FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Steven C. Ricke, professor of food science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, received the Evonik Corporation Award for Achievement in Poultry Science at the annual Poultry Science Association meeting held this year in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Ricke is the Donald "Buddy" Wray Endowed Chair in Food Safety and director of the Division of Agriculture's Center for Food Safety. He is also a faculty member of the Department of Food Science of the Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and in the cellular and molecular biology graduate program at the University of Arkansas.

Ricke's research program in the division's Arkansas Agriculture Experiment Station is primarily focused on Salmonella, with projects spanning more than 25 years, emphasizing studies on growth, survival and pathogenesis of the pathogen during food animal production and processing.

The Evonik Corporation Award is given as an achievement award, for distinctive contributions to poultry science advancement, covering a period of not more than seven years and who have made outstanding contributions in the field of poultry research that have been published in recognized journals or state, provincial, or federal publications.

Awards are based on:

• Quality and excellence in the general scope of research, including depth, scientific relevance, experimental design, scientific methodology, innovation and major findings; 
• Quantity and magnitude of publications in peer-reviewed journals, patents, proceedings, presentations, abstracts, invited presentations, research funding and popular press; 
• Commercial relevance and applicability of findings, and adoption of science; 
• Extent of national and international research cooperation with other scientists in the United States and world-wide; and 
• Education, training and mentoring, including teaching responsibilities and advising and training of undergraduate and graduate students. 

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at ArkAgResearch.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.