PSA Insights
What PSA Membership Means to Me

For me, membership in the Poultry Science Association (PSA) is about the many friends and colleagues that I have made through the association. I have been a member of PSA since 1985, when I joined as a graduate student. In 1986, I gave my first oral presentation at the PSA Annual Meeting. I was so nervous. Alan Johnson, who was famous already in the field of avian reproduction, was a judge for the session, and he took me aside after the session to give me one-on-one coaching on my presentation. I will never forget that. I met many other scientists at that meeting who I considered famous. Those famous people later became friends and colleagues of mine over the years through our interactions at the Annual Meetings. Now, nearly all of the first group of famous scientists that I met in 1986 have retired, but I have continued to meet people with similar or complementary research interests at every Annual Meeting since then. I have established productive research collaborations with scientists that I met at these meetings.

Now, I get to visit with my former students at the annual meetings and meet their students. For me, the Annual Meeting is more about visiting with friends and colleagues and making new ones than it is about presenting our research. It is the people. Now, as I write this, I realize that I have not seen most of those friends and colleagues in more than two years, and our next visit is nearly another year away. Through my membership in PSA, I have had the opportunity for my students to present our research, the opportunity to share and discuss ideas for future research with colleagues, the opportunity to have our efforts recognized through awards, and the opportunity for professional advancement. I owe so much to PSA for the opportunities that it has provided.

I served PSA for more than 20 years as associate editor, then section editor, and then finally as Editor-in-Chief of Poultry Science®. One way to look at that is that I had provided substantial service to PSA. However, the way that I look at it is that I was paying back PSA for all the association had done for me. Serving in those roles increased my name recognition around the world, which is something else that has been a direct benefit to me through membership in PSA.

I am currently serving as 1st Vice President of PSA, and next year I will serve as President. My primary goal is to ensure that PSA continues to provide its members the opportunities that it has provided me. I honestly believe that I owe much in terms of my career to my membership and active engagement in PSA. I have been a member of several other associations, but I consider PSA to be my academic family, and that is what membership in the Poultry Science Association means to me.

Tom E. Porter
1st Vice President, PSA
Let's "Squawk" About It
Coloring Poultry Feed
We know that poultry can see a spectrum of color that is slightly more advanced than that of humans. With the ability to see even more colors, how does that affect a bird’s choice and consumption of feed. Join us as we sit down with Kevin Downs, Middle Tennessee State University, to discuss this area of research he and Joseph Gulizia, Auburn University, began and see the opportunities this leaves for research in the future.

Want to Participate?
Do you want to squawk with us? Complete the Get Involved with PSA Form to submit your topic for consideration on Let's Squawk About It.

Call for Symposia Proposals
2022 PSA Annual Meeting

Symposium proposals to be presented at the 2022 PSA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas next summer are now being accepted.

Submissions will be accepted until 11:59 PM CST on October 11, 2021. Please be sure to read through the resources provided before submitting to the form.

The 2022 PSA Annual Meeting will be held on July 11-14, 2022 at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter. Additional details will be provided in late 2021.
PSA Member Spotlight
Know someone you'd like to nominate for Member Spotlights or want to nominate yourself? Download the Questionnaire Here!
Sasha van der Klein

Current Employer:
Hendrix Genetics - Hybrid Turkeys

Education:
  • Bachelor's Degree - Wageningen University 
  • Master's Degree - Wageningen University 
  • PhD - University of Alberta

Area of Expertise:
My PhD focused on statistical modelling of energy partitioning and reproductive performance in broiler breeders, but right now I’m working on optimizing our turkey breeding program and selecting the next generation of thanksgiving dinners.

Where did you grow up and did you have poultry in your youth?
I grew up in Leiden, a city between The Hague and Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. We had some backyard chickens growing up, so my love for chickens started early, but exposure to the poultry industry only come through my education. As I grew up as a city kid, I had to learn a lot about our industry. I’m still learning, but it’s fascinating!
What was your first job out of school and what were your responsibilities?
I feel like I only just finished school! I defended my PhD Feb 2020, so technically my current job is my first job out of school. My responsibility now is to ensure we continue to identify, select, and mate the superior animals in all our different lines.

If you had a motto that applied to your daily professional career, what would it be?
“Motivation comes from within, but inspiration in my surroundings fuels it.” I have been blessed by great mentors, like Dr Martin Zuidhof and Dr Valerie Carney at the University of Alberta. Although the motivation to finish my PhD and strive toward a career in our industry afterwards came from myself, they definitely inspired me to push to get there.

What value does PSA membership offer you?
A community of professional poultry enthusiasts! It provides an excellent network in academia and the North American industry, but the PSA annual meetings have also been central in communicating my PhD research.

What is your favorite poultry breed?
My favorite chicken is the Barnevelder chicken, because of her fancy ringed feathers and obviously because of its Dutch origin. For turkeys I suppose it’d be the Rouge des Ardennes (Red of the Ardennes), a really hardy breed.
Interpretive Summary
The Best Chickens for the Job

In Ethiopia, a group of scientists examined several exotic chicken varieties to determine if the tropically-adapted breeds would be able to succeed in the most tropical region of Ethiopia.

The study served to identify breeds that can be raised in other climates they are suited for to reduce the high cost of feed, veterinary support, and management expenses.
PSA Fellow Nominations
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Open Now Through November 1st

The distinction of Fellow is the highest award bestowed by the Poultry Science Association and is granted for professional distinction and contributions to the field of poultry science and service to the Poultry Science Association.

To nominate someone for PSA Fellow consideration, please visit the PSA Website Here.
Additional Reading
Alternative Laying Hen Diets Outside of the Least-Cost Model
This review article from The Journal of Applied Poultry Research examines feed formulation alternatives aside from the traditional least-cost diets approach. With a specific look at the layer industry and the common fluctuation in egg prices, the article looks at how the least-cost approach may not always coincide with the maximum profit solution.
IPSF 2022
The abstract submission site is now open!

The International Poultry Scientific Forum has begin accepting abstract submissions to be presented at the 2022 forum. See the full announcement through the link below.
WPC Webinar Series
Recognizing the Science from 2019

In order to recognize the excellence scientific proposals accepted in 2019 for the 2020 World's Poultry Congress, WPSA is premiering a monthly series of webinars featuring these presentations.

Webinars will begin streaming Tuesday, September 14, 2021 and conclude on May 10, 2022. A complete schedule of topics is available on the WPC website at the link below.