David Farrell

Australia

David Farrell is a member of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, England. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and a Masters in Animal Nutrition at the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the University of New England Australia.

In 1969, he was appointed as a Lecturer in Nutrition in the Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition at the University of New England. In 1983, David was awarded the degree of Doctor of Rural Science, and in 1991, a personal chair. In 1994, he resigned from the University of New England to take up a joint appointment at the University of Queensland and as Director of the Poultry Research and Development Centre, in Brisbane. David has received a number of prestigious awards, including the Australian Poultry Award, the Les Baskin Memorial Speaker Award (Massey University, New Zealand), and is a Fellow of the Australian Society of Animal Production.

David has made an impressive contribution as a teacher, mentor, and researcher and has always taken a particular interest in young scientists from developing countries. He would like to be remembered for his work for over 30 years in developing countries, particularly with village poultry. He spent two and a half years in Indonesia and has worked in over 20 countries including Afghanistan, Burma, China, South Africa, Vietnam, and recently in Papua New Guinea. He has published approximately 400 papers and articles, 150 in refereed scientific journals, and has trained a total of 41 post-graduate students.

David has conducted research on a range of poultry species, including ostriches, emus, ducks, Japanese quail, and has developed an omega-3 fatty acid-enriched egg, but he is best known for his outstanding contribution to poultry nutrition, particularly in the area of energy metabolism. He is a member of many professional societies, an active organiser of symposia, a regular attendee at national and international conferences, has served on many editorial boards for scientific journals, and served as an examiner for many postgraduate student theses. David is Chair of the Scientific and Technical Committee for this the XXIII World’s Poultry Congress.

Dietmar Flock

Germany

After his graduation in Agricultural Science in Bonn in 1959, Dietmar K. Flock specialized his studies as a Fulbright scholarship holder in Animal breeding in Blacksburg, VA (MS 1961) and Ames, IA (PhD, 1964). Back in Germany, he worked for 4 years as head of the biometrics section of the Max-Planck-Institute for Animal Science in Mariensee.

In 1968, Dietmar K. Flock began his work as a geneticist in commercial poultry breeding (Heisdorf & Nelson, USA, Lohmann Tierzucht, Germany). In the same year (1968), he received the “venia legendi” for Animal Breeding and Genetics and started to hold lectures in Poultry Breeding at the Universities of Göttingen (1969 – 1999) and Kiel (1984 – 1994).

Dietmar K. Flock has always been able to combine his commercial and academic activities, publishing extensively on layer genetics and breeding strategies and conveying his expert knowledge in his interesting and colourful lectures.

Since many years, Dietmar K. Flock has been an active member of the WPSA. In 1996, he was elected as Vice President, and as Senior Vice President in 2000. As the President of the European Federation (2002 – 2006), he was very active in supporting the Working Groups and re-activating inactive ones. Since 2002, he is the President of the German Branch.

Sustainability of poultry production is one of Dietmar Flock’s main interests, where he is involved in Germany and EU-wide projects.

Daniel Fletcher

USA

Daniel Lake Fletcher, University of Georgia, Athens, earned B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Florida, majoring in zoology, food science, and poultry science/food science, respectively. He joined the faculty of the Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, as an assistant professor in 1977.

He was named an associate professor in 1984 and full professor in 1990. He is currently head of the Animal Science Department at the University of Connecticut (USA). He has taught numerous courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including introductory poultry science, poultry processing, poultry products technology, special problems, and seminars. Fourteen M.S. and eight Ph.D. students have completed degrees under his guidance.

His research on egg yolk and broiler skin colour work led to improved analysis of egg yolk and broiler skin colour and evaluation of pigment sources. His research on early rigor, antemortem stress, and early processing factors (such as stunning and killing methods) has contributed to the understanding of the effects of production and processing methods on poultry meat colour, texture, shelf life, and overall quality. These studies also address regulatory and animal welfare concerns in the poultry processing industry. Over $1 million in research support and grants have been awarded for his work. Dr. Fletcher has contributed 143 refereed journal articles, book chapters, and reviews, 143 abstracts, 50 proceedings and invited papers, and 99 trade publications and research reports.

Dan has been active in professional societies. He served on editorial and review boards of nine journals, including Poultry Science. Dan has served as a Director and later the President of the USA Branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association. He is an active member of the Institute of Food Technologists, American Meat Association, National Academic Advising Association, and the Georgia Poultry Federation. Some of the major awards earned by Dan Fletcher include five through PSA: Graduate Student Certificate of Excellence Award in 1977, American Egg Board Research Award in 1980, Broiler Research Award in 1990, the Continental Grain Poultry Products Research Award in 1991, and the Merck Award for Achievement in Poultry Science in 1999. He has received 11 awards for teaching and research from his department and college. Daniel Fletcher is highly regarded and respected by poultry instructors and researchers in industry, government, and academia.

Peter Hunton

Canada

Dr Hunton was born and grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, shortly after the disease named for the town was discovered. He obtained his B.Sc. in Agriculture (Honours) from Durham University’s King’s College, and his M.Sc. from Wye College, University of London.

While working for Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms in Canada, Dr Hunton was awarded his PhD from the University of London. Dr Hunton spent his career working for Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms, Ross Poultry, and the Ontario Egg Producer’s Marketing Board. Throughout his career and for many years after retirement, he wrote articles for trade journals that made science understandable to the industry. He also wrote scientific articles and contributed to major textbooks, including being editor of Poultry Production in 1995.

Dr Hunton was WPSA Canada Branch President, and international Vice-President, Senior Vice-President, and President. He led the successful bid for the XXI World Poultry Congress in Canada. During his time as WPSA President, he travelled widely on Association business to increase membership and branch formation, especially in South America. Dr Hunton also attended symposia organized by Branches of the European Federation, Australia, India, and Bangladesh. For 45 years, Dr Hunton has been an enthusiastic supporter of WPSA in all of its endeavours, and most recently, led the committee to provide online access to the journal by all members.

Piet Simons

The Netherlands

Piet Simons obtained a BSc at Wageningen University and a PhD at Wageningen University with the PhD thesis: “Ultra structure of the hen eggshell and its physiological interpretation”.

He worked as a scientist in poultry nutrition at The Spelderholt Institute at Beekbergen from 1963 until 2004. The Spelderholt Institute is now part of the Animal Science Group of Wageningen University and Research Centre. He is an internationally acknowledged expert in poultry nutrition and started the research on phytase, contributing to lower environmental emissions from poultry. The general use of enzymes in poultry nutrition has been stimulated by this original approach. Many companies in Europe, China, and India started with the production of enzymes.

In cooperation with the University of Leuven, he initiated at Wageningen University the Wageningen Business School courses on Poultry Nutrition, Husbandry, and Climate and Incubation.

Dr Simons was Secretary and President of the Dutch Branch of the WPSA, and President and Secretary of the WPSA World.