The Poultry Science Association (PSA) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 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 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Awards Celebration will take place at the Raleigh Marriott City Center on Thursday evening.
Join us in Raleigh—or follow along on social media—as we celebrate their contributions to advancing poultry science.
2025 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.
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Dr. Kenneth Koelkebeck, University of Illinois
Dr. Koelkebeck helps poultry producers across the globe provide high quality eggs and meat for consumers. His research in poultry production, environmental management, waste management, nutrition, and biosecurity impacts small flock and commercial poultry producers. Dr. Koelkebeck has been a recipient of the American Egg Board Research Award, the Phibro Extension Award and has been an active member of PSA for many years.
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Dr. Randolph Mitchell, Perdue Farms Inc.
Dr. Mitchell, Vice President of Nutrition and Research at Perdue Foods, has dedicated his career to advancing poultry production through innovative nutrition and welfare strategies. A Georgia native, Dr. Mitchell earned all his degrees in Poultry Science from the University of Georgia and later an MBA from Salisbury University. Since joining Perdue in 1998, he has held numerous leadership roles, overseeing nutrition programs, research, feed mill quality control, and animal welfare initiatives. His work has driven key shifts in industry practices, including antibiotic-free and all-vegetable feeding programs. A longtime PSA member, Dr. Mitchell has also served on the PSA Board and Executive Committee, contributing to both science and industry leadership.
Professional Awards
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American Egg Board Research Award: Dr. Lilong Chai, University of Georgia
Dr. Chai is an Associate Professor & Engineering Specialist in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia. His primary research focuses on animal environmental engineering, cage-free hen housing, and precision poultry farming. He has authored over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and has served as PI/Co-PI on 40 grants/contracts totaling approximately $5.5 million. -
American Feed Industry Association Poultry Nutrition Research Award: Dr. Oluyinka Olukosi, University of Georgia
Dr. Olukosi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on nutritive evaluation of feedstuffs, interaction of nutrition and gut health, and nutritional interventions to mitigate environmental impacts of poultry production. He has secured over $14.9 million in research funding and published 63 peer-reviewed articles. -
Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production Food Safety Award: Dr. Steven C. Ricke, University of Wisconsin
Dr. Ricke is the Director of the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program at the University of Wisconsin. His research emphasizes foodborne Salmonella and Campylobacter ecology and developing prevention strategies. He has authored over 500 peer-reviewed publications and mentored over 40 graduate students. -
Evonik Award for Achievement in Poultry Science: Dr. Elijah Kiarie, University of Guelph
Dr. Kiarie is a Professor of Monogastric Nutrition at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on integrating parental, in-ovo, and early life nutrition strategies to enhance productivity and reduce antibiotic use. He has authored over 180 articles and supervised numerous graduate students. -
Maple Leaf Farms Duck Research Award: Dr. Hector E. Leyva-Jimenez, United Animal Health Inc.
Dr. Leyva-Jimenez is the Manager of Global Technical Services at United Animal Health Inc. His research concentrates on precise feed formulation and evaluating feed strategies to enhance nutrient utilization in poultry. He has conducted various trials to evaluate the efficacy of supplementing feed additives in poultry and swine diets. -
National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award: Dr. Rami A. Dalloul, University of Georgia*
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Novus International Teaching Award: Dr. Pratima Adhikari, Mississippi State University
Dr. Adhikari is an Associate Professor at Mississippi State University. Her research focuses on laying hen nutrition and gut health management. She has mentored over 35 undergraduate students and 9 graduate students, and authored over 45 refereed journal articles. -
Phibro Extension Award: Dr. Gregory S. Archer, Texas A&M University
Dr. Archer is a Professor in the Department of Poultry Science at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on animal health and welfare through environmental and nutritional manipulation. He has published 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and serves as the sole Poultry Extension Specialist for the state of Texas. -
PSA Early Achievement Award for Extension: Dr. Indu Upadhyaya, University of Connecticut*
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PSA Early Achievement Award for Industry: Dr. Ariel Bergeron, Adisseo USA Inc.
Dr. Bergeron, Poultry Tech Service Manager at Adisseo USA, brings a strong foundation in poultry nutrition and gut health, shaped through academic training at LSU, West Virginia University, and Texas A&M. Her industry experience includes internships with Sanderson Farms, Elanco, and Evonik, and she now leads global nutrition and performance trials. Ariel also manages Adisseo’s Poultry Leaders of Tomorrow program, mentoring the next generation of poultry professionals and advancing technical innovation across the industry.
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PSA Pathfinder Award: Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Jr., West Virginia University
Dr. Taylor, Professor at West Virgina University, has dedicated his career to poultry immunogenetics, investigating the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and avian disease resistance. Inspired by Bruce Glick’s work, Dr. Taylor earned his Ph.D. with him at Mississippi State University. He spent thirty years at the University of New Hampshire before moving to WVU in 2014. Dr. Taylor has been an active contributor to the multistate research project on the genetic basis of avian immunity, shaping our understanding of immune response in poultry. He is also a PSA Fellow. -
PSA Student Recruitment Award: Lesley Gleason, Texas A&M University
Lesley Gleason serves as a Lecturer and Program Manager for Undergraduate Student Development and Industry Relations at Texas A&M University. She has been instrumental in undergraduate enrollment growth in Poultry Science at Texas A&M over the past decade. -
Tyson Foods Inc. Support Personnel Award: Stephen Kirk, Auburn University
Stephen Kirk is the Nutrition Coordinator at the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association Nutrition Center in the Poultry Science Department at Auburn University. He has been pivotal in the setup and operation of new poultry research facilities and feed mills. -
USPOULTRY Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award: Dr. Petek Settar, Hy-Line International
Dr. Settar, Managing Director of R&D at Hy-Line International, is a leading poultry geneticist with a Ph.D. from Ege University in Türkiye and postdoctoral experience in Israel and the U.S. Since joining Hy-Line in 2002, she has contributed extensively to applied genetics research and development. A frequent presenter at international conferences, Dr. Settar is a long-standing PSA member and has served on the board of the USA branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association. -
The James H. Denton Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Tom E. Porter, University of Maryland
Dr. Porter, Professor at the University of Maryland, is a leading expert in molecular and cellular endocrinology in poultry. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Physiology from the University of Minnesota and has held faculty positions at Texas A&M and the University of Maryland, where he also served two terms as department chair. Dr. Porter’s research focuses on hormone regulation in poultry growth and development, including growth hormone cell differentiation and genome-wide gene expression in the neuroendocrine system. A PSA Fellow since 2016, he has contributed extensively to the Association, including roles as Associate Editor, Section Editor, and Editor-in-Chief of Poultry Science.
Graduate Student Awards
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Alltech Student Research Manuscript Award: Dr. Andi Asnayanti, University of Arkansas
Dr. Asnayanti recently completed her Ph.D. in the Cell and Molecular Biology program at the University of Arkansas. Her research focused on developing innovative mitigation measures for Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness in broiler chickens. -
Maurice Stein Fellowship Award: Jo Ann Chew, University of Alberta
Jo Ann Chew is a Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta, working on optimizing pullet rearing via nutritional strategies. She has been actively involved with the Poultry Science Association Student Hatchery, serving in various leadership roles.
*Please note that the biographies have yet to be received and will be updated once they arrive.
Join Us in Celebrating Excellence
We invite all members and stakeholders to join us in Raleigh 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.
For more information about the PSA Annual Meeting and the Awards Celebration, please visit www.poultryscience.org.
Source: Poultry Science Association
