2021 AAAP Virtual Annual Meeting Awards Recipients
Event
American Association of Avian Pathologists Inc. Virtual Annual Meeting, July 30-August 2, 2021. A recording of the Awards presentation is available to meeting registrants on the virtual site.
Awards
A.S. Rosenwald Student Poster Award
Claudia Carranza of Lima Peru received the A.S. Rosenwald Student Poster Award in the category of applied research. Dr. Carranza received her veterinary degree in 2010 from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. She is a postdoctoral student at the National University of San Marcos in Lima Peru. Her poster was titled, Continuous Detection of GI-13 Lineage Avian Coronavirus Strain in Poultry Flocks from Peru.
Allison Boone of Raleigh, North Carolina received the A.S. Rosenwald Student Poster Award in the category of basic research. Dr. Boone received her veterinary degree in 2010 from the North Carolina State University. She is a postdoctoral student at North Carolina State University. Her poster was titled, Immunomodulant Effect of in ovo Vaccination with Herpesvirus of Turkey Supplemented with Toll-like Receptor 3 agonist (poly I:C) in Meat-type Chickens.
Reed Rumsey Student Award
Dr. Mohammadreza Ehsan, was awarded the Reed Rumsey Student Award in the basic research category. He received his veterinary degree in 2013 from the Islamic Azad University Garmsar Branch in Iran. He got his first PhD in Bordetellosis in 2017 from the University of Tehran and his second PhD in Avian Mycoplasma at the University of Georgia in 2021. His presentation was titled, “Application of Comparative Genomics to Mycoplasma gallisepticum Vaccine Studies.
Outstanding Field Case and/or Diagnostic Report Award
Dr. Sara Throne of Bentonville, Arkansas received the Outstanding Field Case and/or Diagnostic Report Award. Dr. Throne is a Senior Director, of Veterinary Services at Simmons Foods. Her presentation was titled, Sunday Morning Calls are Never Good!
P.P. Levine Award
Dr. Farjana Saiada of Richmond, Virginia received the P.P. Levine Award, presented to the senior author of the best paper published in the journal Avian Diseases. The paper was titled, Intestinal Tropism of an Infectious Bronchitis Virus Isolate Not Explained by Spike Protein Binding Specificity. Dr. Saiada, along with her co-authors Rodrigo Gallardo, H.L. Shivaprasad, Charles Corsiglia and Vicky van Santen investigated an infectious bronchitis virus (CalEnt) with unusual enteric tropism isolated from a California broiler flock exhibiting runting-stunting syndrome.
Bayer-Snoeyenbos New Investigator Award
Dr Rüdiger Hauck of Auburn Alabama received the Bayer-Snoeyenbos New Investigator Award, presented to a member or associate member of AAAP whose career as an independent investigator in poultry medicine began less than seven years ago and who during this time has made meritorious research contributions to the avian field. Dr. Hauck received his veterinary degree from Freie Universität Berlin in 2002 and his PhD in 2006. Dr. Hauck works as an assistant professor at Auburn University where he focuses on coccidia and reovirus. His research aims at understanding the molecular basis of their pathogenicity and using this knowledge in practical ways to prevent disease.
Lasher-Bottorff Award
Dr. Tahseen Abdul-Aziz of Raleigh North Carolina, received the Lasher-Bottorff Award, given in recognition of an avian diagnostician or technical service veterinarian who has made important contributions to the poultry health program in North America over the past 10 years. Dr. Abdul-Aziz received his veterinary degree from Baghdad University in 1977, his MS degree in Veterinary Pathology in 1981, and his PhD in 1983 evaluating the effect of NDV vaccine strains on the turkey trachea from Iowa State University. Dr. Abdul-Aziz has been in the forefront of identifying new and re-emerging health issues in poultry flocks. Most notably, he was the first to describe what is now known as Enterococcal Spondylitis. Dr. Abdul-Aziz works as a Veterinary Pathologist and Diagnostician in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture at Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Raleigh, North Carolina and serves as an Adjunct Professor in the NCSU Veterinary College.
