The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Steven Lonergan has been named an AMSA Fellow and is a recipient of the 2014 AMSA Signal Service Award. The AMSA Signal Service Award was established in 1956 and is given to members in recognition of devoted service and lasting contributions to the meat industry and to the association. The Signal Service Awards are sponsored by Keystone Foods, Johnsonville Sausage Company and Elanco Animal Health.Steven Lonergan will be honored at an Awards banquet during the AMSA 67^th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 in Madison, WI.

Dr. Lonergan’s interest in livestock production began in West Liberty, Iowa, where he grew up, and then went to Iowa State University, where he earned his B.S. in Animal Science. After graduation he began working towards his M.S. degree in Meat Science in 1989. He then moved to the University of Nebraska to pursue a Ph.D. in Animal Science with a minor in Biochemistry.

Steven accepted a position as Assistant Professor at Auburn University in 1995. He joined the faculty at Iowa State University in the Department of Animal Science in October of 1998 as an Assistant Professor, and assumed responsibilities in research and teaching. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2004 and to Professor in 2008. He has focused a significant part of his career on the discovery and fundamental description of molecular factors influencing muscle growth and meat quality.

Dr. Lonergan has been successful as a teacher, mentor and advocate for student achievement. In these roles, his work has not only significantly advanced research efforts but has also provided valuable opportunities for young scholars and students. He has had several young scientists from around the world come to his laboratory for extended studies, including ten international scholars in the past ten years.

Dr. Lonergan has demonstrated excellence in research and rapidly advanced his research program with effective communication of his work, and with very successful extramural funding efforts. He is author or co-author of 85 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Lonergan’s research has advanced scientific discovery in several areas within Animal Science as demonstrated by the number and breadth of invited presentations at national conferences. He has contributed 34 invited presentations to national and international audiences. He is co-author of three textbooks and 4 textbook chapters, and he is an author or co-author of over 140 abstracts at regional, national and international conferences. Dr. Lonergan has been Principal or Co-Principal Investigator in more than 50 research projects totaling over $11,000,000.

He chaired the very successful 2011 Reciprocal Meat Conference and has an AMSA Director and Guest Editor for Animal Frontiers. He served as Vice-Chair (07) and Chair (08) of the National Program Committee for the Annual meeting of the ASAS. AMSA recognized Steven with the Distinguished Research Award (2012), the Distinguished Teaching Award (2008), and the Achievement Award (2002).

“Dr. Steven M. Lonergan has established himself as an international leader in meat science research with particular expertise in muscle and meat protein biochemistry and fresh meat quality. His service to AMSA and the meat industry makes Dr. Steven Lonergan a worthy recipient of the Signal Service Award and being named an AMSA Fellow,” stated Bob Delmore, Professor, Colorado State University and President, AMSA.

Source: AMSA