Fall Student Newsletter
August 2024
A message from the Department Head
Greetings,
I am excited to re-join the Department as the new department head. I am a proud alum and was trained here in the early 2000’s in ruminant nutrition. I want to take this opportunity to welcome all new and returning students to fall 2024 as well as congratulate all May/August graduates and those who made the Dean’s list in spring 2024!
In my short time back in Storrs, I have had the chance to speak with many of the incoming freshmen on different occasions. We are so fortunate to have you all here joining the Department. The faculty and staff of Animal Science have been working hard to ensure that we are fully prepared to assist all students to make wonderful, life lasting memories, and great personal and professional achievements.
We are still waiting to refill two new faculty positions; one will be centrally involved with dairy extension/outreach activities while teaching dairy science courses and the second one will be heavily involved in teaching responsibilities.
The Department’s faculty members in FY 2024 submitted nearly $15.4 million external proposals, received ~$6.1 million, have several in “pending/under review” status now, and maintained active external funding of ~$24.3 million. We also published 91 conference proceedings, 43 journal articles, 5 book chapters, filed one patent, and awarded 9 PhD, 5 MS, and 96 undergraduate degrees (20 in December, 63 in May, and 13 candidates for August 2024).
We are so thankful to Professor Cindy Tian for taking good care of the Department for the past three years as the Interim Department Head while maintaining her teaching and research duties. Her leadership through challenging times has been exemplary and placed the Department in a very good position to continue pursuing excellence in teaching, research, extension as well as entrepreneurial activities.
For those who plan to graduate this December, please make sure that you apply for graduation and submit plans of study to the degree auditor. The plan of study should be submitted within the first two weeks of the semester through Student Admin. Please check with your advisor to make sure you are all set for graduation.
Let us have a fantastic fall 2024 semester and GO HUSKIES!
Best Wishes,
Pedram Rezamand '06 PhD (ANSC)
