Purdue Animal Sciences Department honors its 2023 Distinguished Alumni

The Purdue Department of Animal Sciences hosted the 2023 Animal Sciences Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 5. The individuals honored during this ceremony were Dr. Jolena Waddell, Dr. Brian Bowker, and Gerald "Jerry" Nickel.

The annual event honors alumni with three different awards: Early Career, Mid-Career, and Lifetime. The Early Career Award is given to alumni who received their first degree from the department between the years 2008 to 2018. The Mid-Career Award is given to alumni who received their first degree from the department between the years 1992 to 2007. The Lifetime Award is given to alumni who received their first degree from the department before 1992.

Dr. Jolena Waddell was awarded the Early Career Award. She received both her BS and MS in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University, and she received her PhD in Animal Sciences from Purdue University in 2008. She completed her postdoc in muscle biology at Purdue in 2010. Then, she became an instructor and director of meat science here. In 2013, she accepted a faculty position here as the Extension Specialist in Meat Science. Dr. Waddell now resides in Stephenville, Texas where she is the Associate Provost and Vice President for Student Academic Success and Achievement at Tarleton State University.

Dr. Brian Bowker was awarded the Mid-Career Award. He received his BS and PhD from Purdue University. After receiving his PhD, Dr. Bowker was awarded the Federation of Animal Science Societies Congressional Science Fellowship and spent a year working as an advisor on agriculture and science policy in the U.S. House of Representatives. He joined USDA-ARS in 2004 in the Food Technology and Safety Laboratory. In 2011, he accepted a position within the Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit (QSARU) at the USDA-ARS National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA. Dr. Bowker now works as a research leader of QSARU where he manages a team that works to develop strategies and technologies to improve the quality and safety of poultry products.

From Connersville, Indiana, Gerald “Jerry” Nickel was awarded the Lifetime Award. He received his BS in Animal Sciences from Purdue in 1975. While studying at Purdue, Nickel participated on the livestock judging team with the 1974 judging class. After graduation, he managed a cow-calf Polled Shorthorn program in Kentucky. In order to move back to Indiana, he accepted a job with the Farm Credit System. He later accepted a job with a community bank. Then, Nickel founded Midwest Ag Finance, which is the 10th largest FSA Guaranteed Lender in the country.

Nominations for the 2024 Animal Sciences Distinguished Alumni Awards will be accepted beginning in October 2023. For more information please click the link below.

Animal Sciences Distinguished Alumni Awards

Featured Stories

Lenny Farlee (left) and Jack Nelson (right) accept the Datena Distinguished Forester Award at the Indiana Woodland Owner conference.

Farlee, Koenig Honored with 2023 Datena Distinguished Forester Award

Three foresters with exemplary careers, including two Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources...

2023 BPP Research Showcase

Held on November 15 at the Beck Agricultural Center, the 2023 Research Showcase highlights...

The walnut plantation at Martell Forest.

Detection & Prediction: How technology is fighting a future of tree diseases and invasive insects

The black walnut tree (Juglans nigra), prized for its rich, dark color in hardwood furniture and...

Research team explores genomic options to enhance honeybee resilience

Beekeepers lose between 30% and 40% of their colonies annually, mostly to parasites and...

Bello-Bravo, Pittendrigh and Medendorp (right) met with Maximo Torero (second from right), chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, at the World Food Forum in Rome

Book offers on-the-ground lessons in international development

A new book by a Purdue team that is impacting extension around the world is designed to help...

Farmer sentiment improves, producers credit stronger financial conditions

Agricultural producers’ sentiment increased for the second consecutive month, as the Purdue...