Phibro Animal Health Excellence in Poultry Research
Dr. Erica Spackman of Athens, Georgia, received the Phibro Animal Health Excellence in Poultry Research Award for sustained excellence in poultry disease and health for 20 years or more. Dr. Spackman received her PhD degree from the University of Delaware in 2001. She works as a Research Microbiologists at the SEPRL in Athens Georgia. Dr. Spackman has been involved in the creation of novel diagnostic tests for viral diseases of poultry, including the real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) for Avian Influenza. She also created RRT-PCR diagnostic tests for Newcastle Disease virus, avian astrovirus, avian reoviruses, turkey coronaviruses and avian rotavirus which have reduced the time and cost of testing and improved its accuracy.
AAAP Life Member Award
Dr. Richard Chin of Petaluma, California, received the AAAP Life Member Award in recognition for his outstanding record of service to the poultry industry. Dr. Chin earned his veterinary degree in 1983 from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Chin has been active in the AAAP for 35 years, having served on numerous AAAP committees, board of directors, as President in 2003-2004, and on the editorial board of Avian Diseases since 1999. He has received numerous honors and scholarships from various organizations, including the Lasher Bottorff Award in 2012. Dr. Chin has actively served in many other organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, National Poultry Improvement Plan, Pacific Egg & Poultry Association, and Western Poultry Disease Conference.
AAAP Special Service Award and Excellence in Mentorship Award
Bob and Janece Bevans-Kerr of Jacksonville, Florida, received the AAAP Special Service Award for outstanding contributions to avian medicine via scientific work, organizational involvement, and service to colleagues. They have provided high quality services to the AAAP since 2008. They go beyond their expected tasks of attending to the day-to-day affairs and managing the business aspects of the Association and are responsible for transforming the AAAP into a very professional organization.
AAAP Excellence in Mentorship Award
Dr. Jarra Jagne of Ithaca, New York received the AAAP Excellence in Mentorship Award in recognition for her dedication to the poultry industry and mentorship of students and/or fellow colleagues. Dr. Jagne earned her veterinary degree from Cornell University in 1990. Dr. Jagne has more than 25 years of experience working in the areas of poultry pathology, laboratory diagnostics, poultry health and production management, biosecurity issues, emergency preparedness and response, public health, adult education, and training, applied research and project management. She serves as Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University. Dr. Jagne has mentored students in different phases of career development and helped to create a poultry rotation at Cornell University in conjunction with the pathology department, giving students an opportunity to learn about poultry without having to travel.
Hall of Honor Inductees
Drs. Hyun Lillehoj, Rudolf Hein, and Tahseen Abdul-Aziz were inducted into the AAAP Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor recognizes a member of the AAAP who has 15 or more years of membership of the AAAP and has made significant contributions to the advancement of poultry health and contributions to the AAAP.
Dr. Hyun Lillehoj of West Friendship, Maryland, earned her doctorate in immunology in 1979 from Wayne State University. She serves as a Research Molecular Biologist at ARS, USDA in Beltsville, Maryland.
Dr. Rudolf Hein of Georgetown, Delaware, earned his MS degree in 1977 from Hatfield College in the United Kingdom. Dr. Hein works as a private consultant focusing on the development and technical support recombinant HVT vector vaccines.
Dr. Tahseen Abdul-Aziz of Raleigh, North Carolina, earned his veterinary degree in 1977 from Baghdad University and his PhD in 1983 from Iowa State University. Dr. Abdul-Aziz works as a Veterinary Pathologist and Diagnostician in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture at Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Raleigh, North Carolina and serves as an Adjunct Professor in the NCSU Veterinary College.
Officers
Drs. Louise Dufour-Zavala, Gainesville, Georgia, President
Rocio Crespo, Cary, North Carolina, President-Elect
David Frame, Ephraim, Utah, Past president
Suzanne Dougherty, Athens, Alabama, Executive vice president
Directors
Drs. Samuel Christenberry, Cullman, Alabama;
Michelle Kromm, Wilmar, Minnesota;
Julie Helm, Columbia, South Carolina;
Karen Grogan, Dacula, Georgia;
Simone Stoute, Turlock, California;
Naola Ferguson-Noel, Athens, Georgia;
Ashley Hallowell, Abington, Pennsylvania, student director
Dr. Holly Sellers, Athens, Georgia, Associated Director
