NEW ORLEANS — Dr. Paul Harms, professor emeritus in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University, was named a Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science.
The presentation was made during the 2011 American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) and American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Joint Annual Meeting held July 10-14, 2011, in New Orleans, La.
This award is given to recognize distinguished service to animal science and the livestock industry.
Harms joins an elite group of animal science professors from Texas A&M University who have received this award including O.D. Butler, Z.L. Carpenter, T.C. Cartwright, W.C. Ellis, T.R. Greathouse, F. Hale, G. T. King, H. O. Kunkel, R.D. Randel, J.K. Riggs, J.M. Shelton, G.C. Smith and T.D. Tanksley Jr.
“Paul is an outstanding educator, mentor, researcher, leader and colleague with a record of distinguished service to ASAS,” said Dr. Tom Welsh, professor. “By his modest approach to service as an excellent researcher and outstanding educator, Paul inspires colleagues and students.”
He received a bachelor’s degree in dairy science and a master of science in physiology of reproduction from the University of Illinois. He earned a doctorate in physiology of reproduction from Purdue University in 1968. Harms served in the United State Air Force as a Captain and Staff Research Physiologist in Aerospace Medicine in 1972. He was a postdoctoral research fellow in neuroendocrinology at the Southwestern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas through 1973. In 1974, he joined the department as an assistant professor, and went on to serve as associate professor, professor, and physiology of reproduction section leader until his retirement in August 2008.
Harms’ contributions to higher education and to reproductive physiology have made a lasting impact on technologies for assisted reproduction in mammals. During his career he and his students have produced 81 refereed journal articles, nine chapters in books (including an obstetrics and gynecology textbook chapter that was co-authored with his physician son), 14 invited papers and 150 abstracts presented. He has served as the major advisor to 32 graduate students and as an advisor to more than 170 graduate students.
As an active member of the Southern Section of ASAS, Harms has served as secretary-treasurer elect, secretary-treasurer, president-elect, president and past-president. In 2011, he was awarded the distinguished service award from the Southern Section of ASAS.
-30-