William W. Saylor Selected as DAS Animal Science Distinguished Alumnus

William W. Saylor, Ph.D., Butler County native and professor in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences at the University of Delaware, Dover, DE, has been named the 2009 Penn State DAS Animal Science Distinguished Alumnus and will be honored during Little I/Dairy Expo weekend, April 17 and 18.

Saylor received his B.S. in animal industry in 1970, his M.S. in animal nutrition in 1973 and his Ph.D. in animal nutrition in 1978 after working as a research associate for Dr. Roland Leach. He has worked at the University of Delaware since then, first as a professor, then as Associate Dean for Research and Associate director of the Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station. He returned to his full time faculty position in the Department of Animal And Food Sciences in 1999.

Dr. Terry Etherton, head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science, said, "Bill has had outstanding success both as a professor and as a scientist. His excellence in teaching has touched the lives of thousands of students, and his research has had a positive and long lasting influence on Delaware's poultry industry and beyond. We are proud to honor Bill as extraordinary alumnus who has made significant contributions to the agricultural industry."

Throughout his tenure, Saylor has taught the introductory animal nutrition course to animal science and pre-veterinary medicine students, and has taught an honors section of the course for the past seven years. He is primary instructor in a sophomore careers course and teaches an upper-level undergraduate and a graduate-level course in advanced non-ruminant nutrition. He has offered special session courses in Techniques in Nutrition Research and in Contemporary Issues in Animal Agriculture.

Four times he has directed four-week study abroad programs in Australia, traveling with 15-23 students throughout New South Wales to study livestock management and feeding systems and global leadership issues. Next year the program will travel to the South Island of New Zealand.

He currently serves as advisor to the Agricultural College Council, and has been an advisor to the Animal Science Club and to Alpha Zeta, a non-residential honorary fraternity. As a Faculty Mentor to LIFE (learning Integrated Freshmen Experience) students, he assists first year students form small learning communities who live and learn together.

Saylor has taught more than 2500 undergraduate students, and has advised more than 50 students in undergraduate research projects. He has served as mentor to nine Science Scholars (undergraduate recipients of summer research internships), and four Degree with Distinction candidates. At the graduate level, he has supervised twelve MS and three PhD students and served on the committees of some 35 graduate students.

In recognition of his teaching, he was awarded the University of Delaware Agriculture College Council Excellence in Academic Advising Award, the College of Agriculture Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Land-O-Lakes/Purina Mills Excellence in Teaching Award.

Saylor has directed broiler nutrition research focused on mineral metabolism, and for the past 10 years his research has focused on exploring nutritional strategies for reducing nutrient emissions, especially phosphorus, to the environment through improved nutrient utilization. Much of that work centered on optimizing the use of phytase in commercial poultry diets, and was the focus of a collaborative effort funded by an $820,000 multi-disciplinary, multi-state USDA-IFAFS grant with colleagues at Delaware, the University of Maryland, Purdue University, and Iowa State University. Saylor and his collaborators have been recognized for the impact that this "feed to field" approach to nutrient management has had on the environmental footprint of the poultry industry on the Delmarva Peninsula. He received the 2008 Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. Medal of Achievement in recognition for his research and service to the industry.

An active member of the Poultry Science Association (PSA) since 1978, he was chair of the membership committee and serve on other committees including chairing the host committee for the 2002 Annual Meeting at the University of Delaware. He has served as secretary-treasurer and as first and second vice presidents before serving as president in 2000-2001. He is currently president of the PSA Foundation Board of Trustees, and he was elected a Fellow of the PSA in 2008, a tribute to his research, teaching and service to the industry.