization using targeted probiotics and vaccine-based strategies. Dr. Johny serves as Director of Graduate Studies for the Animal Science graduate program and Coordinator of the Midwest Poultry Consortium Center of Excellence undergraduate program at the University of Minnesota. His extensive publication record and strong industry partnerships have delivered evidence-based solutions for safer, more sustainable turkey production.
Novus International Teaching Award: Dr. Casey M. Owens, University of Arkansas
Dr. Owens, Professor and holder of the Novus International Professorship of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas, has dedicated her career to both research and education in poultry science and has been a PSA member for more than 30 years. She teaches Egg and Meat Technology and Value Added Muscle Foods at the undergraduate and graduate levels for students across Poultry Science, Food Science, and Animal Science, and also delivers industry workshops on meat and egg processing and further processing. Dr. Owens has directed the research of numerous Ph.D. and M.S. graduate students and serves as undergraduate curriculum chair.
Phibro Extension Award: Dr. Wilmer A. Pacheco, Auburn University
Dr. Pacheco’s nationally and internationally recognized extension program at Auburn University is anchored by the annual Feed Milling Workshop, an immersive, hands-on training experience serving feed mill professionals whose operations collectively produce more than 200,000 tons of feed per week. He has trained more than 20,000 industry professionals globally through workshops, seminars, and extension programs conducted in collaboration with organizations including the U.S. Soybean Export Council and Kansas State University, with invited presentations throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. Dr. Pacheco also co-hosts The Feed Science Podcast, a globally recognized educational platform reaching listeners in more than 50 countries.
Poultry Welfare Research Award: Dr. Marisa Erasmus, Purdue University
Dr. Erasmus is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University, where she leads an integrated extension, research, and teaching program focused on advancing animal welfare. She received her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Guelph and her Ph.D. from Michigan State University under Dr. Janice Swanson, with research focused on fear responses of turkeys. Her applied research examines the interactions among behavior, welfare, genetics, and the production environment, with emphasis on skeletal health of turkeys, ectoparasite infestations of laying hens, and environmental enrichment to improve poultry welfare. In 2020, Dr. Erasmus co-founded the Poultry Extension Collaborative to provide accessible, evidence-based resources supporting industry decision-making and workforce development worldwide. She currently serves on the Poultry Science Association Board of Directors and is an active contributor to PSA committees.
PSA Early Achievement Award for Research: Dr. Li Zhang, Mississippi State University
Dr. Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University and a faculty affiliate of the Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology. He has developed an innovative research program in agricultural microbiomics that integrates microbial genomics, rapid diagnostics, microbiome science, and animal models to improve poultry health, food safety, and epidemiology from farm to fork, with a focus on major pathogens including avian pathogenic E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens. Dr. Zhang has secured more than $3.2 million in funded research as PI and co-PI, authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, and serves as Section Editor for Poultry Science. He has mentored 14 graduate students and 6 postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have earned PSA Certificates of Excellence and other competitive national awards.
PSA Early Achievement Award in Teaching: Dr. Timothy Boltz, Mississippi State University
Dr. Boltz is an Assistant Professor of Poultry Nutrition and Feed Hygienics in the Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University, having joined the faculty in May 2022. He earned his B.S. from Colorado State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from West Virginia University under Dr. Joseph Moritz, developing expertise in applied poultry nutrition, feed manufacture, and feed safety. Dr. Boltz teaches Poultry Nutrition, Broiler Production, and Undergraduate Seminar, emphasizing experiential learning and real-world industry connections, and has mentored undergraduate and graduate students through a research program supported by a USDA-NIFA CARE grant, contributing to approximately 70 publications including 25 in peer-reviewed journals.
PSA Pathfinder Award: Dr. Greg Mathis, Southern Poultry Research, Inc.
Dr. Mathis founded Southern Poultry Research, Inc. in Athens, Georgia, a private contract poultry research company that has served the pharmaceutical and poultry industries for more than 40 years. A native of Gainesville, Georgia, he earned his B.S. from North Georgia College and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia’s Poultry Science Department, with doctoral work centered on coccidiosis epidemiology and control. His research has addressed coccidiosis vaccination, Necrotic Enteritis, Salmonella, and replacements for antibiotic growth promoters, resulting in more than 400 scientific presentations as author or co-author. Dr. Mathis has previously received the USPOULTRY Distinguished Poultry Career Award, the National Chicken Council Research Award, and the American Poultry Historical Society Award.
