Michael Persia named John W. Hancock Professor of Animal Sciences
Michael Persia, professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist of the School of Animal Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been named the John W. Hancock Professor of Animal Sciences by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The John W. Hancock Professorship in Animal Sciences was created by and is named for an alumnus to honor the assistance provided to him by Gary Minish, George Litton, and Dan Kite, former animal sciences faculty members. The professorship recognizes excellence in teaching and research in animal-related programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Recipients hold the professorship for a period of five years.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2014, Persia’s scholarship focuses on the mechanisms of nutrient utilization in chickens and turkeys and has helped to bring a new phytase feed ingredient to market for animal feed, updated and refined poultry nutrient requirements, developed alternative treatments to help replace antibiotic use in poultry feed, and explores issues of practical importance to the commercial poultry industry. He serves the largest production animal agriculture sector — poultry — in the commonwealth through the Virginia Poultry Federation, Virginia Poultry Disease and Health Taskforce, Virginia Egg Council/Virginia Egg Board and in leadership of the Virginia Poultry Health and Management Seminar.
Persia has published a significant number of peer-reviewed papers and popular press articles related to poultry sciences. He was recognized by the American Feed Industry Association as the recipient of the Poultry Nutrition Award. In addition, he has contributed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee to revise “Nutritional Requirements of Poultry,” a document essential to commercial poultry nutrition and production.
In the classroom, Persia teaches and mentors a large number of undergraduate and graduate students to enter the poultry and allied industries. He has advised many undergraduate students in research-based experiential learning activities.
Active in the Poultry Science Association, Persia has chaired its annual meeting, held numerous leadership and editorial offices, and chaired committees in that organization as well as the Southern Poultry Science Society.
Persia received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, a master’s degree from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign.
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