Faculty Awards and Spotlights
Dr. Kari Turner has long been recognized by students for her compassion and dedication, making her one of the most beloved faculty members in the Animal and Dairy Science Department. This year, she was selected for the 2024–2025 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in recognition of her unwavering support and the lasting impact she has on student success. We are proud to celebrate Dr. Turner and the meaningful difference she continues to make in the lives of our students.
This summer, Dr. Romdhane Rekaya spent three months at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as part of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ AgINSPIRE program. During this mini-sabbatical, he collaborated with Saudi colleagues to investigate the biological advantages of camels, particularly in terms of feed efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions and explored how these traits might be applied to improve cattle performance.
Throughout his stay, Dr. Rekaya delivered seven invited talks across various colleges at KAU and to private companies. He is also working with his counterparts at KAU to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which will formalize future collaborations between the University of Georgia and King Abdulaziz University.
Steven L. Stice
Dr. Steve Stice has been elected to the 2025 class of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows, a prestigious honor recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field. This achievement highlights his leadership and innovation in regenerative medicine and biotechnology. Read more about Stice's exciting recognition in the full news story.
Dr. Jillian Bohlen has been named incoming Vice Chair for the Production Division Council of the American Dairy Science Association. She also serves as President of the ADSA Southern Branch and contributes as a member of the ADSA Undergraduate and Graduate Education Committee. These appointments reflect her continued dedication to advancing dairy science through teaching, research and student engagement.
Along with Dr. Ignacy Misztal, Dr. Daniela Lourenco was just awarded $660,000 by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding for their grant proposal, “Implementation of the genetic/genomic selection using the ssGBLUP methodology and software.”
At the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Annual Meeting, Daniela Lourenco was named the 2025 recipient of the J. L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding. The J. L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding was created to recognize outstanding research in animal breeding.
At the 57th Annual Research Symposium and Convention, the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) awarded Dr. Daniela Lourenco a BIF Continuing Service Award. The award is presented to those who play a vital role in advancing the beef cattle industry
Dr. Frank West and Dr. Erin Kaiser of the University of Georgia have made an exciting breakthrough in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research. Their study tested a new compound, CMX-2043, in swine and found it may help the brain heal itself by boosting natural antioxidant defenses. This marks a major step toward developing effective treatments for TBI, a condition that currently lacks FDA-approved therapies. Read more about Drs. West and Kaiser's groundbreaking work.
