Jones named 'Young Veterinarian of the Year'
Kelli Jones of Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has won the World Veterinary Poultry Association Young Veterinarian of the Year award.
Jones, who is a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians and an assistant clinical professor in CVM's Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, is an expert in avian medicine and poultry disease diagnostics. She serves Mississippi's $2.21 billion poultry industry through her work at CVM's Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Pearl.
"The award given to Dr. Jones is recognition of the fact that we have world-class poultry veterinarians here in Mississippi," said Bill Epperson, professor and head of CVM's Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine.
The WVPA Young Veterinarian of the Year award was created by WVPA and Pfizer Animal Health Global Poultry to recognize young veterinarians' important contributions to the success of the industry. The honor was open to poultry veterinarians under the age of 35, and a panel of global poultry experts selected Jones as the winner.
"Maintaining excellent bird health and welfare is at the very heart of efficient poultry production, and so veterinarians have a key role to play in successful poultry businesses," said Trevor Bagust, president of the WVPA.
Danny Magee, director of the Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, nominated Jones for the award, which includes a $5,000 travel award to be used for expenses associated with attending scientific poultry meetings.
"One of Dr. Jones' main roles at the PRDL is to provide veterinary services to Mississippi's commercial poultry industry. She accomplishes this through field service visits, laboratory investigations and research projects," Magee said. "Her involvement with the industry has also given her the opportunity to share poultry medicine with veterinary, undergraduate, and graduate students.
"Dr. Jones serves as a consultant to the domestic and international poultry industries. She also contributes to her profession by speaking at meetings and serving on professional committees for both the American College of Poultry Veterinarians and the American Association of Avian Pathologists," Magee said.
Keri Collins Lewis | MSU Ag Communications
