Faculty, staff and students from NDSU’s Department of Animal Sciences had a strong representation at the 2012 Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association/American Society of Animal Science. The event, which was held July 15-19 in Phoenix, included participation from the Canadian Society of Animal Science, Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science and the Asociacion Mexicana de Produccion Animal.

NDSU faculty, staff and students wrote or co-wrote 17 poster and 21 oral presentations during the meeting. NDSU co-authors had four poster presentations selected for the American Society of Animal Science’s Presidential Picks recognition, which was introduced this year and recognizes research that the society’s president and president-elect find particularly innovative.

Erika Berg, associate professor of equine science, presented an invited paper, titled “Research in Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies,” in the Horse Species Symposium.

Ely Camacho, doctoral student, tied for third place in the Western Section’s Graduate Student Oral Presentation Competition. Students Quynn Larson, Phil Steichen, Christen Jackson and Megan Van Emon also competed in the competition.

Nichole Chapel presented her undergraduate research in the American Society of Nutrition/American Society of Animal Science/American Dairy Science Association poster competition. She placed third overall in a competition that included master’s and doctoral students.

David Buchanan, professor of animal sciences and associate dean, was named fellow of the American Society of Animal Science’s teaching category. The awards program noted Buchanan’s teaching career for its diversity, innovation and concern for students.

Carrie Hammer, associate professor of equine science, and Chris Schauer, director of the Hettinger Research Extension Center, chaired sessions at the meeting.

Kim Vonnahme, associate professor and co-director of the Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, continues her term on the American Society of Animal Science’s board as a director-at-large and Greg Lardy, professor and head of animal sciences, began his term as president-elect July 18.

Lardy and Larry Reynolds, University Distinguished Professor and co-director of the Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, were invited speakers in the Western Section American Society of Animal Science’s Graduate Student Lunch and Learn program where they discussed the role of international opportunities for students in animal sciences.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.