Allen Harper honored with emeritus status
Allen Harper of Franklin, Virginia, professor of animal and poultry science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
Harper has been a member of the Virginia Tech community since 1982, when he began his career as a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent. After receiving his doctoral degree in 1992, he joined the faculty as an Extension animal scientist.
He was the principal or co-principal investigator on more than 80 competitive and noncompetitive grants and contracts that focused on swine nutrition, breeder swine performance, and carcass disposal. He wrote or co-wrote more than 160 peer reviewed journal articles, extension publications, and abstracts.
Harper served as an officer in four academic or professional associations. During his career, he received the Virginia Agribusiness Council Extension Service Award, the American Society of Animal Science Southern Section Extension Award, and the Virginia Pork Industry Association Service Award.
Harper served as director of the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center from 2008 until his retirement last month.
He received his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
