Joseph O'Donnell, executive dir., California Dairy Research Foundation, Davis, Calif., took the helm as president of the American Dairy Science Assn. (ADSA) Board of Directors at this summer's annual meeting. He will serve as president for the 2003-2004 term, part of a five-year commitment to ADSA that began in 2002 as vice president and includes three years as an officer and two years on the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) board. He will work with the ADSA executive team -- Vice President Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and Past President Dave Beede, Michigan State University, East Lansing -- to achieve the goals of the association.
"It is in the implementation of technology into commercial applications where dairy science can truly deliver to the public," says O'Donnell. "I view ADSA's role as that of a facilitator -- acting in support of research and education in dairy science as well as fostering the transfer of information to commercial interests with a goal of delivering nutritious products to the world at large.
"Milk is the only product designed by nature to deliver health and nutrition exclusively," he continues. "We should use our knowledge about this gift of nature to help improve the nutritional status of the global population."
With more than 4,800 members, ADSA is an international organization of educators, scientists and indusrialists who are committed to advancing the dairy industry. They are keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive and health requirements of the world's population. Together, ADSA members have discovered new methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry.