Nutrition Specialist Joins DAS Faculty

Kevin Harvatine, Ph.D., joined the faculty of Penn State's Department of Dairy and Animal Science (DAS) as Assistant Professor of Nutritional Physiology. A Pennsylvania native, Harvatine graduated from Penn State's DAS in 2001 with a major in Animal Science-Business/Management Option, received his M.S. at Michigan State University in 2003 in ruminant nutrition and his Ph.D. at Cornell University in 2008 in animal nutrition. He recently completed work as a post doctoral associate at Cornell with funding from the Cornell Center for Vertebrate Genomics Fellowship. His minor at Cornell was in nutritional biochemistry and molecular & cellular physiology.

Harvatine will be doing research to improve dairy efficiency through nutrition and will share responsibilities for teaching two classes: principles of nutrition and milk secretion, both offered to juniors and seniors. He said he is looking forward to working with students, having assisted teaching of a variety of classes as he worked on his advanced degrees.

An interest in dairy production and nutrition is natural for Harvatine, whose father and brother are dairymen in Susquehanna County.

Dr. Terry Etherton, Head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, said, "We are delighted to have Dr. Harvatine join our faculty and return to his Pennsylvania roots. He is a valuable addition to our strong nutrition program, and his leadership and expertise will enhance and expand the Department's offerings."

Harvatine said his research program will include applied dairy nutrition and basic regulation of metabolism. "I will be starting new research projects, looking at things differently from what I've done in the past. I am quite lucky to have good relationships with my previous advisers and will be able to collaborate and expand upon my previous work." His advisers were Dr. Mike Allen at Michigan State, and Dr. Dale Bauman and Dr. Yves Boisclair at Cornell.

He will build upon his background in traditional nutrition and regulation of metabolism, and work to develop nutritional strategies that increase the efficiency of dairy production. "It's fun to be back; it really is like coming home," Harvatine said. While there are familiar faces, there are many new faculty members in DAS, especially in reproductive physiology. "I think the Department has positioned itself very well. I like the energy and the momentum, and look forward to working with my new colleagues," he said. Many of the experimental techniques and equipment are the same for the reproductive research and his nutrition research, and he says there is the opportunity for valuable synergies. With his professional interest in integrating both applied nutrition and basic science, Harvatine added, "My background is very applied and my work stands between different worlds. I want to apply discoveries made in basic science to animal production."

Recent honors and awards include: The 2008 Cornell Center for Vertebrate Genomics Scholars Award, the 2008 ADSA National Milk Producers Federation Richard M. Hoyt Award, the 2007 Cornell Leonard A. Maynard Graduate Award, the 2007 EAAP Best Contribution by a Young Scientist in the Physiology Commission, and the 2007 ASAS Dr. H. Allen Tucker Graduate Student Travel Scholarship.

As an undergraduate at Penn State, Harvatine had a strong emphasis on livestock activities, and he was active with the Block and Bridle Club as well as the Dairy Science Club. He served on the meats judging team and the livestock judging team. His national beef quiz bowl team placed first at the 2000 National Cattlemen's Convention and the dairy quiz bowl team placed first at the 2001 American Dairy Science Association contest. Harvatine served as an Ag Advocate and was an active member of Alpha Zeta Fraternity. He was named Northeast ADSA Outstanding Senior in 2001, National Block and Bridle Club Second Place Senior in 2001 and National Block and Bridle Club Outstanding Junior in 2000. Some of his memberships include: American Society for Nutrition, American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, Gamma Sigma Delta, Mortar Board Society and National Collegiate Honor Society.