Tyson Foods Inc. Support Personnel Award: Justin Blankenship, University of Arkansas
Justin Blankenship has served the University of Arkansas Department of Poultry Science since 1996, building a career that has touched nearly every aspect of the department’s research support operations. He progressed from research assistant at the Poultry Science Veterinary Farm to feed formulation and delivery at the Poultry Science Feed Mill, managed the Poultry Environmental Research Laboratory, and has served as Feed Mill Manager since 2020. Justin is widely respected by faculty, staff, students, and industry personnel for his broad technical expertise and his steadfast commitment to supporting the department’s research mission.
USPOULTRY Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award: Dr. Bob Buresh, Novus International
Dr. Buresh earned his B.S. and M.S. in Poultry Science from Clemson University and his Ph.D. in Poultry Nutrition from the University of Florida in 1985. His industry career spanned Purina Mills, Eastern Minerals, 18 years as a broiler and breeder nutritionist at Tyson Foods, and 18 years at Novus International, where he linked live production experience with allied industry nutritional expertise. In addition to his industry roles, Dr. Buresh served in leadership positions within the Southern Poultry Science Society, the Poultry Science Association, the World’s Poultry Science Association, and the Pacific Egg & Poultry Association, and held an Adjunct Professor appointment at Clemson University. Following his recent retirement from Novus, he continues to serve the industry through association activities and his nutrition consulting venture, Palmetto Poultry Nutrition.
The James H. Denton Distinguished Service Award: Dr. John Carey, Texas A&M University
Dr. Carey earned a B.S. in Poultry Science from Kansas State University in 1977, an M.S. from South Dakota State University in 1979, and a Ph.D. from Kansas State University in 1982, before beginning his career as an Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University. In 1989, he joined Texas A&M University, where he served for 34 years in teaching, research, and extension roles—including as Associate Department Head for Extension and Department Head—before retiring in 2023. His PSA service, which began in 1976, included roles as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Poultry Research, program chair for combined PSA/ASAS/ADSA meetings, President of the PSA Board, Treasurer of the FASS Board, and Secretary of the PSA Foundation Board. Dr. Carey is a Fellow of the Poultry Science Association.
Graduate Student Awards
Alltech Student Research Manuscript Award: Dr. Sameeha Jhetam, University of the Fraser Valley
Dr. Jhetam recently completed her Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan, where her research focused on assessing the effects of hatchery and transport-related practices on the health and welfare of leghorn chicks. During her doctoral training, she also managed the University of Saskatchewan Poultry Research and Teaching Unit and Livestock Research Building, gaining extensive experience with the production and management of layers, broilers, and turkeys. Dr. Jhetam is now an Assistant Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, developing a new research program in poultry welfare and management to support applied research, teaching, and industry engagement. She was actively involved with the PSA Student Hatchery in various roles throughout her graduate studies.
AEB Maurice Stein Fellowship Award: Hayley Sutherland, Purdue University
Hayley Sutherland is a Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University under the mentorship of Dr. Marisa Erasmus, focusing on applied poultry welfare research. She earned her B.S. and M.S. in Animal Sciences from Purdue, with master’s research examining the effects of a phytogenic feed additive on broiler chicken behavior and welfare. Her Ph.D. research, funded by USDA-NIFA, investigates how northern fowl mite infestation level affects laying hen welfare as part of an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional project. Sutherland serves as a teaching assistant for Purdue’s undergraduate animal welfare course, is president of the Purdue Animal Sciences Graduate Student Association, and has won multiple graduate division titles in the AVMA’s Animal Welfare Assessment Contest.
Undergraduate Student Awards
Andrew F. Giesen III Poultry Science Undergraduate Internship Award: Allie Bowerman, University of Arkansas
Allie Bowerman recently graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Poultry Science, earning Cum Laude and Honors Distinction. During her undergraduate career, she conducted immunology research in Dr. Erf’s lab group, presenting at scientific conferences and completing an honors thesis on local and systemic immune responses to herpesvirus of turkeys vaccine in layer pullets. At the 2025 PSA Annual Meeting, she presented a poster that won the best poster award, and she has also received the Department of Poultry Science’s 2026 Outstanding Senior Award and the Senior of Significance recognition from the Alumni Association. Bowerman will begin a Master’s degree in Poultry Nutrition at the University of Arkansas in fall 2026.
Join Us in Celebrating Excellence
We invite all members and stakeholders to join us in Toronto this July to honor these outstanding individuals. Their contributions continue to advance the field of poultry science, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements together.